The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg will be the gathering site for the next generation of teachers in the region as they participate in the 2019 Teacher Leadership Institute Conference on Saturday, March 2. The program is sponsored by the Southwest Region of the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association (SPSEA). This is the second year that the program will be held at the Hempfield Township campus.
In attendance will be education majors from the region as well as high school students interested in careers in education. The event is funded by a grant from SPSEA. Registration will open at 9 a.m. and the sessions will run from 9:30 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. Same-day registrations will not be accepted.
“The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Tricks of the Trade,’” explained Melissa Marks, EdD, associate professor of Education at Pitt-Greensburg and co-advisor to the campus’s SPSEA chapter. “We’re excited to be hosting this event for the second consecutive year. The Teacher Leadership Institute Conference is a great way for pre-service teachers to learn from experienced educators. Each speaker at this year’s event will share a variety of tips practiced educators use to achieve great results in the classroom.”
Speakers include:
- Daniel Clara, principal at the Southmoreland School District Primary Center and the district’s director of federal programs for K-12, who will present useful techniques and skills to use in an elementary classroom setting;
- Sherdina Harper, cross cultural and leadership development (CCLD) programming coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Cross Cultural and Leadership Development, who will provide advice and ideas for teaching in the diverse society in which we live;
- Christopher Clayton, NBCT, PhD, director of Education Services for the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), who will explain the effectiveness and importance of Project-Based Learning in the classroom;
- Bridget Spackman, YouTuber and blogger at “The Lettered Classroom,” who will talk about multi-aged classrooms and differentiating among grades;
- Tammy Wolicki, EdD, and Matthew Conner, EdD, superintendent and assistant superintendent for the Hempfield Area School District, respectively, who will explain the interviewing process and what they are looking for in new teachers; and
- A panel of new teachers sharing tips and advice will complete the day’s offerings.