Official Site of The State of New Jersey
NJDOE Virtual Professional Learning
In the face of COVID-19, The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) remains resolved in our commitment to provide a "Thorough and Efficient Education". The New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) ensures that our students are ready for college and careers by emphasizing high-level skills needed not only for tomorrow's world but critical for the challenges we face today.
The Department is thrilled to collaborate with our excellent educators across the garden-state to create virtual professional learning sessions. The sessions provide a space to share and showcase some of the best practices in remote instruction. Additionally, it is a resource for our teachers as they engage, equip, and empower our students to achieve the goals set in the NJSLS during unprecedented times.
The webpage is a living digital collection that will be updated as we receive sessions throughout the year. We encourage you to check back often to keep abreast of recent, results-oriented, and New Jersey-honed approaches to student-centered virtual pedagogy.
Topics for Fall 2020
Title: Choose Your Own Adventure With Google Forms
Presenter: Ted Samaras, Instructional Technology Coach, Franklin Township Public Schools
Contact Information: Twitter - @ourtechcoach
Description: Learn how to use Google Forms to build "Choose Your Own Adventure" activities. This type of project-based learning can be used for all grade levels and learners in small or large groups, can be used synchronously and asynchronously, and can be tailored to be hybrid escape rooms and choice boards.
Title: Chromebooks to Promote Inclusive Hybrid & Virtual Learning
Presenter: Kathryn Nieves Licwinko
Contact Information: Twitter - @Ms_KatieNieves
Description: In this session, participants will learn about the accessibility features built into the Chromebook and Google for Education apps, which can be used to support students as they work at home or in hybrid learning environments. Strategies for bringing this into the inclusion setting will be emphasized.
Title: Creative Digital Escape Rooms
Presenter: Joseph Tauriello, Teacher of 6th Grade Mathematics & Social Studies, Teaneck Public Schools, Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
Description: Creating digital escape rooms for our learners provides them with an immersive learning experience. Using G Suite, we can create these digital escape rooms that are relevant to instruction, connect clues with the curriculum, and actively engage students. Students will interact with clues, solve puzzles, problems, and riddles, all related to topics they are learning in the classroom, which forces them to think critically and troubleshoot as they work to escape.
Title: Online Discussion Boards as Learning Assessments
Presenter: Marla James, Humanities Teacher / Online Curriculum Designer, Diocese of Newark, Union Catholic Regional High School
Contact Information: Twitter - @MJames43
Description: This webinar presents strategies for creating online discussion boards as effective formative and summative assessments and provides examples that align with a variety of learning objectives. It includes ideas for debates, simulations, role plays, argumentative and research assignments, and applications of critical thinking skills. An overview of guidelines for student/teacher interaction and rubrics is also included.
Title: Using BrainPop for Assessment
Presenter: Richard DiMauro, Little Egg Harbor School District, Instructional Technology Coach
Contact Information: Twitter - @MrDiMauro
Description: Curious about how you can use BrainPop to assess your students? Come find out how you can use engaging and rigorous activities built into BrainPop to assess your students.
Title: Assessing Students Remotely in English Language Arts (ELA)
Presenter: Kimberly Chessman, Pre-K-5 Literacy Coach, Woodbury; City Public Schools
Contact Information: Twitter - @KimKcheesman
Description: We will learn to develop routines and procedures to assess students remotely in ELA. We will review expectations when doing a diagnostic assessment or a reading assessment with students
Title: Early Childhood Educators: Getting down with M.V.P.!
Presenter: Octavia Greer, PreK-3 Teacher, Woodbury City Public Schools
Contact Information: Instagram - @Doingit4theLegacy
Description: Our classrooms are a microcosm of the world and our students' experience should reflect opportunities to help them make connections to the real world. The evolution of learning requires educators to be able to pivot and adapt to various situations such as teaching within a digital space. This presentation will offer early childhood educators practical ideas to help encourage students to remain engaged, but also develop a partnership with families in an effort to best help support their youngest scholar. This can be accomplished by using M.V.P. which focuses on making the learning environment interactive, using visual representations, and ensuring predictable routines are implemented daily!
Title: English Learners (ELs) and Remote Instruction
Presenter: Darlyne de Haan, Director of Curriculum and Instruction - Math and Science, Bridgeton School District
Contact Information: Twitter - @deHaanConsult
Description: The session provides educators with readily available resources and strategies that align with English Learner (EL) students' level of language acquisition.
Title: GotTechED's Remote Learning Edition
Presenters:
Eric Guise, AP Bio & Media/Tech Specialist, Hopewell Valley School District, Hopewell Valley Central High School
Nicholas Johnson, AP Chem & Media/Tech Specialist, Hopewell Valley School District, Hopewell Valley Central High School
Contact Information: Twitter - @guisegotteched and @nickgotteched
Description: This webinar provides educational technology tools that will enhance the student learning experience, whether you are remote teaching or teaching in person. One of the presentation's objectives is to share templates for use in a small group setting to promote student engagement.
Title: Optimizing Remote Learning Tools for Exceptional Learners in Early Elementary
Presenter: Enrique Manlapid, School 28, Paterson Public Schools
Contact: Twitter - @mrmanlapid
Description: The extended closure of school buildings has posed unique challenges in the education of students with special needs. In this session, we will explore ways to develop accessible and high-quality instruction in the current virtual education environment. Teachers in inclusive and special education classrooms will learn how to leverage available resources and optimize widely used technologies to deliver specialized student support in learning.
Title: The Social Solutions Project: Using Project-Based Learning (PBL) to Promote Social Awareness
Presenters: Dottie DePalma, English Teacher, Teacher Leader and Renee Rogers, Librarian, Hamilton Township School District, Steinert High School
Contact Information:
Dottie DePalma - ddepalma@htsdnj.org, @MrsDePalmaSHS
Renee Rogers - rrogers@htsdnj.org, @overdolibrarian, @spartanslibrary
Description: The Social Solutions Project is a student-centered project-based learning (PBL) experience that can be altered and replicated to fit a variety of academic settings and grade levels. This video walks through how the project works, things to consider when designing a PBL experience, and offers suggestions for other types of PBLs.
Title: Writer's Workshop for Secondary Classrooms
Presenter: Megan Thompson, Atlantic County Vocational School District
Contact Information: Twitter - @megteachesgood
Description: The objective of this webinar is to understand how and why a writer's workshop can be included in secondary classrooms as an alternative to traditional writing instruction.
Title: Tool and Tactics: Danielson in Distance Learning (and Other Frameworks)
Presenter: Adnan Ezad, Language Arts Teacher and Coordinator, Jersey City Public School District
Contact Information: Twitter - @dr_ezad
Description: This video demonstrates how various distance learning tools afforded by Google and Google Classroom can be tactically leveraged to meet components of Domain 3 (Instruction) of Danielson, as well as other frameworks. The first half of the video provides an overview of the tools offered by Google Classroom, and the second half is dedicated to determining how those tools can be leveraged. Again, feel free to pause at key moments to determine how you can use these tools or similar tools afforded by your institution's LMS to meet the requirements of various NJDOE approved frameworks.
Title: Assessment During Synchourous & Asycnhronous Teaching
Presenter: Maheen Ahmad, English Teacher, West Orange School District, Edison Middle School
Contact Information: Twitter - @letsAhmadifyIt
Description: Welcome to a virtual workshop on assessments! In this video, you will get an overview of the different kinds of assessments, principles to use when designing assessments during a distance learning format, and an explanation of how at least 10 EdTech Tools can be used to create formative and summative assessments. This video is intended for teachers of grades 6 to 8, but can be useful for any secondary teachers.
Topics for Spring 2020
Title: Blended Is Better: Maximizing Student Achievement
Presenter: John Mason, Teacher of Social Studies, Egg Harbor Township School District, Egg Harbor Township High School
Contact Information: Twitter - @jhnmason
Description: Blended what? Flipped this? While Blended Learning is often thrown around as a catch-all term for any online instruction it is much more than this. Perfectly suited to remote as well as traditional classroom instruction, Blended Learning promotes differentiation, student choice, and data-driven decision making. Get started with a couple of different models as well as some suggested tools to begin your Blended Learning Journey.
Title: Blended Learning in Kindergarten-Second Grade
Presenter: Laura Mittelman, First Grade Teacher, Brigantine Public Schools, Brigantine Community School
Contact Information: Twitter - @lauramurphhs
Description: Blended learning is an amazing resource for teachers especially during this time of remote learning. In this session, viewers will learn new ways to utilize blended learning programs inside and outside of the classroom, how to set classroom norms for blended learning, different components of blended learning programs, and how to use blended learning to inform individual and small group instruction.
Title: Blended Learning Strategies You Can Use in Remote Learning& Face to Face Settings
Presenter: Elizabeth Pitel, Instructional Technology Integration Specialist/ Computer Teacher, Washington Township Public Schools, Chestnut Ridge Middle School, Bunker Hill Middle School, and Orchard Valley Middle School
Contact Information: Twitter - @liztechtrainer
Description: Despite all the development in districts everywhere in pedagogy and technology, students and teachers were not fully prepared to make this sudden switch into remote learning. To help support this new normal, this session examines strategies of blended learning so that teachers can apply them to our remote learning and face to face instruction. It further looks into best practices for organizing, assessing, and collaboration by focusing on free and easy to use instructional technology tools to help support teachers and students.
Title: Coronavirus as an Educational Catalyst
Presenter: Todd Crane, Chemistry and Lead Teacher, Bergen County Technical Schools, Bergen County Academies
Contact Information: Twitter - @toddwcrane
Description: When the novel coronavirus hit the world in the spring of 2020, teachers and students did their best, as the overused meme implores, to "stay calm and carry on." For some teachers this was their first experience relying on technology to deliver instruction and assessments. This presentation considers the role of educational technology both theoretically and practically. First, the case is made to teachers and administrators that the coronavirus only accelerated changes to education already taking place and that there can be no going back. Second, specific details for creating and delivering content for blended learning environments using mobile and desktop applications are provided.
Title: Digital Whiteboards in Remote Learning
Presenter: Rich DiMauro, Teacher, Little Egg Harbor School District, Frog Pond Elementary School
Contact Information: Twitter - @MrDiMauro
Description: No whiteboard or drawing tool at home? No problem! Whether you are pre-recording lessons, hosting live lessons or working with a small group, you can use online digital whiteboards to help extend your teaching and student learning. We take a look at eight different tools you can use that range from basic drawing to advanced whiteboards.
Title: Creating Digital Choice Boards in Google Slides
Presenter: Melissa Marash, Assistant Director of Academics, Hudson Arts and Science Charter School, Hudson Arts and Science Charter School- Middle School
Contact Information: Twitter - @MissMarash
Description: Choice boards are a great way to engage all learners and provide students with an opportunity to practice new material in many different ways. During this 30-minute session we will address five tips for a high-quality digital activity. Then we will model how to create a choice board in Google Slides showing some specific technology techniques to create your own unique digital worksheet. Last we will discuss ways to make this activity accessible and differentiated for all learners.
Title: Maintaining Relationships During Remote Learning
Presenter: Fatihah Abdur-Rahman, Elementary Principal, Camden City School District, Forest Hill
Contact Information: Instagram - @principal_rahman; Facebook - Principal Rahman
Description: In this 30-minute virtual professional learning, elementary and middle school educators explore the five practices to maintain relationships during the school closure that every great remote learning classroom should have. Educators will also be able to apply five essential relationship-building practices that are grounded in meeting students’ social and emotional needs.
Title: Supporting English Learners During Distance Learning
Presenter: LeighAnn Matthews, K-12 English as a Second Language Instructional Coach, Bridgewater Raritan Regional School District
Contact Information: Twitter - @theESLlady
Description: This presentation will help K-12 staff in various positions better understand the challenges that English learners and their families are faced with during distance learning. Examining these challenges will allow participants to recognize areas where English learners may need more support and flexibility. Tips and strategies will also be shared that participants can implement immediately to support English learners in virtual classrooms.
Title: Tools for Supporting Students Through Google Classroom
Presenter: Melissa Bergstrom, Elementary Inclusion Teacher, Cherry Hill School District, A. Russell Knight School
Contact Information: Twitter - @Room13Ark
Description: Through this workshop, teachers will explore a variety of ways to support students through Google Classroom. We will take a look at differentiating assignments to support both special education students, as well as Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) students. Finally, teachers will learn about some online tools that will help support instruction for all learning styles.
Title: Below the Emotional Waterline
Presenter: Jamie Brown, Vice Principal/District PEER Leadership Director, Holmdel Twp. Public Schools, Holmdel High School
Contact Information: Facebook – ACCEPT U; Instagram - @VP_JBrown; LinkedIn; Twitter - @VP_JBrown; YouTube;
Description: Participants will engage in an interactive, self-reflection of social and emotional well-being by embracing and defining emapthy in their own lives and teaching, in an effort to develop the Whole Child to be Future Ready iand revitalize their School's Culture in a Post-Covid Educational setting.Participants will engage in an interactive, self-reflection of social and emotional well-being by embracing and defining emapthy in their own lives and teaching, in an effort to develop the Whole Child to be Future Ready iand revitalize their School's Culture in a Post-Covid Educational setting.
Title: Building Capacity Through Self-Care
Presenter: Shalonda Archibald, Literacy Coach, Plainfield Public Schools, Maxson Middle School
Contact Information: Email - mrs.s.archibald@gmail.com
Description: Participants in this session can look forward to developing an understanding of self-care's impact on their well being and performance and they will also create a daily self-care plan based on strategies shared in the session.
Title: Empathy at the Heart: Design Thinking in Times of Crisis
Presenter: Dr. Amy Mount, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Gateway Regional, National Park, and Westville School Districts
Contact Information: Twitter - @msmrocks
Description: Design thinking is a human-centered process for problem-solving. The process starts with empathy. Empathy is more important than ever in light of our current crisis. Understanding the experiences of our students and educators is critical to our success in this venture. In this session, I’ll highlight some of the key principals of design thinking and focus on empathy. I’ll share some exercises to explore the experiences of our stakeholders and develop empathy. We will conclude with a mindful visualization actvity.
Title: Grounding Techniques During Emotionally Turbulent Times
Presenter: Suzy Ismail, Communication Interventionist, South Brunswick, Noor-ul-Iman School
Contact Information: suzy.ismail@gmail.com
Description: Methods such as 5-4-3-2-1, cognitive restructuring, and memory mining are discussed in this video for applying grounding techniques for socio-emotional wellness through these difficult times.
Presenters: Katie Evans, First Grade Inclusion-Special Education Teacher, Glassboro School District, Bullock Elementary School
Michelle Rullo, Teacher, Glassboro School District, Bullock Elementary School
Contact Information: Katie Evans, kevans@gpsd.us; Michelle Rullo, mrullo@gpsd.us
Description: This presentation will allow participants to look at social emotional learning (SEL)/ Trauma-Informed practices through a new lens. It will review the importance of language and consistency; visual schedules; chill zones; listening tools/manipulatives; motivators; self-reflection/self-assessment; building strong relationships with students/families; and mindfulness. This presentation also offers SEL resources for your teacher toolkit and an SEL Checklist to jumpstart your classrooms.
Title: How You Doin'?
Presenter: Daniela Small-Bailey, Principal, Englewood Public School, Dr. John Grieco Elementary School
Contact Information: Twitter - @DrJGriecoSchool
Description: This presentation will promote emotional wellness in educators and help them to identify and positively manage stressors/emotions and difficult situaitons.
Title: Laundry and Lesson Plans: Finding Balance As We Forge Ahead
Presenter: Donna Maccaroni, Middle School Special Education Teacher, Lawrence Township, Lawrence Middle School
Contact Information: Twitter - @DonnaMaccaroni
Description: Participants of this session will find practical advice on how to balance the many aspects of life as the presenter shares her stories, strategies and mindset that allow her to be at peace as a mom of five and teacher of many. Throughout the session, by taking time to pause and work through the strategies presented, viewers will garner the strength and positive attitude that will help them to know they can and will survive with grace...or at least with a little humor.
Title: Mindfulness and Finding Peace
Presenter: Lauren Moffitt, Sixth Grade Special Education Teacher, Glassboro School District, Thomas E. Bowe School
Contact Information: lmoffitt@gpsd.us
Description: This presentation will allow for participants to be able to teach mindfulness to their students, and specifically how they can find peace in these stressful, unprecedented times. It offers educators strategies for helping students achieve personal peace and make connections with their peers. It uses a read a loud called "I Am Peace" by Susan Verde, and showcases a website called "Flipgrid" where mindfulness questions are posted, and students can respond and also see their peers’ responses to be able to feel together when they are apart.
Title: Mindfulness at Your Fingertips
Presenter: Curtis Aubry, Secondary Math Teacher, Trenton Public Schools, Grace A. Dunn Middle School
Contact Information: LinkedIn; Twitter - @curtisaubry
Description: This lesson shares with participants the power of Jin Shin Jyutsu to bring about the bodies natural ability to center itself. Participants are likely to be calmer, more focused, relaxed, and have more energy. They will have a greater ability to regulate their emotions, reduce anger, anxiety, stress and discomfort. Participants will discover that Jin Shin Jyutsu is easy to learn, easy to practice, practical, portable, free, and requires no special tools or resources. Participants will be left able to continue practicing Jin Shin Jyutsu and implementing in their classroom.
Title: Positivity via Podcasting
Presenter: Joe Palumbo, Director of School Counseling, Keyport Public Schools
Contact Information: Twitter - @Keyport_GUID
Description: As our schools have moved to "remote learning" our educators, students, and community have become more isolated. A podcast can act as a vehicle to promote connectivity and positive school culture and climate amongst staff and students. This workshop shows how Keyport Public Schools created "Raider Radio," and offers you a step by step guide to quickly set up, record, and promote a district podcast.
Title: Self-Care Healthy Body, Healthy Mind
Presenter: Hoa Ly, Educational Program Specialist (Master Teacher/Coach/Mentor), Camden City School District, Office of Early Childhood Education
Contact Information: Email - hoalynote4@gmail.com; YouTube Channel - Sam-Sam's STEAM
Description: The participants will find helpful, fun, and practical activities on how to maintain a healthy body and mind by setting aside at least 30 minutes a day to do self-care. In order for us to take care of our loved ones and provide support for others, we have to learn how to identify what triggers our stress-levels and how to balance work, family, entertainment, and self-care. The practical tips will help us to stay physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy.
Title: Social Emotional Wellness: It Takes One to Teach One
Presenter: Brandon Kornbluh, Counselor for Mental Health and Wellness, Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School
Contact Information: Brandon.Kornbluh@gmail.com
Description: This lesson about modeling social and emotional wellness promotes philosophical understanding rather than offer solutions, practices or strategies, which are plentiful in today's world of education. Educators, administrators and school staff are provided the framework for bio-psycho-social self-evaluation with the use of widely accepted and utilized psychosocial models that have likely been seen before, perhaps in popular culture.
Title: Creating a Virtual Library: Keeping Our Students Connected Through Books
Presenter: Lisa Manganello, Librarian, South Brunswick Schools, South Brunswick High School
Contact Information: Twitter - @sbhslibrarian
Description: As the New Jersey Association of School Librarian’s Position Statement on social emotional learning states, school librarians are in a unique position to address social emotional learning with students, especially in a time of remote learning. This 30-minute session will help teachers to create a virtual safe space by sharing reading resources, showcasing a selection of free resources to access ebooks and audiobooks, and modeling the use of free online tools like FlipGrid to build a virtual community for all readers.
Title: Keeping Connections: Social Emotional Wellness for Students
Presenters: Lindsay Perine and Gina Tomlinson, School Counselors, Millstone Township Public Schools, Millstone Middle School
Contact Information: Twitter - @guidance_mms
Description: This session will provide the why behind keeping connections, different ways to stay connected to students, and how to implement these strategies at your school!
Title: Kindful Mindful Yoga Tools for Schools: Practicing Presence to Find Peace in the Pandemic
Presenter: Amy Zambrano, Youth Yoga Expert Teacher, Long Branch Public Schools
Contact Information: Twitter and Instagram - @amyzambranoyoga
Description: This workshop will teach a variety of tools and techniques to manage emotions, increase self regulation, build self confidence, increase creativity and support healthy brain development. These tools and techniques bring to life the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework for social and emotional learning (SEL), focusing on their five core competencies to apply in and out of the classroom. When you reach the heart, you can teach the mind. This workshop will align the mind with the heart so students and teachers can lead with love.
Title: Meeting Social and Emotional Needs During Blended, Remote Learning
Presenter: Steve Fiedeldey, Director of Special Services, Ringwood School District
Contact Information: Twitter - @FiConsultingEdu
Description: This 30-minute presentation will stress the need to put Maslow before Bloom and identify why students may developed a learned helplessness, especially during remote learning. We will address ways on how to infuse the principles of restorative practices into virtual online class sessions. These restorative practices will give students a sense of belonging, increasing the feeling of normalcy, and keep our communities connected. Lastly, we will also review tangible strategies that educators can immediately use to help improve the well-being of their students.
Title: Social Emotional Learning: Self-Awareness Strategies for Students
Presenter: Christine Hietanen, English Teacher/ Achievement Coach, Morris County Vocational School District, Morris County School of Technology
Contact Information: Instagram - @mcst_mrs.hietanen
Description: This session will offer seven strategies to develop self-awareness for high school educators of any subject to use with their students.
Title: Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) Through the Arts
Presenter: Shawna Longo, Music Teacher/Arts Integation Specialist, Hopatcong Borough Schools, Durban Avenue School
Contact Information: Twitter - @shawnalongo
Description: This 30-minute workshop will help teachers and administrators to understand how and why the arts can be leveraged and integrated with an SEL initiative. We will find natural connections between and among all art forms (visual art, music, dance, theatre, media arts) and the five SEL core competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Last, we will learn various arts teaching strategies and processes that can be integrated with any content area to foster social-emotional learning.
Please note that the New Jersey Department of Education has not approved the materials related to these resources. The resources are provided for informational and convenience purposes only. Neither the New Jersey Department of Education nor its officers, employees or agents specifically endorse, recommend or favor these resources or the companies/entities who have developed them.