News

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

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.

“Kindergarten Conversations” will begin the fall seminar series

We invite early childhood teachers to join us for the first Peers seminar of the year. “Kindergarten Conversations” will be an evening program designed to generate discussion about best practices, child development, challenges and highlights of working with young children. The event will be held on November 17 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Dinner and refreshments will be served. There is no cost to register, but please RSVP so that we can prepare for all who wish to attend. If you would like to join us, contact Lauren Goldberg (lgoldberg@belmontday.org/617-484-3078, ext. 233) for more information.

What Makes Great Teachers?

We know that teacher effectiveness is one of the most important factors in each student’s achievement. We invite you to check out WBUR’s week-long series that explores the question “What Makes a Great Teacher”. Visit their website at http://www.wbur.org/2011/05/23/teachers-series. Speaking of great teachers, our third annual Peers Forum Summer Institute is just a month away. We hope you will join us on June 27 and 28 for two days of workshops and experiences centered around “Leadership in a Collaborative Community.”

Announcing the 2011 Summer Educator’s Institute

The Peers Forum for Excellence in Teaching will be offering its third annual Summer Educator’s Institute on June 27 and 28, 2011. The has become a highlight at the beginning of the summer for many teachers.

This year’s theme is “Leadership in a Collaborative Community.” We will be sharing case studies and best practices related to building strong relationships and opportunities for leadership within classrooms, throughout schools, and by extension, into the wider community. Participants will engage in experiential learning, be inspired by dedicated keynote speakers, and build connections with educators from a variety of school settings.

We are fortunate to be able to offer registration to educators from public and charter schools at no cost.

Institute Schedule

Monday, June 27:

Opening Events and Greetings

Keynote Address
International business consultant Partha Bose will speak about leadership from a historic and organizational perspective. Mr. Bose spent many years as a partner in the London and New York offices of McKinsey & Company, Inc. where he served as editor of the McKinsey Quarterly. He was a senior partner in the Cambridge, Massachusetts, headquarters of The Monitor Group. In addition to his expertise in global markets, Mr. Bose is also a writer and a scholar. His acclaimed biography of Alexander the Great is a profile of one of the world’s most famous historic figures.

Day 1: Schools Build Teacher Leaders

Session Topics and Program:

How do leadership and collaboration co-exist? Building on the traits described in the keynote address, the morning session will focus on the necessary attributes for leadership in educational communities. We will identify a variety of opportunities for leadership and examine the conditions that allow such opportunities to arise.
How can we support our newest colleagues? Leadership does not always need to occur on a large scale; sometimes it begins with a connection between two people. In this session, a group of teachers will relate their experiences in building one-on-one relationships as a means of helping new colleagues navigate the culture and practices of a school community.

Field Lab

Profile of Leadership
We will visit the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum to investigate the leadership qualities of the 35th President. Our field lab will be followed by a festive meal back at Belmont Day

Day Two: Schools Build Community Leaders

Session Topics and Program:

How do we model and nurture leadership in our students? Student leadership can take many forms within and outside the classroom. From service projects to curricular initiatives, from individual efforts to peer mentoring, we can support learners in becoming mindful stewards of their school and the larger world.
How Do We Create Leadership Opportunities Through Service? By defining our schools as micro-communities that are firmly connected to larger social and cultural networks, we can establish important connections and opportunities for civic responsibility beyond the boundaries of our campuses.

Participants’ Stories
Returning Peers Forum members will present their own case studies of collaboration and leadership building.

Content Area Discussions
Participants will meet in small groups to continue the conversations from previous sessions.

Analysis and Reflection
Our final discussion will encourage participants to identify ideas or experiences that they want to incorporate into their own teaching, or bring back to their own school communities.

For more information, or to register for the Institute, contact Peers Coordinator Lauren Goldberg: lgoldberg@belmontday.org, or 617-484-3078, ext. 233.