PD for teachers

This session will explore integrating productive struggle into Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Pre-calculus classes through open-ended collaborative tasks.  Attendees will learn about the value of integrating productive struggle into their lessons and the effective placement of these tasks within a lesson.  Takeaways will include activities and tasks that can be used in the classroom.

In this session we will look at how to engage elementary students in fractional reasoning with attention to creating a positive environment around fractions.  We will look at how to introduce fractional concepts with attention to meaning and visuals before procedures, rules, and symbols.  This session will also serve as a great way to brush up on fraction operations and fraction understanding for the elementary school teacher.

This session will engage participants in learning about using aspects of the Building Thinking Classrooms framework, while integrating preparation for standardized Tests including: the SAT, the ACT, and the NJGPA.  The facilitator will provide resources such as topic-aligned standardized test practice questions, and exploration of how to effectively integrate this prep into an already tightly packed curriculum.

This extended session explores how Math-ics practices—focusing on structure, reasoning, and sense-making—can be used to strengthen students’ problem-solving abilities. Teachers will examine the role of numberless word problems and other abstraction-first strategies that temporarily remove numerical detail so students can focus on relationships, patterns, and the underlying structure of a task. By working through open-ended problems, analyzing student thinking, and discussing approaches that promote perseverance, educators will consider how to design learning experiences that build grit, deepen understanding, and support clear justification of reasoning.

In this four-hour workshop, teachers will engage in a series of hands-on Math-ics activities designed to help students move beyond answer-getting and into genuine mathematical thinking. Together, we will examine numberless word problems, structure-focused prompts, and open-ended tasks that center reasoning and strategic decision-making. Participants will have time to collaborate, test out task variations, and examine classroom examples to understand how these approaches foster persistence, flexible thinking, and strong mathematical communication. By the end of the session, each teacher will leave with a practical, classroom-ready implementation plan outlining how to integrate these strategies into upcoming units, routines, and assessments.

Unlock the "how" and "why" behind student-led inquiry! This full-day, hands-on professional learning session is designed to bridge the gap between high-quality curriculum and the rigorous standards of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Using Mystery Science as our primary lens, we will clarify the foundations of elementary science instruction. You won’t just hear about the standards. You will experience them. By shifting between the "Student Hat" and the "Teacher Hat," you will gain a deep, practical understanding of how to transform your science block into a hub of discovery.

What we will cover: 

• The 3D Blueprint: A refresher on the Three Dimensions of NGSS: Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs).
• The Immersion Lab: Participate in a Mystery Science lesson as a student to experience the "hook," the evidence-based activity, and the sense-making process.
• The Deep Dive Evaluation: Deconstruct the lesson to identify exactly where and how the Three Dimensions are met, ensuring your instruction is aligned, not just engaged.
• Beyond the Mystery: Learn strategic ways to "wrap" Mystery Science units with supplemental lessons, make the time work with your schedule, phenomena, and literacy/math integration to build a robust, comprehensive science year. 

This highly relevant PD provides a “what I need to know about the legal and ethical minefields” for integrating artificial intelligence into the K-12 educational environment. The session guides practitioners through high-stakes issues such as student data privacy, algorithmic bias, and compliance with emerging legislation like the federal "Take It Down Act". 

Participants will discover how to effectively leverage AI for efficiency and personalized instruction while implementing safeguards against deepfake bullying and hallucinations. Designed for a turnkey application, this resource empowers participants to bring back proactive policies and professional development to their school communities to ensure an equitable and responsible AI-infused future.

In this session we will look at ways to incorporate ideas from Peter Liljedahl's "Building Thinking Classrooms" for your K-5 class in math.  This session is for teachers with little to no experience or knowledge about "Building Thinking Classrooms" and attendees will come away with ideas for incorporation into their own classes.  

In this session we will look at ways to incorporate ideas from Peter Liljedahl's "Building Thinking Classrooms" for your Grades 6-12 class in math.  This session is for teachers with little to no experience or knowledge about "Building Thinking Classrooms" and attendees will come away with ideas for incorporation into their own classes.  

 In this session, attendees will learn effective ways to teach high school mathematics courses in a block schedule.  Participants will come away with a plan for their own class to implement in the fall, examples of activities to include, and shared experience from transitioning from a daily math schedule to a block schedule.  

Stop wondering how to make the NGSS shift and start experiencing it. Our four-day OpenSciEd Launch for grades 6-12 is more than just a training. It’s an immersive deep dive into the future of your classroom. Instead of just hearing about the Framework for K–12 Science Education, you’ll step into the shoes of your students to engage in actual unit lessons, watch real-world classroom footage of the materials in action, and hear candid reflections from teachers who have already made the leap. From mastering the Anchoring Phenomena Routine to building coherent storylines, you’ll gain the practical routines and 3D assessment tools needed to spark genuine student sensemaking. Leave the "tell-and-test" era behind and walk away with a clear, supported roadmap to foster a classroom where students don't just learn science—they do it.

*If you are unable to attend all four days but would like to join for the first and/or second, please reach out to edwcohen@rutgers.edu to get support with registering and the pricing. 

This session will explore integrating productive struggle into math in grades 3-8.  We will engage in content tasks, discuss features of effective implementation of productive struggle tasks, and discuss what works in an ideal math class incorporating productive struggle in learning.  Attendees will learn about the value of integrating productive struggle into their lessons and the effective placement of these tasks within a lesson.  Takeaways will include activities and tasks that can be used in the classroom.

This session will explore integrating productive struggle into Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Pre-calculus classes through open-ended collaborative tasks.  Attendees will learn about the value of integrating productive struggle into their lessons and the effective placement of these tasks within a lesson.  Takeaways will include activities and tasks that can be used in the classroom.

In this session, we will focus on building elementary math teachers' skills in multiplying and dividing fractions.  We will focus on how to teach the fraction operations of multiplication and division for deep understanding, emphasizing the connection of the concept to the procedures and creating models and diagrams.

In this session we will look at how to engage elementary students in fractional reasoning with attention to creating a positive environment around fractions.  We will look at how to introduce fractional concepts with attention to meaning and visuals before procedures, rules, and symbols.  This session will also serve as a great way to brush up on fraction operations and fraction understanding for the elementary school teacher.