News

Call for Proposals

Our 4th annual Peers Forum Summer Educators Institute is approaching quickly.

This year’s event, “There’s an App for That,” will be a one-day exploration and investigation of the iPad as a tool for student assessment, differentiation, universal design, and student interaction.

The program will take place on Thursday, June 28 from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. We will be scheduling sixteen sessions throughout the day, which will be organized into four blocks: there will be two sessions in the morning and two sessions after lunch. Each session will last approximately one hour and will be facilitated by educators who will demonstrate and share their uses of the iPad in the classroom.

We are accepting proposals from educators from all grade levels and academic areas. Do you have a great use of the iPad that you would like to share with colleagues? Are you hoping to implement a new iPad approach in your classroom next year? Have you been wondering about a particular feature of the iPad that you would like to explore with a group of interested colleagues? This is your opportunity.

To submit a proposal, send an e-mail to Lauren Goldberg (lgoldberg@belmont day.org). Describe your concept and the outcomes you hope to achieve through your session. We will help you craft the language and plan the details of the session. The deadline for proposals is May 18.

We can’t wait to hear your ideas!

Posted April 3, 2012 | Share your thoughts

You Are Invited to an Inspirational Evening

You are cordially invited to join us for a presentation

by Angela Duckworth, PhD.

GRIT: Perseverance and Passion for Long Term Goals

    We know that intelligence affects lifetime success. The amount of grit a child develops turns out to be just as influential and may be easier to cultivate.

What can parents and schools do to increase perseverance and passion?

This event is free and open to the public; seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Posted March 5, 2012 | Comments Off

Shared Knowledge

Join the Conversation!

Q: What happens when a group of teachers gather together with no agenda, except for the goal of discussing the common experience of teaching the same grade?

A: A lively discussion ensues, especially if the gathering is part of the Peers Classroom Conversations series!

Our new seminar format has attracted an eager following of teachers from public and independent schools from all around the greater Boston area. At our first event in November, we welcomed nearly 30 kindergarten educators for an informal evening of dinner, stories, new acquaintances, and ideas. Topics included
school entry age
strategies for incorporating learning centers into the classroom
assessments and resources in early literacy
daily schedule
class size
differences and similarities among our classrooms and school communities

At the end of the kindergarten evening, many people asked if they could return for another meeting, a request that was easily honored. As the spring semester has proceeded, we have convened Classroom Conversations for first and second grade teachers, as well as a follow-up gathering of kindergarten teachers from the fall seminar. More topics have been raised, and many have been revisited. We engaged in a great discussion of the purpose and benefit of field trips for young students, the best math tools we know for primary grades children, the rewards and challenges of different classroom configurations, outdoor play, and methods of observing children and documenting their growth. Return visits will be scheduled for everyone so that the conversations can continue in person. The format and attendance of these seminars has confirmed for us once again that the people who really know about teaching are the individuals who actually teach.

In addition, we have opened online discussions about the topics that arose in our seminars, which are open to any interested participants through our website. Take a look; join the conversation; or make arrangements to attend one of our upcoming evenings.

Classroom Conversations for Third and Fourth Grade teachers will take place on Thursday, April 26. As always, there is no cost to attend; we only ask for RSVPs by Monday, April 23 so that we can order enough food and refreshments. Please e-mail Lauren Goldberg at lgoldberg@belmontday.org to secure a spot for yourself or your colleagues.

Posted February 23, 2012 | Comments Off

Join Us This Summer!

Save the Date!


Join us for our 4th Annual Summer Educator’s Institute

on Thursday, June 28, 2012

“There’s an App for That:”

Using the iPad for Universal Design, Student Assessment, and Differentiation.

Join other elementary school educators for a day of exploration, innovation, and collaboration using the iPad as a tool for documentation, student interaction, and accessibility.

A series of hands-on sessions will focus on a variety of uses of the iPad in the classroom. Each session will address a specific application or a set of related tools for supporting students and teachers. Participants and presenters from public, independent, and charter schools will engage with technology experts and other educators for a day of shared knowledge and professional growth.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. David Rose

Dr. David Rose is a developmental neuropsychologist and educator whose primary focus is on the development of new technologies for learning. In 1984, Dr. Rose co-founded CAST, a not-for-profit research and development organization whose mission is to improve education, for all learners, through innovative uses of modern multimedia technology and contemporary research in the cognitive neurosciences. That work has grown into a new field called Universal Design for Learning which now influences educational policy and practice throughout the United States and beyond. Dr. Rose also teaches at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education where he has been on the faculty for more than 25 years.

Contact Lauren Goldberg for more information or to register: lgoldberg@belmontday.org or 617-484-3078, ext. 233

Posted February 13, 2012 | 8 responses

Join the Conversation!

The Peers Forum has been busy this year, making connections with educators from public and independent schools in the Boston area. This goal of this year’s school-year seminar series is simple and straightforward: bringing teachers from the same grade level together to talk about shared issues, great ideas in teaching, challenges we encounter, and strategies for modeling excellence. Our classroom conversations began on November 17 with a lively and energetic group of kindergarten teachers. Check your calendars now, and make plans to join us for one or more of our upcoming programs.

Classroom Conversations take place on Thursday evenings at Belmont Day School. There is no cost to attend, but we ask that people register via e-mail or phone so that we can prepare our materials. Dinner is included in the program.

Classroom Conversations Dates:

First Grade: January 19

Second Grade: February 9
Kindergarten Continuation: February 9

Third Grade: March 8

Fourth Grade: April 26

French Teachers: May 3

For more information, or to register for a Conversation, e-mail Lauren Goldberg: lgoldberg@belmontday.org, or call our office: 617-484-3078, extension 233.

Posted December 20, 2011 | Share your thoughts
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