ENGAGE 2025 Professional Learning Conference

Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl is a research-based teaching framework designed to foster deep thinking, collaboration, and engagement in students. It shifts traditional, passive learning to an active, inquiry-based approach where students work together to solve problems. By using vertical non-permanent surfaces (like whiteboards) and randomized groupings, it increases student participation and encourages critical thinking. This strategy transforms boring lessons into interactive experiences, getting kids up and moving while promoting discussion, problem-solving, and deeper understanding. Applicable to all content areas, Building Thinking Classrooms provides educators with practical strategies to create dynamic, student-centered learning environments.

In a language classroom, there are high frequency verbs that all students should know to discuss a variety of topics and to help them stay in the target language.  We will be exploring those verbs and looking at what topics students will be able to explore with them.  Additionally, conducting a class at 90% in the target language is achievable and we will be looking at how, using the technique of sheltering vocabulary.  

How to Engage Students With Debate Topics on Any Level

During this session, we will look at the new question types that are appearing on STAAR and other various assessments and how you can emulate them in Canvas. We will look at options such as "Dropdown", "Inline", "Drag and Drop", "Hot Spot" and more. This is a great way to start getting students prepared as well as have a valuable resource for student feedback on different question types. Bring your device and some types of questions you'd like to learn how to create in Canvas and leave with a pre-made quiz.

Use Google Sheets and a barcode scanner to scan students in for attendance. You'll still need to record true attendance in HAC, but this process is meant to simplify taking attendance by compiling a list of students who did not scan in!