Bridgette Donald-Blue is a teacher through and through! She is a native of Miami, Florida and is a graduate of Howard University. Her original plan was to become a lawyer, but a chance encounter with the Teach for America organization during her senior year set her on a new path... Read More →
This session will provide itinerant teachers with practical tools and strategies for designing and delivering high-quality, standards-aligned arts instruction. Participants will explore the Arts Instructional Guide and learn how to develop effective, sequential lesson plans that support student engagement, creativity, and skill development across artistic disciplines. Emphasis will be placed on aligning instruction with grade-level expectations and fostering real world connections. By the end of the session, participants will leave with a planning framework and sample lessons they can immediately implement in their classrooms.
During this session, participants will gain an understanding of the LAUSD Teaching and Learning Framework and how it enhances our instructional practice. They will dig deep into the framework and reflect on how it can be used for their own professional growth.
This session will provide an introduction to key instructional approaches and strategies that support Maximizing Academic Language for Multilingual students throughout the day. Participants will have an opportunity to practice key instructional approaches and strategies throughout the session.
I have had the pleasure of collaborating with and learning from amazing students, teachers, and colleagues for over 25 years in LAUSD. I was a substitute teacher for 3 years for K-8th grades and taught Kindergarten, 4th and 5th grade for a total of 5 years. I have been an OCR... Read More →
Bernie Carrasco was born in Boyle Heights and is a product of LAUSD, attending Sheridan EL, Hollenbeck Jr. High, and graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School. He taught Middle School English and ELD for 11 years and served as an ELA Coach, Title III Coach, Secondary EL Expert... Read More →
Thursday July 31, 2025 8:45am - 10:00am PDT Room 175
My name is Felix Quiñónez, and I have 26 years of teaching experience. I am a doctoral student, Teach Plus California Emergent Bilingual Change Agent, 2020 LAUSD Teacher of the Year, National Board Certified Teacher, and hold multiple and single-subject credentials plus a BCLAD... Read More →
Thursday July 31, 2025 8:45am - 10:00am PDT Dance Room
Cooperative learning is built on a single tenet: engagement. When students are engaged and motivated, learning "sticks." When you use Kagan structures in the classroom, all students will be engaged, accountable, and learning.
Are your students engaged with the content? Are your lesson plans blueprints for success? In this training, teachers will learn the ABCs of student engagement by discovering ways to make your lessons student focused and learning centered. Utilizing a wide-range of research-based instructional strategies, participants will learn to increase student engagement, increase student motivation for maximum learning, extend student’s critical thinking skills, make effective use of instructional time, and teach so students will reach their learning goals. Participants will learn that effective lesson design and masterful instruction is both an art and a science.
During this session, participants will learn several reading and writing strategies inspired by Kelly Gallagher’s text, In the Best Interest of Students, that are immediately applicable to all content areas. With the aim of building community and confidence, participants will dive into cultivating a rich classroom environment based on informal discourse amongst students and how to translate that into more rigorous and complex tasks.
Dr. Arielle Miller specializes in urban teacher development and quality. As a 20-year Los Angeles Unified School District veteran and former secondary English teacher, her progressive approach to lesson design and implementation rendered tremendous success with student achievement... Read More →
Thursday July 31, 2025 8:45am - 10:00am PDT Room 132
Get ready to dive into the world of Tier 1 Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports/Restorative Practices (PBIS/RP), where the classroom environment takes center stage! In this session, you'll uncover the Tier 1 Look-Fors—your essential tools for mastering the art of classroom management. You'll learn to utilize these Look-Fors effectively and have time to explore resources to start your year off right!
Social Emotional LearningSocial Emotional WellnessUtilizing PBIS/RP strategies to support student wellness and promote a welcoming classroom environment
This presentation will define trauma and discuss its prevalence. We will discuss impact of trauma on students socio-emotional status, behavior, and ability to learn. Will review resilience factors and how to apply them in our work with students.
This interactive session provides practical strategies to help teachers recognize and respond to student behavior in ways that foster a positive classroom environment. Educators will explore how behavior serves as communication and learn proactive tools to reduce escalation through structured routines, clear expectations, and effective communication. Participants will gain hands-on experience using verbal and non-verbal strategies, start directives, and student choice techniques that support engagement and de-escalation. Teachers will leave with immediately applicable tools to manage behavior calmly and consistently, maintaining instructional momentum and promoting student dignity in every interaction.
Explore the UDL framework and learn how to effectively plan and implement inclusive instruction. This session reviews setting the stage for UDL, co-planning and co-teaching strategies, and compares traditional and UDL-aligned lesson plans to support all learners.
Reading fluency is a foundational skill that leads to literacy. In this session, we will highlight the importance of reading fluency and identify best instructional practices and assessments. We will also review classroom and online resources so that this ELA component can be easily incorporated into daily practice in the primary classroom.
What does it take to build a classroom where every student feels seen and challenged? In this interactive session, guides participants through practical strategies for creating safe, affirming, and academically rich classrooms. You’ll explore how to foster student agency, center cultural identity, and build trust through intentional design, while aligning your instructional planning to reflect your students’ lives, interests, and strengths. From daily routines to project-based units, you’ll leave with ready-to-use tools to transform your classroom into a space where students feel a sense of belonging. This session is perfect for educators who want to turn their values into action and walk away with a toolkit rooted in justice, joy, and meaningful instruction.
This session provides valuable information regarding LAUSD benefits, compensation, mentor support, and other key elements of importance to new teachers. All participants will be automatically enrolled into this workshop for Day 2, Session 2.
This session will provide itinerant teachers with practical tools and strategies for designing and delivering high-quality, standards-aligned arts instruction. Participants will explore the Arts Instructional Guide and learn how to develop effective, sequential lesson plans that support student engagement, creativity, and skill development across artistic disciplines. Emphasis will be placed on aligning instruction with grade-level expectations and fostering real world connections. By the end of the session, participants will leave with a planning framework and sample lessons they can immediately implement in their classrooms.
Arts education provides a powerful platform for fostering Social Emotional Learning (SEL), especially for young learners. This session is designed for itinerant arts teachers working with TK–5/6 students and focuses on embedding SEL principles into everyday instruction. Participants will explore strategies for helping students identify and express emotions through artmaking, build empathy through collaborative projects, and develop self-awareness and resilience through reflective creative practices. Practical tools, lesson ideas, and classroom routines will be shared to help teachers support students’ emotional growth while managing multiple school sites. Discover how SEL and visual arts together can empower students and enrich learning.
During this session, participants will gain an understanding of the LAUSD Teaching and Learning Framework and how it enhances our instructional practice. They will dig deep into the framework and reflect on how it can be used for their own professional growth.
This session will provide an introduction to key instructional approaches and strategies that support Maximizing Academic Language for Multilingual students throughout the day. Participants will have an opportunity to practice key instructional approaches and strategies throughout the session.
I have had the pleasure of collaborating with and learning from amazing students, teachers, and colleagues for over 25 years in LAUSD. I was a substitute teacher for 3 years for K-8th grades and taught Kindergarten, 4th and 5th grade for a total of 5 years. I have been an OCR... Read More →
Bernie Carrasco was born in Boyle Heights and is a product of LAUSD, attending Sheridan EL, Hollenbeck Jr. High, and graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School. He taught Middle School English and ELD for 11 years and served as an ELA Coach, Title III Coach, Secondary EL Expert... Read More →
Thursday July 31, 2025 12:25pm - 1:40pm PDT Room 175
How to create and cultivate a positive classroom culture through genuine rapport with your students. Tips and tricks to lower their affective filters by lowering your own. Designed for Secondary teachers.
My name is Felix Quiñónez, and I have 26 years of teaching experience. I am a doctoral student, Teach Plus California Emergent Bilingual Change Agent, 2020 LAUSD Teacher of the Year, National Board Certified Teacher, and hold multiple and single-subject credentials plus a BCLAD... Read More →
Thursday July 31, 2025 12:25pm - 1:40pm PDT Dance Room
Cooperative learning is built on a single tenet: engagement. When students are engaged and motivated, learning "sticks." When you use Kagan structures in the classroom, all students will be engaged, accountable, and learning.
In this presentation, we will explore the fundamental principles and practices that will empower and support new teachers in the first few years of their career. Using the books Welcome to TEACHING! and You're a Teacher Now! as an anchor, this session will provide guidance in creating, organizing, and facilitating strategies, procedures, and tools to create a highly successful school year. Participants will be equipped with engaging strategies that incorporate digital platforms to enhance the teaching and learning experience. Participants will leave with tools to implement the first day and first few weeks of school.
Angela has been an elementary school educator for over 30 years. She has been a National Board Certified Teacher for 20 years. She is currently a mentor teacher and a UTLA Chapter Chair.Over the years, she has been a great resource to other teachers in the areas of classroom management... Read More →
Ms. Trena Hope is a highly accomplished elementary school teacher with over 30 years of successful teaching experience. She has held her National Board Teaching Credential for 20 years, a testament to her dedication and expertise in education. Ms. Hope is known for her ability to... Read More →
Bridgette Donald-Blue is a teacher through and through! She is a native of Miami, Florida and is a graduate of Howard University. Her original plan was to become a lawyer, but a chance encounter with the Teach for America organization during her senior year set her on a new path... Read More →
This presentation is designed for special education teachers but may benefit anyone interested in learning more about the IEP process. This presentation will cover basics such as IEP timelines, the components of the IEP, how to conduct a meeting, and how to write strong PLPs and goals. Attendees will be provided with digital resources that will help them produce more compliant and effective IEPs.
I have been teaching special education in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 17 years. I worked as a special day class teacher for nearly 14 years and and am now working as a resource specialist teacher. I have taught elementary school, middle school, and high school. I have... Read More →
During this session, participants will learn several reading and writing strategies inspired by Kelly Gallagher’s text, In the Best Interest of Students, that are immediately applicable to all content areas. With the aim of building community and confidence, participants will dive into cultivating a rich classroom environment based on informal discourse amongst students and how to translate that into more rigorous and complex tasks.
Dr. Arielle Miller specializes in urban teacher development and quality. As a 20-year Los Angeles Unified School District veteran and former secondary English teacher, her progressive approach to lesson design and implementation rendered tremendous success with student achievement... Read More →
Thursday July 31, 2025 12:25pm - 1:40pm PDT Room 132
In this workshop you will learn how to develop classroom presence to promote positive interaction and command the attention of your students. Keeping students focused can be challenging for any teacher. Discover how to make the most of your lesson planning by implementing techniques such as appropriate use of positioning, clarity of direction, vocal tone, humor, attention, and relevance to connect with your students to create a respectful environment with enthusiasm and anticipation for learning.
Forging connections takes intentional effort and determination, but the rewards are worth it. When students feel connected with their teachers and their peers, they feel supported in the classroom and are more likely to engage in learning and have fewer behavioral problems. Included in this workshop are specific strategies and resources that will develop your role as a facilitator of learning who creates a fun and meaningful learning environment that builds and sustains positive relationships.
Get ready to dive into the world of Tier 1 Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports/Restorative Practices (PBIS/RP), where the classroom environment takes center stage! In this session, you'll uncover the Tier 1 Look-Fors—your essential tools for mastering the art of classroom management. You'll learn to utilize these Look-Fors effectively and have time to explore resources to start your year off right!
Social Emotional LearningSocial Emotional WellnessUtilizing PBIS/RP strategies to support student wellness and promote a welcoming classroom environment
This presentation will define trauma and discuss its prevalence. We will discuss impact of trauma on students socio-emotional status, behavior, and ability to learn. Will review resilience factors and how to apply them in our work with students.
This interactive session provides practical strategies to help teachers recognize and respond to student behavior in ways that foster a positive classroom environment. Educators will explore how behavior serves as communication and learn proactive tools to reduce escalation through structured routines, clear expectations, and effective communication. Participants will gain hands-on experience using verbal and non-verbal strategies, start directives, and student choice techniques that support engagement and de-escalation. Teachers will leave with immediately applicable tools to manage behavior calmly and consistently, maintaining instructional momentum and promoting student dignity in every interaction.
The first week of school sets the tone for the rest of the year. This presentation will help you navigate the first week of school. From room arrangement and first day activities, to classroom management and lesson planning, you'll be ready to go!
Reading fluency is a foundational skill that leads to literacy. In this session, we will highlight the importance of reading fluency and identify best instructional practices and assessments. We will also review classroom and online resources so that this ELA component can be easily incorporated into daily practice in the primary classroom.
What does it take to build a classroom where every student feels seen and challenged? In this interactive session, guides participants through practical strategies for creating safe, affirming, and academically rich classrooms. You’ll explore how to foster student agency, center cultural identity, and build trust through intentional design, while aligning your instructional planning to reflect your students’ lives, interests, and strengths. From daily routines to project-based units, you’ll leave with ready-to-use tools to transform your classroom into a space where students feel a sense of belonging. This session is perfect for educators who want to turn their values into action and walk away with a toolkit rooted in justice, joy, and meaningful instruction.
Arts education provides a powerful platform for fostering Social Emotional Learning (SEL), especially for young learners. This session is designed for itinerant arts teachers working with TK–5/6 students and focuses on embedding SEL principles into everyday instruction. Participants will explore strategies for helping students identify and express emotions through artmaking, build empathy through collaborative projects, and develop self-awareness and resilience through reflective creative practices. Practical tools, lesson ideas, and classroom routines will be shared to help teachers support students’ emotional growth while managing multiple school sites. Discover how SEL and visual arts together can empower students and enrich learning.
During this session, participants will gain an understanding of the LAUSD Teaching and Learning Framework and how it enhances our instructional practice. They will dig deep into the framework and reflect on how it can be used for their own professional growth.
How to create and cultivate a positive classroom culture through genuine rapport with your students. Tips and tricks to lower their affective filters by lowering your own. Designed for Secondary teachers.
My name is Felix Quiñónez, and I have 26 years of teaching experience. I am a doctoral student, Teach Plus California Emergent Bilingual Change Agent, 2020 LAUSD Teacher of the Year, National Board Certified Teacher, and hold multiple and single-subject credentials plus a BCLAD... Read More →
Thursday July 31, 2025 1:45pm - 3:00pm PDT Dance Room
Cooperative learning is built on a single tenet: engagement. When students are engaged and motivated, learning "sticks." When you use Kagan structures in the classroom, all students will be engaged, accountable, and learning.
In this presentation, we will explore the fundamental principles and practices that will empower and support new teachers in the first few years of their career. Using the books Welcome to TEACHING! and You're a Teacher Now! as an anchor, this session will provide guidance in creating, organizing, and facilitating strategies, procedures, and tools to create a highly successful school year. Participants will be equipped with engaging strategies that incorporate digital platforms to enhance the teaching and learning experience. Participants will leave with tools to implement the first day and first few weeks of school.
Angela has been an elementary school educator for over 30 years. She has been a National Board Certified Teacher for 20 years. She is currently a mentor teacher and a UTLA Chapter Chair.Over the years, she has been a great resource to other teachers in the areas of classroom management... Read More →
Ms. Trena Hope is a highly accomplished elementary school teacher with over 30 years of successful teaching experience. She has held her National Board Teaching Credential for 20 years, a testament to her dedication and expertise in education. Ms. Hope is known for her ability to... Read More →
Bridgette Donald-Blue is a teacher through and through! She is a native of Miami, Florida and is a graduate of Howard University. Her original plan was to become a lawyer, but a chance encounter with the Teach for America organization during her senior year set her on a new path... Read More →
This presentation is designed for special education teachers but may benefit anyone interested in learning more about the IEP process. This presentation will cover basics such as IEP timelines, the components of the IEP, how to conduct a meeting, and how to write strong PLPs and goals. Attendees will be provided with digital resources that will help them produce more compliant and effective IEPs.
I have been teaching special education in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 17 years. I worked as a special day class teacher for nearly 14 years and and am now working as a resource specialist teacher. I have taught elementary school, middle school, and high school. I have... Read More →
Are your students engaged with the content? Are your lesson plans blueprints for success? In this training, teachers will learn the ABCs of student engagement by discovering ways to make your lessons student focused and learning centered. Utilizing a wide-range of research-based instructional strategies, participants will learn to increase student engagement, increase student motivation for maximum learning, extend student’s critical thinking skills, make effective use of instructional time, and teach so students will reach their learning goals. Participants will learn that effective lesson design and masterful instruction is both an art and a science.
In this workshop you will learn how to develop classroom presence to promote positive interaction and command the attention of your students. Keeping students focused can be challenging for any teacher. Discover how to make the most of your lesson planning by implementing techniques such as appropriate use of positioning, clarity of direction, vocal tone, humor, attention, and relevance to connect with your students to create a respectful environment with enthusiasm and anticipation for learning.
Forging connections takes intentional effort and determination, but the rewards are worth it. When students feel connected with their teachers and their peers, they feel supported in the classroom and are more likely to engage in learning and have fewer behavioral problems. Included in this workshop are specific strategies and resources that will develop your role as a facilitator of learning who creates a fun and meaningful learning environment that builds and sustains positive relationships.
The first week of school sets the tone for the rest of the year. This presentation will help you navigate the first week of school. From room arrangement and first day activities, to classroom management and lesson planning, you'll be ready to go!
What does it take to build a classroom where every student feels seen and challenged? In this interactive session, guides participants through practical strategies for creating safe, affirming, and academically rich classrooms. You’ll explore how to foster student agency, center cultural identity, and build trust through intentional design, while aligning your instructional planning to reflect your students’ lives, interests, and strengths. From daily routines to project-based units, you’ll leave with ready-to-use tools to transform your classroom into a space where students feel a sense of belonging. This session is perfect for educators who want to turn their values into action and walk away with a toolkit rooted in justice, joy, and meaningful instruction.
