2024 Great Ideas in Education Conference

Reviewing  the significance of interim assessments in guiding instructional practices is essential to growing and measuring student knowledge. Understanding the unique contributions of each interim assessment and the methods for analyzing the data they generate is crucial for informed decision-making in education. This reflective process allows educators to effectively utilize assessment data to enhance teaching strategies and improve student outcomes. KAP summative assessments feature higher text complexity and longer passages than students may be accustomed to.  Comparison of passages from grades 3-8 will be prominent, addressing standard 9

We will address the changes to TTS accommodations on the KAP, the rationale as well as purposes for using TTS and using data to drive decisions.

The research on Building Thinking Classrooms shows that when students work on thinking tasks in random groups on a vertical whiteboard, they are capable of co-creating incredible amounts of mathematical meaning and collective knowing-and-doing. In this session, participants will look at the Thinking Classroom practices that help students move this collective knowing-and-doing into individual knowing-and-doing while, at the same time, beginning to take responsibility for their own learning. These practices support note-making and individual work. They will intertwine with, and make extensive references to, the recently published book, Building Thinking Classrooms (Grades K-12): 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning.

Math on IXL is FREE through KSDE with no end currently stated. Come learn the ins and outs of the program to help in classroom whole-group instruction, support classroom instruction, and individual growth. IXL is aligned with Kansas State Standards and major textbooks. Ties in with MAP and ACT preparations. Provides real-time, continuous diagnostics to support Tier instruction along with enrichment. Immediate feedback to students with additional support through supporting lessons and videos. Teacher "Live Classroom" allows immediate intervention for struggling or disengaged students. Multiple analytics are available to see individual and group data.

This session will explore the multifaceted challenges and practicalities of implementing inclusive PreK environments in school districts. Everyone agrees inclusive environments are essential for learners. How that happens can often be left up to the interpretation. The realities of class size, waiting lists, funding, and workforce are something the district experiences, but it can feel overwhelming. Let's talk about it from a regular education, special education, and community perspective.

The overall health of a school’s culture and climate is foundational to its ability to ensure that students and staffulty feel secure, appreciated, and acknowledged. This interactive session will allow participants to conduct a “culture and climate” audit of their respective organizations and identify areas of strength along with opportunities for improvement by unlocking their “Cultural DNA”.

Join us for an action-oriented session to enhance knowledge, tools, and strategies necessary to implement collaborative inquiry processes within your schools. By leveraging data-driven decision-making and fostering a collaborative culture, attendees will learn how to identify possible systemic challenges, select aligned evidence-based practices, plan and implement practices across a school, and monitor progress to ensure sustained student success. This session will focus on literacy data, however many of the processes can be transferred to other content areas if you choose to implement them at your school site.

In today's rapidly evolving world, mathematical fluency is a foundational skill essential for success in both academic and real-world contexts. As elementary educators, administrators, and curriculum directors, it is our responsibility to ensure that our students develop fluency not just in recalling math facts but also in performing mathematical operations efficiently, flexibly, and accurately. This presentation aims to provide an overview of math fluency and number sense, offering practical strategies, engaging activities, and valuable resources to support educators in fostering mathematical fluency in students.

Resources
Math Fact Fluency by Jennifer Bay Williams
Figuring Out Fluency in Mathematics Teaching and Learning Series by Jennifer Bay Williams and John SanGiovanni
Do The Math by Marilyn Burns
Creative Mathematics by Kim Sutton

This session explores the concept of "Thin Slicing," which delineates a sequential progression of a lesson from prior knowledge to grade level standard. Learn how to quickly gather insights into student thinking through targeted tasks and observations. Discover how Thin Slicing can inform your instruction, differentiate learning, and propel students towards deeper mathematical understanding. Math teachers will experience and work together to create thin sliced lessons. They will collaborate on how to launch the lesson and provide tasks that increase rigor and ability to avoid frustrations and boredom while instilling perseverance and patience.

This networking/discussion-based presentation shares Kansas State University-College of Education's efforts in creating a sustainable induction lab model that provides ongoing professional learning for their teacher candidates, spanning preservice teachers’ clinical experiences through their first two years of teaching in partnering districts. We propose a conceptual framework that outlines the key components of the induction lab model, and is designed to support the co-construction process with school districts and key stakeholders.

Ensuring students and staff feel safe at school requires a multifaceted approach. Since 2018, Wichita Public Schools has included school safety as part of the district’s strategic plan success outcomes. This presentation will focus on physical security measures adopted to increase physical security as well as initiatives implemented to improve students’ connectedness to school. Together these initiatives help us enhance safety and belonging and protect our schools.

Review the recently updated Kansas Early Learning Standards (KELS) and resources that accompany them. Discover strategies to ensure lessons, instruction, and materials are aligned with the updated KELS.