Elementary Institute for Teaching Excellence

Elementary Education Summer 2022 Seminar

Thursday, June 9, 2022

The TCU Elementary Education Institute is designed for teachers of grades K-5. It will be a full day session of engaging breakout sessions where you customize your learning.

Course Overview:

Welcome to the 2022 TCU Elementary Institute for Teaching Excellence. Educators are encouraged to join in the pursuit of becoming master teachers in their field. You will be collaborating with fellow educators in the area of Math ,English Language Arts, Science, Technology, and Social Emotional Learning.

Our day will feature five breakout sessions of your choosing! Each session will be 75 minutes long. We will have three sessions in the morning, break for a 90 minute lunch and return for two more sessions in the afternoon. 

Our  K-2 breakout sessions will focus on all aspects of early literacy and building fluent readers and writers. You will have an opportunity to look at thematic units and how to engage and extend for your higher level learners. Our second presenter will focus on Reading/Language Arts for grades 3-5. These sessions will provide strategies that challenge their students as thinkers, readers, and writers as well as enriching their learning.  Teachers will have the opportunity to plan engaging lessons and discuss how to apply these concepts in their classroom.

The Math sessions will address the importance of numeracy and its impact on more advanced math. Join our presenters in diving deep into problem solving, numeracy, and real world thinkers! You will leave your time with activities, lesson ideas, and a deeper understanding of how to promote a love of math. 

We will also have presenters for Restorative Practices, addressing the Social Emotional needs of our students, technology and how to integrate STEM activities in their learning, along how to utilize menus and choice boards across the content areas. 

We look forward to having you join us in engaging, creative, and effective ways to transform your classroom!

Date: June 9, 2022
Location: TCU Campus
Hours: 8:30 – 4:30

Tuition:
Early Registration: $175 (until April 15, 2022)
Standard Registration: $225 (beginning April 16, 2022)

Click to download the Elementary ITE Registration Form 2022.

Click to register online.

Presenters:

Shaula Shaffer currently serves as a Dyslexia Specialist for Burleson ISD. She has previously taught Pre-K through Second grade for over 15 years. Throughout her teaching career at the elementary level, she has presented at numerous school and district professional development seminars. Mrs. Shaffer’s experiences have proved valuable in being selected as a Lead Teacher, Mentor Teacher, and Cooperating Teacher throughout campus and other select opportunities. She was instrumental in the redesign of district math scope and sequence and most notably in being hand selected for the District Committee to develop resources and tools for teachers. Mrs. Shaffer also serves yearly on her district’s CEIC and DEIC committees. Her expertise is Dyslexia, Guided Reading/Early Literacy and Guided Math/Numeracy. Mrs. Shaffer is often recognized for her many accomplishments and contributions, with the most recent accolades being named as 2019 Support Staff of the year for her campus, 2018 Top Teachers in Fort Worth Magazine and as the 2017 Teacher of the Year for her campus. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Social Sciences and a Masters Degree in Education with an emphasis on Curriculum and Instruction. She is incredibly passionate about her work and is always excited to share her experience, knowledge, and expertise to help peers grow in their career.

Megan People M.Ed currently serves as a First Grade teacher for Burleson ISD. She has previously taught K through First grade for nine years in California. Throughout her teaching career at the elementary level, she has served on many school committees such as Team Lead K-2 for PBIS, Leadership, Data/Assessment, Academic Committee lead and Restorative Committee. Mrs. People’s experiences have proved valuable in being selected as a Mentor Teacher and an Onboarding Teacher to assist new teachers on campus. . Her expertise is, Guided Reading/Early Literacy and Guided Math/Numeracy. Mrs. People has also been nominated for the N Factor award for teachers who make a difference in their community. She was also awarded Teacher of the Year at her campus for 2020. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and Social Sciences and a Masters Degree in Education with an emphasis on Elementary Teaching and Learning. She is incredibly dedicated and passionate about teaching and loves to share that passion and knowledge she has with others.

Kim Everts is an elementary teacher who has worked in a variety of roles in 2nd – 5th grade for 23 years within three school districts. During her teaching career, she has had the honor of being named Teacher of the Year in two of the three school districts. She currently works as a self contained 4th grade teacher at the Academy at Nola Dunn, a brain based choice school in Burleson, Texas. Her passion is teaching students the joys of mathematics. She has taught previously at Break-out sessions at TCU for Elementary Education, hosted a class at the TCEA conference in Galveston as well as facilitate classes to teachers at the district level in Burleson. Kim’s family, including her husband and two children, reside in Burleson, Texas.

Ben Travis holds a Bachelor in Special Education from Texas A&M University and a Master of Education in Administrative Leadership from Tarleton State University. He currently works as a Social and Emotional Learning Specialist in Crowley ISD. Prior to that, he was the lead teacher in a self-contained classroom for students with behavioral disorders. He is passionate about seeing students served in the general education setting, with the end goal of eliminating the need for such behavioral settings. Ben also served on the social and emotional steering committee for Crowley ISD, is an advocate for developing a more trauma-informed district, and seeks to grow other educators in their behavioral responses. Prior to Crowley ISD, Ben worked in Bryan ISD as a resource teacher and inclusion teacher for students with autism. Additionally, his community involvement outside the classroom includes work with Community Frontline, a Fort Worth organization dedicated to mobilizing men to serve the local community, and his local church, where he works toward creating a more inclusive and accommodating experience for children with special needs.

Kamella Lily graduated from Texas Wesleyan with a degree in Elementary Education and a Masters in Educational Technology with Library Science. She has spent over ten years teaching Elementary Science and Technology and just completed her first year as a librarian. As a classroom teacher she has taught 3rd grade self-contained, 5th grade science, and technology. Kamella designs to push outside the walls of the classroom and to provide students with challenges and opportunities for creativity. She is incredibly passionate about engaging students in hands on activities and utilizing technology to its fullest! . Kamella has presented on the campus level several times and shares that one of her greatest passions is working with teachers on how to integrate technology into their lessons in order to teach, monitor students progress and allow student design and creativity.

Valerie Valadez, M. Ed received her Master’s Degree with and emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from The University of Texas at Arlington. She began teaching 4th and 5th grade Science at a small private school on the East side of Fort Worth before moving into the public sector in 2013. Since then she has taught Science at the fifth and sixth grade level throughout two different districts. In 2018 she was award Teacher of the Year for her campus. She loves to share her passion for Science with her fellow teachers and students. Her goal is that all students will make deep connections to the content they learn through hands on and real life experiences. In 2019 she accepted a position at Clara Love Elementary in Northwest ISD Teaching 5th Grade Science and Social Studies. She was also serves as a 5th Grade Science curriculum writer for the district.