CSTP would like to hear from you! We’re interested in hearing about the successes, wins and celebrations (big and small!) you and/or your students have experienced this school year. What are things you’ve done in your classroom, with your colleagues or for your own professional growth this year that is working? Teachers, in particular, are craving ideas and strategies that are working for others. We want to share those successes and ideas with a broader educator audience on our website and social media.

On the flip side, we are also collecting the challenges you are facing as educators in this strange and new educational context. What are barriers for your work as an educator? Are there issues (big and small) that, if addressed, would make your educator life easier? Do you have ideas or solutions for tackling these challenges? CSTP will review these submissions and may share particular ones to specific stakeholder groups/decision makers and/or figure out ways we can, organizationally and with partners, address these issues.

In partnership with OSPI, CSTP is excited to announce the WERD (WA Educators Read and Discuss) Book Study (get it? WERD, like WORD!). Two different statewide book studies will start in January and February. This opportunity is open to paraeducators, teachers, principals, administrators and ESAs. Participation is free and clock hours will be available. And there may even be some free books and discount codes to participants!

The first study will feature Culturally Responsive Education in the Classroom: An Equity Framework for Pedagogy by Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge. The second book study will feature Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.

Visit our website to register and a chance to win a free copy of Culturally Responsive Education in the Classroom. Those who submitted last week are already entered for a chance to win!

Washington NBCTs, you need to be aware of possible implications to the National Board incentives during the upcoming legislative session. The state is facing some major financial challenges - specifically a large revenue shortfall estimated at over $4 billion. The National Board Certification incentives - $5,505 for the base incentive each year for the life of the certificate and $5,000 each year you work in a challenging school with a valid NB certificate - is a sizable budget line item in the state’s budget and a tasty nugget for the chopping block, particularly since it falls outside of the state’s obligation to provide for basic education. Being just months away from the beginning of the legislative session, we want to start preparing NBCTs with the knowledge and skills to advocate and message about the critical capacity and positive impacts NBCTs bring to their students, building, districts and communities. NBCTs Joanna Barnes (North Thurston Public Schools) and Sarah Applegate (Wenatchee School District) will facilitate a two-part session on November 14 and 18.

When: November 14 from 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM and November 18 from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Clock Hours Available: 7

CSTP is offering statewide online component facilitation for National Board candidates in 2020-21. Support is offered for Components 1 and 3 starting in January. Register now to save your seat!

League of Education Voters (LEV) is joined by 2021 Washington Teacher of the Year Brooke Brown. She discusses how to connect with students during remote learning, why it is important for students to feel safe, and her advice to parents during this time.

The UW Haring Center will be hosting a webinar featuring best practices for inclusive education with Mark Twain Elementary on November 4 at 3:00 PM. This 90-minute virtual site visit will cover:

•    Brief overview of the Washington State Demonstration Sites Project

•    Mark Twain's journey to becoming a more inclusive school

•    Review artifacts that aid in systems change

•    How schools can implement best practices in inclusive education in their own buildings

Do you have a question about your Learning Management System? Submit it here, in our Facebook group or to our Twitter accounts.

Need to reopen a quiz for a student, add more time or another attempt? Here’s help from New Quizzes.

Check out some of the new updates for Google Meets that can help teachers increase engagement. Polls and Breakout rooms especially! 

Learn how to join a Microsoft Teams meeting using the new join experience updates.

Are you looking for a way to help your students collaborate? Check out this helpful video to learn how you can use discussion boards to get students talking and engaging!

Badges and clock hours are available for those completing any of the 16 available asynchronous modules in the Teacher Tech Project. Each completed module is worth one clock hour.

Learn more on the CSTP website.

Halloween may look different this year for many of us, but there are still plenty of activities one can participate in while socially distanced. If you have any leftover halloween candy from last year (ewww) or planning on having some this year, check out the leftover candy video for recipe ideas. Or perhaps you need to give your hand a break from carving pumpkins? Check out the pumpkin carving machine video for inspiration.

Your gift ensures that CSTP continues to support student achievement through a focus on teaching excellence. With you as a partner in CSTP’s mission, you directly make a difference in the lives of youth across Washington State schools. Donations are tax deductible and essential as CSTP works to support educators navigate unique models of student engagement during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Liking and sharing our posts on social media is another way you can support CSTP during these times. Thank you for sharing our message.