Growing as an Educator

Professional development is one of the top reasons individuals attend conferences. I know my decision to attend my first Student PSEA Conference and Convention was based solely on the fact that I would be receiving professional development in a variety of areas. Attending the Student PSEA Conference and Convention gives you the opportunity to expand your horizons, and learn about new trending topics in the classroom and tools to use in the classroom. It gives you the opportunity to look beyond the book and hear from others who have experience in the field.

his year’s conference features breakout sessions on topics that include; transitioning from college to career, special education, diversity in the classroom, Genius Hour, balancing high standards with student-driven learning, advice from the past and present PA Teachers of the Year, Autism Spectrum Disorder, student engagement/student-centered activities, designing a future ready classroom, first year out of college advice, classroom management, how to stand out in a job search, using learning to solve real world problems, and more.

Each of the sessions will be presented by remarkable educators. Educators who we look up to as mentors and guides to help us become the best educators we can be. We will make connections and learn many great ideas for our own classrooms. This year’s topics have expanded to new ideas that we have never explored before and I am so excited to share all of them with you!

This year’s Student PSEA Conference and Convention keynote speakers are A.J. Juliani and Anthony Gabriele. Here are their bios from our conference website:

A.J. Juliani is the director of technology and innovation at Centennial School District. Previously, Juliani worked as an education and technology innovation specialist for the Upper Perkiomen School District, and a K-12 technology staff developer in the Wissahickon School District, where he also taught middle school and high school English.

Juliani's latest book, "Inquiry and Innovation in the Classroom: Using 20% Time, Genius Hour, and PBL to Drive Student Success," is currently available from Routledge Press. Juliani was also an ISTE faculty and instructional consultant with the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools project. He has been an invited speaker to the ISTE Leadership Forum (2012), the VILS Virtual Conference (2013), and presented at a number of education conferences and workshops. As co-founder of Education Is My Life and CES, Juliani is working toward solving some of the biggest issues in education through collaboration.

Juliani spent two summers in South Africa and Swaziland, volunteering at an AIDS clinic; running camps for kids; and preparing a community structure to be used for a medical clinic, church, school, and food shelter. Since then, Juliani has taken on the role of webmaster and education consultant for Swaziland Relief, which just started their six-building school this winter.

In Juliani’s recently released book, "Inquiry and Innovation in the Classroom,” he reveals the ways that teachers can use Google’s 20% Time, Genius Hour, and Project-Based Learning to make students more creative, inquisitive, engaged in learning, and self-motivated – the kind of people we need to move society forward.

Juliani received his Master of Science degree from Drexel University in “Global and International Education.” He is the founder of Project: Global Inform, a project that gives students the power to do something about human rights violations. Juliani is also involved in the “Flat Classroom Project,” and is a Microsoft Innovative Educator. He's currently running the "20% Time MOOC" and writing about inquiry-driven learning.

Anthony Gabriele is currently the supervisor of curriculum and instruction for the Garnet Valley School District, as well as senior adjunct faculty with the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Literacy Network.

Throughout his career, Gabriele has worked as a grades 7-12 English Language Arts teacher and a K-12 instructional staff developer, with a specific focus on integrating literacy, technology, and curriculum. During this time, he has taught and co-taught everything from academic-level inclusion English to advanced placement English, co-authored a number of English and science curricula, served as a Classrooms for the Future teacher, worked with school teachers from Detroit to Baltimore to New Jersey, and maintained his blog at www.anthonyjgabriele.com.

Gabriele also worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to build PA Core-aligned instructional frameworks, and, in partnership with Apple, iTunes University courses to support educators in their work with the PA Core standards. Currently, Gabriele is working with the U.S. Department of Education on the #GoOpen movement. 

Outside of work, Gabriele is co-owner in a real estate business, regularly hikes the Appalachian Trail, is a former lacrosse coach/junkie, and is happily married to his wife Erin. They have four-year-old twins.

Both A.J. and Anthony have taught ELA and are enthusiastic about technology in the classroom. This is a presentation different from any that we’ve seen over the last four years. As time goes on, technology becomes more prevalent in our lives and our future students’ lives. There is no way to keep your classroom 100% technology-free. It would be doing a disservice to your students by denying them access to resources to help them learn and grow.

Technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers is transformational.”
 - George Couros

When we hear from these two amazing educators, we will learn how to incorporate our growing world of technology into our small classrooms with our students. We will be inspired to be innovative and hand learning over to our students. They are our future, we are just their tour guides.

Come ready to learn and be inspired, and I’ll look forward to seeing you in Pittsburgh, where we will build bridges today for tomorrow’s leaders!

(More detailed information about breakout sessions can be found at 
 https://www.psea.org/uploadedFiles/Student/Student_Resources/StudentConferenceSessionDescriptors.pdf) 

Student President,

Shelby Pepmeyer