The use of board games in education is under-utilized. As we come out of this pandemic, and adjust to new directions, education can reinvent itself, and create better learning environments. Gamification is a popular teaching buzz word that suggests educators take an element of play and retrofit it to achieve a classroom learning objective. Games can engage students with different learning styles and inspire individual creativity. Board games represent the missing tool in our toolboxes, and they can replace the traditional lectures with a method that reaches all students. This interactive professional development is for educators who want to use board games as teaching tools.

• Board games can be used in all content areas and teach a variety of skills including:
• Social, Emotional, Learning concepts
• Problem solving
• Trial & Error - Failure as a way of learning
• Collaboration & Teamwork
• Creativity & Problem Solving

During this professional development educators will experience board games, be provided with sample lesson plans and include time to actually play games.

Are you an educator looking to unlock the potential of artificial intelligence in your teaching? Join us for "Demystifying ChatGPT: The AI Educator's Guide to Prompt Engineering." In this dynamic and engaging workshop, we'll take you on a journey to understand the transformative power of AI, specifically ChatGPT, in the classroom.

What to Expect:

• Demystify ChatGPT: You'll gain a deep understanding of ChatGPT's capabilities, demystifying the world of AI and making it accessible for educators.


• Unlock the Magic of Prompt Engineering: Learn the art and science of crafting effective prompts for ChatGPT, enabling you to tailor AI-powered interactions to your educational needs.


• Enhance Your Teaching: Discover how ChatGPT can become your AI teaching assistant, supporting and enriching your educational initiatives.


• Real-World Applications: Explore practical applications of ChatGPT in diverse educational settings, from K-12 to higher education.


• Hands-On Practice: Get hands-on experience in prompt design and experiment with real-life teaching scenarios.


• Collaboration and Networking: Connect with fellow educators and share insights on integrating AI into your teaching toolkit.

In today's world, the necessity for young individuals to be comprehensively educated on the dangers of antisemitism cannot be overstated. This insidious form of hatred presents a significant threat not just to the Jewish community but to society at large. Echoes & Reflections, an organization committed to reshaping the educational approach to the Holocaust and related issues, spearheads an educational program designed to address this very challenge. Through meticulous design, this program aims to aid educators in imparting knowledge about antisemitism, exploring its historical roots and its modern-day manifestations.

Echoes & Reflections leverages its expertise in Holocaust education to inform this program, drawing parallels between past atrocities and current forms of hate. By providing an in-depth exploration of antisemitism, educators are armed with a comprehensive toolkit of strategies and methodologies. These tools are not just about imparting knowledge; they are designed to empower educators to guide their students in understanding, confronting, and actively opposing antisemitism and other forms of bigotry.

This professional development offering by Echoes & Reflections is more than just an educational program; it is a commitment to fostering an environment of awareness and critical thinking. The ultimate goal is to cultivate a generation that is not only well-informed about the dangers of antisemitism but also equipped and prepared to stand against it in any form it might take. By integrating the historical significance of the Holocaust with the contemporary challenge of antisemitism, Echoes & Reflections demonstrates its dedication to creating a more informed and compassionate world, one educator and student at a time.

We seek to discover new books that should be added to our libraries and classrooms. Each participant will write a blog post review of a total of 8 books via a libguide blog from January through April. Let's crowdsource the best new books in our region!!

The Details:

- One chapter book or two picture book review(s) are worth 1 credit hour.
- You can earn up to 4 credits for this course.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me - hturner@ocmboces.org
PLEASE NOTE: This course is completely online and asynchronous. We will not meet but hours need to be listed for district regulations for Professional Learning.

Sharing of ideas on collaborating with every stakeholder (parents, students, teachers, admins)

Join us for a transformative book study on "The Artful Read-Aloud: 10 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and Transform Learning." Authored by renowned educator and literacy expert, Rebecca Bellingham, this book offers invaluable insights and practical strategies for K-12 educators seeking to enrich their read-aloud practices.

Throughout this study, participants will explore the ten principles outlined in the book, delving into each principle's significance and practical application in the classroom. From fostering a love of reading to enhancing comprehension and critical thinking skills, the principles presented in this book are designed to inspire and engage learners of all ages.

Through lively discussions, reflective activities, and collaborative exercises, participants will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of effective read-aloud techniques and how they can be seamlessly integrated into their teaching practice. Whether you're a seasoned educator or new to the profession, this book study promises to invigorate your approach to read-alouds and empower you to create memorable and enriching learning experiences for your students.

Note: This Book Study is completely asynchronous, allowing flexible engagement with weekly assignments. Please disregard times; provided dates are the only relevant scheduling items. Let's embark on this enriching journey together!

Join us for an exciting and comprehensive all-day event, where we will equip educators with the tools, resources, and strategies they need to build culturally responsive libraries and catalogs in their classrooms. Our goal is to provide educators with a range of texts, lesson plans, and interactive activities that will facilitate courageous conversations with students from diverse backgrounds across different grade levels and academic subjects.

We will address problematic texts and explore how to use them in a culturally responsive manner, paired with relevant nonfiction resources. You will learn how to evaluate texts for cultural sensitivity and appropriateness and incorporate a range of perspectives and experiences into your lessons. Through interactive workshops and discussions, you will explore different ways to use texts to promote critical thinking, build empathy and understanding, and create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment.

At the end of the event, you will walk away with a wealth of resources, including a curated list of culturally responsive texts, nonfiction resources, and lesson plans that can be implemented in your classrooms. With these resources and skills, you will be better equipped to create an environment of understanding, empathy, and respect in your classrooms. Join us and become a part of our mission to empower educators to build culturally responsive libraries and catalogs that promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity in education.

The SLS Communication Coordinators meetings are designed to be a bridge between the School Library System team and the school librarians in each of the districts and non-public schools that are members of the system. Each district has a designated Communication Coordinator who is required to attend the meetings but all members are welcome to attend. The morning (8:30 am to 11:30 am) will be a "Communities of Practice" meeting, topic to be decided at a later date. The second half of the day (12:30 pm to 3:00 pm) will be the Communication Coordinators meeting.

Sharing of ideas for End of the Year Reports

Please join us for a professional learning session tailored specifically for school librarians. In this session, we will focus on continuing our development of the guaranteed and viable for elementary libraries. Let's work together to continue this important work.

Sharing of ideas for Book Celebrations and Summer Reading Ideas

The third meeting of Mentors Across Borders for the 2023-2024 School Year.

The program seeks to support new school librarians both professionally and personally in their efforts to become highly effective educators. Research indicates that student learning depends, in part, on constructing a school culture that fosters growth for students and staff alike. We believe that mentors and mentees will learn and grow together in this process. While we are certain that your district provided you with a mentor teacher (not always a school librarian), we aspire to pair you with a mentor with library experience, knowledge and a passion for our profession. The purpose of this program is to connect librarians across "the borders” of their school districts to learn from and support each other while growing a vibrant professional learning network across the region.

Sharing of ideas for Book Celebrations and Summer Reading Ideas

Misinformation is always changing, attaching itself to current events and controversial issues, especially on social media sites like X and TikTok. Though these platforms have policies against misinformation, they sometimes fail to enforce them in ways that are consistent and effective. Coupled with bad actors, who create and purposely amplify disinformation, social media can be akin to a landmine with mis- and disinformation lurking at every step. This full-day learning experience will explore the changing misinformation landscape on social media and equip educators with the tools to teach their students how to sift through the digital flood of information to determine its credibility.

Please join us for a professional learning session tailored specifically for school librarians. In this session, we will focus on continuing our development of the guaranteed and viable for secondary libraries. Let's work together to continue this important work.

Discovery Education continues to empower educators with resources, strategies and tools for creating quality lessons using multi-modal digital resources. For Back-to-School, we are combining all that teachers and students love about the DE ecosystem with new content to keep all learners curious and engaged. Join us this Fall at OCM BOCES to learn about the best ways to utilize all that Discovery Education has to offer as well as exciting updated features, synchronous and asynchronous resources, assignment templates, Ready-to-Use activities, video quizzes, and much more!
RECOMMENDED AUDIENCE: Librarians, Technology Integration Specialists, Lead Teachers, Curriculum. Breakfast and lunch will be provided by Discovery Education.