The Best of Summer Education Conferences

Summer is just around the corner! Are you dreaming of some much needed pool-time, ice-cream-eating, back-yard BBQ fun? We are! After you’ve packed up your last classroom box and sent off your final report card comments, you will be free to relax and recharge for the next two months.  While you enjoy the “relaxing,” we’ve got you covered for ideas for “recharging.”

Education conferences are a great way to recharge! They provide a forum for meeting some of the most influential people in education and help you to gather new ideas and inspiration for your future classroom.  However, because there are a variety of educational conferences planned in cities all over the country, it can be difficult (and time-consuming) to choose the one best suited to your interests.

No worries! The teachers from The Teacher’s Academy have organized a list of high quality, worth-the-trip, educational conferences planned for this summer.  Our list of conferences includes: location, dates, theme, keynote speakers, a sampling of sessions and a link to the website for more information. Enjoy this quick glimpse of the most popular educational conferences and find the best way for you to recharge!

ASCD Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development 

Hilton New Orleans Riverside, New Orleans, LA
Theme: Teaching Excellence
July 8-10

Keynote Speakers:

• Andrew Miller, Education Consultant for ASCD
• Darlene Axtell, Teacher, Counselor, Presenter for ASCD
• Carol Ann Tomlinson, Teacher of the Year, recipient of All-University Teaching Award and best-selling author
• Erik Powell, Teacher, Curriculum Designer, ASCD faculty
• Nicole Clifton, Instructional Leader, Author

 Highlights of the ASCD conference:

• Expand your professional skill set.
• Target your learning needs.
• Uncover teacher-proven secrets.
• Cultivate relationships with colleagues and experts.
• Advance your career.

Sample of Sessions:

• Designing Project-Based Learning Activities for Rigorous Learning
• Designing Lessons with Student Engagement in Mind
• Improving School Culture to Improve Student Achievement
• Creating a Classroom Environment Focused on the Whole Child
• Lesson Planning for Creative and Critical Thinking Skills
• NOLA as a Classroom: Travel as a Resource for Excellent Education

For more information visit the ASCD website.

NAESP National  Association of Elementary School Principals 

The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, MD
Theme: Best Practices for Better Schools
July 6-8

Keynote Speakers:

• Daniel Goleman, Psychologist and Author
• Dr. Russell Quaglia, President of Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations
• Pedro Noguera, Urban Sociologist

Highlights of the NAESP conference:

• Leading Pre-K-3 Learning Communities 
• High Leverage Leadership (Practices for 21st Century Principals)
• Emerging Issues (Game Changers in Education)
• Transforming Schools (Equality & Equity)
• Arts Education (Spotlight on the “A” in STEAM for 21st Century Learning)
• Technology and Social Media (Curriculum Integration, Digital Tools, & Communication Strategies)

 Session Samples:

• Autism Spectrum Disorders at School: Life Literacy and the Pursuit of Content
• Band of Brothers: A Focus on Making Good Boys Great Young Men
• Cultivating Creative Thinkers, Innovators and Masters of Core Content Through Design Thinking
• Diggin’ Deep: What Matters Most for Student Results
• Connecting Learners to Schools: Building a Culture that Engages and Supports Student Learning

 Note: This conference might be geared towards principals, but there are plenty of workshops for everyone.

For more information visit the NAESP website.

ISTE  International Society for Technology in Education

The Colorado Convention Center, Denver, CO
Theme: Educational Technology
June 26-29

 Keynote Speakers:

• Michio Kaku, Theoretical Physicist and host of TV specials on: The Science Channel, The History Channel, BBC and The Discovery Channel
• Ruha Benjamin, Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University.
• Michelle Cordy, Inspirational 3^rd Grade teacher from London, Ontario

Highlights of the ISTE Conference:

• Experience the latest learning technologies.
• Explore interactive teaching technologies that enhance creativity and learning.
• Network with like-minded educators at the after-hours ISTE Campfires. These organic, participant-driven learning experiences, organized by topic, are designed for learning and sharing in an open environment.

Sample Sessions:

• iPad for Early Learners: Create and Collaborate
• Filmmaking for Teachers
• The Essentials of Online and Blended Learning
• A Day in the Life of a Google Classroom

For more information visit the ISTE website.

TCEC Texas Career Education Conference

Forth Worth Convention Center, Ft. Worth, TX
Theme: Career and Technical Educators
July 25-28

Keynote Speakers:

• Adam Braun, Best selling author and Founder of Pencils of Promise, an organization that builds schools in poverty-stricken areas around the world
• Mick Normington, Author and expert in understanding the types of skills needed in today’s work place

Highlights of the TCEC conference:

• Explore the latest trends in Career and Tech Education.
• Get advice from experts in the field on improving your program and instruction.
• Network and connect with other teachers in the field.

Sample of Sessions:

• Can I Use Your Pen? No! Go Make Your Own!
• Learning Games: Anatomy and Physiology
• New Teacher Orientation: Arch & Construction, Arts & A/V, Info Tech, Manufacturing and STEM
• Claymation Basics
• Bringing Cytogenics into the Classroom
• Work Based Learning Training for Career Preparation/Practicum Programs

Note: This conference is specifically geared for career and technical educators like: Administrators, Counselors, Business/Finance Teachers, Marketing Teachers, Health Science Teachers, Manufacturing Teachers, Architecture Teachers, STEM Teachers, Arts, A/V and Communication Teachers

Campus Technology

Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA
Theme: Education Technology Conference
August 1-4
 

Keynote Speakers:

• Richard DeMillo, Executive Director of the Center for 21^st Century Universities
• Stephen Downs, Program Leader, Learning and Performance Support Systems
• Amy Collier, Associate Provost for Digital Learning Middlebury College

Highlights of the Campus Technology conference:

• Experience interactive, education workshops that focus on the advancement of educational institutions.
• Discover innovative solutions to drive student success.
• Develop new teaching and curriculum models to align with 21^st century conditions.
• Meet the pioneers who are revolutionizing the field of education.

Sample of Sessions:

• Virtual Reality and the Future of Learning
• Spruce up Your Campus Learning Spaces without Breaking your Budget
• Coalescing Data-driven Student Lifecycle Solutions in Higher Education
• Technology Trend Panel: Strategic Planning in an Era of Transformative Change
• From Zero to Hero: Setting Up a 3-D Printing Infrastructure
• Digital Learning for Arts Education

For more information, visit the Campus Technology website.

The Teacher’s Academy is a company created by teachers for teachers. We are an approved provider of Act 48 Hours in Pennsylvania and Continuing Education Units in Texas. We also offer ACSI hours for our Christian schoolteachers across the country.  We provide professional development hours for busy teachers in most states like Oregon, Colorado, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, etc.   Find your state page on our website!

We hope you have fun checking out these conferences, but we really hope you have more fun relishing all that summer break has to offer.  Enjoy, teachers!