2022 Utah Rural Schools Conference

In this keynote, learn how to unlock your hidden creative talents and transform the classroom by enhancing relationships through sharing you within your instruction. Discover simple, powerful tools to spark better ideas with personalized learning strategies. Dr. Hughes tackles why we need to consider changes in our mindset and how a focus on a Portrait of a Graduate and student pathways can help the educators as much as the student.

Overall, work to understand the importance of building solid relationships while emphasizing a focus on the learning environment.

Learn about intentional steps Juab School District educators have taken to bring the USBE PCBL model to elementary classrooms. Presenters will model practices, lead discussions, share ideas and experiences, and connect the work to Portrait of a Graduate.

Learn about intentional steps Juab School District educators have taken to bring the USBE PCBL model to secondary classrooms. Presenters will model practices, lead discussions, share ideas and experiences, and connect the work to Portrait of a Graduate.

In this humorous, fast-paced, and broadly relevant keynote, Myron will start with the unmistakable reality that we are all different in our passions, skills, and learning styles. Considering this reality, we need to make learning personal, meaningful, and relevant, and essential to this goal is asking the student for input.  In an era of Facebook and Trip Advisor, where feedback from the user is considered essential information, how often do we ask students for their opinion on grading, assessment, reporting or relationships? In ‘Ask Them’ Myron Dueck will argue that it is high time we ask students about their opinions and experiences as they relate to learning. By sharing the views of real students, and incorporating some of the tools used to gather evidence of learning, Myron will present the case that students have much to share concerning their understanding and it is time we listened very carefully. 

Experts suggest that the ability to create, explore, and innovate will be essential tools for success in our changing world. However, educators might feel uncomfortable with the news because they have come to rely on traditional instructional and assessment methods that seem safe, trusted, and familiar. This session will identify the key pieces of engagement and challenge educators to use them to embrace Authentic Learning Experiences (ALE). Educators will see an array of engaging PBL and assessment ideas used in real classrooms by real teachers, and be challenged to incorporate some version of these tools for themselves and their students.

Homework can be an effective tool to increase student learning, but it can just as easily be detrimental, misleading, and unjust if administered poorly. Many teachers grade piles of homework despite not knowing who did it. Further complicating the issue is that some students have immense supports at home and others have no home at all. We need to establish the purpose for homework and then build support structures that address plagiarism, personalized learning needs, and socio-economic inequality. Homework can be effective within a standards-based grading model, but a critical look at our systems is long overdue. This session will tackle real-life examples of replacement routines that transform homework as we know it.

For far too long, assessment is what we have done to students, not with them. Perhaps we could take a page from tactical teams and first responders. Navy SEALs practice ‘Decentralized Command’ – that every team member must understand not just what to do, but why they are doing it. Firefighters around the world are familiar with ‘Span of Control’, that in a complex and changing environment, a single leader cannot effectively manage more than about 7 people at one time. If these principles are true for emergency situations, they likely spill over into learning environments. In fact, research suggests the extent to which students perceive assessment to be authentic, formative for teachers, and not reliant on external factors, the more they will engage in it. Other research suggests that student self-reporting is one of the powerful forces in education. Considering the potential power of student's voice, this interactive presentation will focus on practical ways that we can invite students into the assessment realm as co-pilots rather than disinterested passengers. Join ASCD author, administrator, and teacher, Myron Dueck for a session featuring his new book, ‘Giving Students a Say – Smarter Assessment Practices to Empower and Engage.’ Key topics will include:
 
·      Sharing and co-creating learning targets based on standards.
·      Helping students understand and use performance assessments (rubrics).
·      Considering the right scale: proficiency levels vs 100 categories (percentage)
· Student self-reporting – on academics, behaviors & personal insights

Supportive, meaningful relationships are the foundation of everything we do in school.  For students, strong relationships with their teachers and peers enhance their levels of engagement, motivation, and learning; for teachers, these relationships are critical for finding satisfaction, purpose, and longevity in the classroom.  Learn the strategies and daily practices John Arthur, the 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year, uses to build and sustain healthy, positive relationships with his students.

Supportive, meaningful relationships are the foundation of everything we do in school.  For students, strong relationships with their teachers and peers enhance their levels of engagement, motivation, and learning; for teachers, these relationships are critical for finding satisfaction, purpose, and longevity in the classroom.  Learn the strategies and daily practices John Arthur, the 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year, uses to build and sustain healthy, positive relationships with his students.