Presented by: Reba Gordon Matthews Session Description:Regardless of age, students’ social and emotional needs must be considered in order to effectively address behavioral issues in the classroom. Join Reba Gordon-Matthews as she shares how you can take your students from contenders to champions! You will also walk away with strategies for working with students who disrupt the learning process as well as tips and tricks for encouraging positive behavior.

Effective classroom management goes beyond just enforcing discipline policies; it involves creating a positive and nurturing environment where both students and teachers thrive. From the moment you and your students make eye contact until the last student leaves the room, classroom management plays a crucial role in the learning process. Join Reba Gordon Matthews for this time-saving, to the point session as we will delve into the fundamentals of classroom management, exploring the development of procedures and routines that can be maintained whether teaching in-person or virtually. You will also learn how to incorporate various technological solutions that will keep students engaged and accountable for their own learning. Presented by Reba Gordon Matthews Reba Gordon Matthews is an educational consultant with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a freelance coach, and instructional designer. She has over 20 years of teaching experience and holds master’s degrees in instructional design and educational technology. Reba is also the co-founder and executive director of The Jamal Gordon Hill Foundation. This organization supports at-risk young people with academic tutoring, technology training, and college scholarships.

Presented by: Reba Gordon Matthews Session Description: On back-to-school night, do you find yourself answering the same questions over and over from a waiting line of parents, such as "How is my child doing" or "Is he or she well behaved?" Do you often feel a bit rushed to get to the next parent in line? Join Reba Gordon Matthews as she discusses strategies for turning back-to-school night into an engaging, informative evening for your families. Reba will share how she uses student-led tours to let parents actively experience how learning happens through their child's eyes. She will show how these tours can be used to give parents a comprehensive view of your classroom, provide insight into their child's academic abilities, and communicate your expectations. Come discover how these student-led parent tours can quickly launch the parent-teacher relationship and send your parents off with a smile and a wealth of information. Assessment: Participants will join a collaborative backchannel chat and discuss ideas for hosting a student-led back-to-school night to demonstrate their understanding of the session objectives and reflect on their learning.

Are you looking to bridge the gap between school and home to create a more collaborative learning environment for students? Research consistently shows that parental involvement positively impacts student academic achievement, behavior, and overall well-being. Join Reba Gordon Matthews for this timesaving, to the point session as we explore strategies that can improve teacher-parent interactions and increase parental engagement. You will also walk away with a variety of tools to design a communication plan that values diversity, equity, and inclusion and keeps parents and caregivers abreast of their child’s progress and challenges. Get ready to transform your school community by fostering stronger connections with parents and caregivers! Reba’s expertise in instructional design will equip you with the skills and resources you need to build trusting relationships, provide meaningful opportunities for involvement, and value diverse perspectives and contributions. Key Takeaways Explore practical strategies for increasing parent engagement, including effective communication methods, welcoming and inclusive practices, and creative involvement opportunities. Learn how to leverage technology to enhance parent-school communication, streamline information sharing, and foster greater transparency and collaboration. Discover ways to empower parents as advocates for their children's education, providing resources and support to help them navigate the educational system and advocate for their children's needs. Gain insights into the benefits of cultivating a culture of partnership between parents, educators, and the community, fostering a sense of ownership and investment in student success. Presented by Reba Gordon Matthews Reba Gordon Matthews is an Educational Consultant with Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt and a freelance coach and instructional designer. She over 20 years of teaching experience and holds master’s degrees in instructional design as well as educational technology. Reba is also the co-founder and executive director of The Jamal Gordon Hill Foundation. This organization supports at-risk young people with academic tutoring, technology training, and college scholarships.

Presented by: Reba Gordon Matthews Session Description: Classroom management creates a safe, comfortable environment where students can learn, and teachers can teach. However, the pandemic forced teachers to make classroom management decisions using tools they may not have used before. Join Reba Gordon Matthews as she shares how to develop a system of classroom management procedures and routines that can be maintained whether teaching in-person or virtually. You will also learn how to incorporate different technologies that will keep students engaged and responsible for their own learning. Assessment: Participants will join a collaborative backchannel chat and discuss ideas for classroom management to demonstrate their understanding of the session objectives and reflect on their learning.

Presented by: Reba Gordon Matthews Session Description: The past two years of virtual learning have revealed the tremendous impact that COVID-19 has had on our education system. Students dealt with many challenges which caused them to view their education as a secondary step to having a successful life. As a result, they began to distance themselves from interacting with their learning environment and classroom routines. Join Reba Gordon Matthews as she shares strategies to help rebuild student engagement by utilizing some of the most effective teaching and learning techniques from both virtual and in-person learning. You will also discover how to develop stronger teacher-student connections, raise the level of technology in the learning space, and communicate with parents in a way that will increase the number of responses. Assessment: Participants will join a collaborative backchannel chat and discuss techniques for rebuilding student engagement to demonstrate their understanding of the session objectives and reflect on their learning.

Differentiated instruction is one of the most challenging tasks for teachers because we want to ensure that we reach each of our students daily, but we also need to find the time to plan for that instruction. Join Reba Gordon Matthews as she shares how to implement the differentiated instruction elements introduced by Carol Ann Tomlinson in a simplified way using the time and strategy tools that are readily available in your learning space. You will also learn best practices to help your students perform to the best of their unique abilities based upon their readiness, interests, and learning profiles. Presented by Reba Gordon Matthews Reba Gordon Matthews is an educational consultant with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a freelance coach, and instructional designer. She has over 20 years of teaching experience and holds master’s degrees in instructional design and educational technology. Reba is also the co-founder and executive director of The Jamal Gordon Hill Foundation. This organization supports at-risk young people with academic tutoring, technology training, and college scholarships.

The need for the education system to upskill and train our students for the vast impact that globalization and technological innovations have had on the workplace existed long before the world stopped for coronavirus. Join Reba Gordon Matthews for this time-saving, to the point session as she discusses why many Generation Z graduates feel their education is not adequately preparing them for today’s careers. You will also learn the importance of embedding project-based experiences to help students upskill and develop the most in-demand 21st-century skills. Presented by Reba Gordon Matthews Reba Gordon Matthews is an educational consultant with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a freelance coach, and instructional designer. She has over 20 years of teaching experience and holds master’s degrees in instructional design and educational technology. Reba is also the co-founder and executive director of The Jamal Gordon Hill Foundation. This organization supports at-risk young people with academic tutoring, technology training, and college scholarships.

In the post-pandemic educational environment, substitute teachers are more in demand than ever before, with the surge of teachers exiting the classroom and high absenteeism due to demanding workloads or low morale. Join Reba Gordon Matthews for this time-saving, to the point session as she shares her favorite tools and resources to help you thrive as a substitute teacher. You will also learn how to quickly gain positive control of the classroom, foster teacher-student relationships, and effectively deliver instruction when there is no formal lesson plan available. Presented by Reba Gordon Matthews Reba Gordon Matthews is an educational consultant with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a freelance coach, and instructional designer. She has over 20 years of teaching experience and holds master’s degrees in instructional design and educational technology. Reba is also the co-founder and executive director of The Jamal Gordon Hill Foundation. This organization supports at-risk young people with academic tutoring, technology training, and college scholarships.

Presented by: Reba Gordon Matthews Session Description: Gifted and talented students have unique learning needs that differ from most children of the same age, which calls for teachers to use specific differentiation techniques in the classroom. Join Reba Gordon Matthews as she discusses the typical characteristics of gifted and talented students and explains why simply increasing the challenge and variety of classroom lessons and activities may not be enough. You will also walk away with a sampling of resources that will spark your gifted & talented students’ curiosity and inspire their learning. Assessment: Participants will join a collaborative backchannel chat and discuss ideas for meeting the needs of gifted & talented students to demonstrate their understanding of the session objectives and reflect on their learning.

Research has shown that healthy teacher-student relationships and teacher credibility have a significant impact on student learning and overall classroom dynamics. Join Reba Gordon Matthews for this time-saving, to the point session as we explore practical strategies that educators can implement to establish strong connections with their students and promote a positive classroom culture. You will also walk away with valuable insights and actionable steps to create a classroom that fosters positive student relationships and enhances the overall learning journey. Join us and make a lasting impact on your students' lives! Presented by Reba Gordon Matthews Reba Gordon Matthews is an educational consultant with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a freelance coach, and instructional designer. She has over 20 years of teaching experience and holds master’s degrees in instructional design and educational technology. Reba is also the co-founder and executive director of The Jamal Gordon Hill Foundation. This organization supports at-risk young people with academic tutoring, technology training, and college scholarships.

Presented by: Reba Gordon Matthews Session Description:Regardless of age, students’ social and emotional needs must be considered in order to effectively address behavioral issues in the classroom. Join Reba Gordon-Matthews as she shares how you can take your students from contenders to champions! You will also walk away with strategies for working with students who disrupt the learning process as well as tips and tricks for encouraging positive behavior.