Check out what we’ve been up to
Established in 2019, the Spear Center has put on a variety of professional learning experiences for the teachers of ISP and beyond. We are ramping up programming and we hope to see you at an event soon! Interested in keeping up to date with what’s coming up? Join our mailing list or contact us at spearenter@intlschool.org.
Crafting Inquiry 2024: Inspiring Mathematics Success for All Students
With Jo Boaler and Cathy Williams
October 18, 2024
We were honored to have Dr. Jo Boaler and Cathy Williams join us as our presenters. Jo and Cathy are cofounders of youcubed.org and are champions for a conceptual and equitable approach to teaching mathematics. Their work provides research-backed strategies and resources for teachers to promote a shift in the world of mathematics education.
During this inspiring day, Jo and Cathy spoke of the need for a conceptual and connected approach to teaching math, and led us through engaging and challenging activities, sharing research and stories to inspire a shift in how we approach math education. Teachers walked away with new ideas, and many have already begun to implement these in their classrooms. As one participant shared: “This is PD Disneyland!”
Motivation, Resilience, and Belonging: Empowering All Learners to Thrive Together
With Dr. Emily Jaskowiak
August 2024
Emily Jaskowiak has worked in the field of education for over 15 years. During that time she has worked as a speech and language pathologist, educational consultant and coach, and coordinator of social/emotional learning for students with special education services. She led the ISP faculty in an engaging and informative workshop about how to embrace all students, increase motiviation, and create a sense of belonging in our classrooms.
Responsive Classroom
August 2024
We partnered with Responsive Classroom to host three incredible workshops! First, we held a one-day Leadership Symposium, and then two intensive four-day workshops: Elementary Core Course and Elementary Advanced Course. It was a week of laughter, learning, and forward thinking about how we can best support, encourage, and embrace all of our students. Thanks, Responsive Classroom!
Introduction to Concept-Based Inquiry with Rachel French
March 2024
This workshop was an intensive 2-day workshop for Teachers and School Leaders committed to implementing a Concept-Based approach, offering practical strategies that invited participants to rethink the unit design process. We discovered the Concept-Based Inquiry model developed by French and Marschall, and unlocked a framework for intentional teaching and learning. Participants left with various teaching strategies carefully crafted to cultivate students’ conceptual thinking.
Empowering Teachers Leaders: Fostering Excellence in our Schools
with Stacy Stephens
March 2024
In today’s dynamic educational landscape, the significance of teacher leadership in our schools cannot be overstated. This interactive workshop delves into the pivotal role that teacher leaders play in shaping and enhancing the quality of education.
Participants explored the essential qualities and skills that define effective teacher leadership, including collaboration, communication, and effective team management. Through thought-provoking discussions and hands-on activities, attendees gained practical strategies to build their leadership capacity.
Crafting Inquiry 2023
Sponsored by Toddle
October 2023
What does your classroom say about children’s ideas, inquiries, play, and learning? How do we nurture children’s curiosity while also keeping it alive for ourselves as educators? How do we support playful pedagogy in schools? Inquiry-based learning sounds great, but how do we actually make it work when we have content to teach and limited time to do it?
Lynn Cuccaro, Yvonne Liu-Constant, and John Spencer explored these questions and more in a unique, interactive, and hands-on two-day conference!
IB Workshops
In August 2023 the Spear Center and the International School of Portland hosted three official IB workshops on the ISP campus:
- Making the PYP Happen: Implementing Agency (category 1)
- Evidencing Learning (category 2)
- Bilingual and Multilingual Teaching and Learning (category 3)
The Wondrous Classroom: Playful Pedagogy with Lynn Cuccaro
May 2023
Research continues to point out that young children learn best through meaningful play experiences. As educators, we know that play is the primary way children learn. In this workshop, we uncovered the early years skills developed through play while discovering how movement supports neural pathways in the brain to connect “learning dots” and builds the brain’s architecture. We also unpacked the crucial sensory-motor skills that build the foundation to early literacy, both in reading and handwriting regardless of the language of instruction.
Crafting Inquiry Conference 2022
October 2022
What does it look like to implement inquiry practices well? What about the role of assessment? How do we craft and encourage meaningful and productive questions that build critical thinking skills, resolve dilemmas, and ignite creative solutions?
Kath Murdoch, Trevor MacKenzie, Stephanie Harvey, and Kimberly Mitchell dove into these topics and more in our kick-off 2-day conference held both in person and virtually in Portland, Oregon.
Japanese immersion curriculum development
October 2022
Talented educator and workshop leader Miho Nishita joined us all the way from Tokyo International School to work with our Japanese track teachers as we designed our reading and writing scope and sequence and discussed literacy practices in Japanese.
Construct the Present
An organization based in Portland that is dedicated to facilitating discussions in the workplace around issue of equity, diversity, and inclusion, they have joined us for multiple training sessions since 2019.
Crafting Inquiry Virtual Summit 2020
August 2020
Kath Murdoch, Stephanie Harvey, and Kimberly Mitchell came together for the first time ever to provide an interactive virtual experience on how to beautifully craft inquiry-based elementary and early childhood classrooms.
Mandarin immersion job-alike
Teachers from Mandarin immersion classrooms in Portland Public Schools joined us on campus for a day of unpacking the beauties and challenges of Mandarin immersion in the PYP.
An Inquiry into Inquiry, Play, and Agency with Anne Evans, Ann van Dam, and Lynn Cuccaro
May 2019
During this two-day training, teachers learned how to foster play-based learning and inquiry-based environments that support lamguage immersion and the development of global citizens.
PYP Exhibition Job-Alike
5th grade teachers and coordinators from around Portland came together to discuss how the PYP Enhancements allow for new innovation and student agency in the PYP Exhibition.
Responsive Classroom
Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to teaching and discipline that focuses on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmental awareness.
Playworks
Playworks helps kids to stay active and build valuable life skills through play.
