Pennsylvania ASCD offers the following multi-day, full-day and half-day workshops to school districts or organizations. Our workshops are built to be engaging and include audience participation with highly qualified presenters.

If you are interested in a having a Pennsylvania ASCD workshop for your school district or organization or are interested in applying to be one of the Pennsylvania ASCD speakers for our professional development service, please contact Pennsylvania ASCD Executive Director, Dr. Lori Stollar, at Lori.Stollar@pascd.org.

Currently available workshops in the Professional Development Series are listed below:

1. Embracing the Power of Social Emotional learning: A Roadmap for Transformation

Are you ready to revolutionize your teaching practices and empower students to reach their true potential? In today's society, equipping students with life skills that boost their academic success, promote emotional well-being and healthy relationships, and foster responsible citizenship is of utmost importance. By placing students at the heart of teaching and learning, we can achieve remarkable academic outcomes and pave the way for their lifelong growth.

However, integrating SEL into the classroom can be a daunting task for educators. We understand the struggle of avoiding it becoming "one more thing" on their already packed agenda. This session will provide a clear roadmap that will change the approach to SEL in the school environment. Attendees will explore four approaches that equitably address each SEL competency, creates a physically and psychologically safe environment, and promotes authentic engagement. Let’s move beyond talking about the skills; let’s empower students to put those skills into action, reflect on their progress, and make necessary adjustments to their behavior. Participants will walk away with practical strategies that go beyond theory, giving them the tools to integrate SEL seamlessly into teaching practice. 

2. Unleashing the Power of Social Emotional Learning: 3 Factors for Building a transformative School Culture

Has your district truly explored the potential of integrating the five SEL competencies? When explicitly incorporated into the fabric of your organization, SEL has a proven track record of boosting academic achievement, improving self-awareness, and fostering healthy relationships. This session explores crucial factors necessary for creating an SEL culture that revolutionizes the educational environment. Embark on a journey of organizational discovery by gaining insights into where, to what depth, and with what level of authenticity SEL is infused within the school culture. Participants will gain access to a proprietary SEL Implementation Audit as an exclusive opportunity. This comprehensive tool will enable you to assess your organization's legitimacy and level of depth across the five SEL competencies, build upon areas of opportunity, and leverage areas of strength.

3. Co-Designing a Culture for Explicit SEL Growth in Middle and High Schools

The secondary school years are a crucial time in a student's life that shapes their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Educators must prioritize providing students ample opportunities to develop social emotional learning (SEL) skills that promote long-term well-being. Unfortunately, many secondary teachers find themselves under pressure to focus on content acquisition and may feel ill-equipped to integrate SEL explicitly into their teaching practices. This session will provide participants with practical solutions to infuse SEL into the culture of middle and high school classrooms. Attendees will explore three comprehensive strategies to foster developmental relationships, weave SEL into instructional practices, and connect SEL to curricula. Additionally, strong emphasis will be placed on the importance of including students as co-creators and co-facilitators, making the learning experience more engaging and effective.

4. Devising and Asking Questions for Spark Curiosity, Critical Thinking, and Collaboration

Embark on a captivating journey into the art of crafting and posing thought-provoking questions! In this session, educators will evaluate the art of devising and asking effective questions to spark curiosity, critical thinking, and student collaboration. Delve into the relationship between effective questioning and best teaching practices, the common pitfalls experienced when posing questions, and successful strategies to boost engagement and deeper learning. Remember, the best learning starts with questions rather than answers. 

Workshop Topics:

• Modes of Thinking
• Teacher Assessment Rubrics
• Wait and Think Time
• Participation Rates
• Developing Cognitively Challenging Questions
• Overcoming Common Pitfalls

5. Curriculum Design and Development

This professional learning workshop approaches curriculum through a practical lens, emphasizing developing a cohesive curriculum, using Ainsworth’s Rigorous Curriculum Design process, aligned with state standards, engaging each student in meaningful learning, and promoting the school district's mission, vision, and core values. Educators will learn to create technically sound Year-At-A-Glance documents, Unit Planning Guides, and Assessments. Collaboratively, participants will select engaging instructional strategies, resources, and technologies that give all students an equitable learning opportunity. 

Workshop Topics:

• Identifying priority and supporting standards
• Unwrapping standards
• Devising big ideas and essential questions
• Creating formative and summative assessments
• Aligning instructional strategies to meet lesson and units objectives