Workshops

Donna is available to present at your conference or in your district. See below for a sampling of topics that she has presented. Contact Donna for presentations tailored to your needs.

Keynotes

Listen to Your Heart

Remember why you become an educator! Be inspired to share laughs and maybe a tear or two with Donna as she reminds us all of the importance of touching children. The triumphs and tribulations of being a teacher are humorously explored!

Building Bridges

Building Bridges to parents, standards, colleagues & children are at the heart of teaching! Donna reminds us of how we can overcome the challenges and gain the "tools" we need to "get to the other side"!

The ABC's of Change

Educators and children are wrought with CHANGE. Come and discover how change can become an opportunity for success. You will see that the saying "when one door closes, another opens" does represent the goodness in dealing with new challenges and change in our own lives and careers.

Good for All…Imperative for Some!

Each day educators face the challenge of meeting the diverse needs of a diverse student population. In this lighthearted, thought-provoking keynote, Donna will share current research that explores the “best practice” strategies associated with differentiated instruction. Each teacher will leave with ideas that can be used immediately in their classroom to promote higher achievement and enable all students to better learn.

Enthusiasm is Contagious!

As teachers, we dedicate our lives to improving children’s futures—and we face many challenges along the way. Join Donna to renew your commitment and reaffirm your love for the profession. You’ll discover how your passion and enthusiasm for learning can directly impact both students and colleagues each day. This thought-provoking keynote will send you on your way with a "smile in your heart"!

The Top 10 Signs that I Am a Kindergarten Teacher

No other profession in the world is as important as that of a kindergarten teacher! In this humorous and inspirational keynote, Donna will share real-life situations that most of us can relate to every day! Come and share laughs, songs, and a perspective that only teachers of young children understand. Start your day on a positive, light-hearted note by remembering why your job is so important to the success of children.

Small Changes ~ Big Differences

Come and take advantage of this opportunity to explore and discuss small changes that we can make to classrooms that make a big difference in a life of a child. Beginning the day, ending the day and all the little things in between that set children up for success! You will leave with strategies to use in your classroom the very next day as you build an exciting learning environment. Come and share ideas that will excite both you and your students!

Full Day Sessions

Easy to Develop/Easy to Manage Literacy Stations (K-2) Can be Make & Take

Learn how to create and manage effective learning stations for your classroom. Explore a variety of Literacy stations that address multiple learning levels and styles. Also, literacy-based stations that cross into all curriculum areas. Discover how simple stations can help you achieve maximum learning time for your students. Learn to develop stations that support the independent practice of skills you’ve taught. Find management ideas for getting the children to work independently and cooperatively. Come and share ideas that can be immediately implemented in your own classroom. Make learning engaging, hands-on, independent and lots of FUN! You will create and leave this workshop with stations that are ready for you to use in your class tomorrow morning.

Comprehension & Fluency Puzzle Grades (3-5)

Come and share strategies for “putting the pieces” of reading together. Leave with ideas that will build fluency and comprehension skills for every child in your class. Explore fun and motivating lessons that will aide your students in reading success! Take advantage of this opportunity to explore and discuss strategies for creating successful literature circles that will expand on the reading skills you teach. Discover techniques for conferencing and using reader response journals. There will be discussion and creation of materials for the roles and responsibilities of each child in a circle. So don’t forget your scissors, glue, crayons and markers. You will leave with tools to use in your classroom the very next day as you build an exciting literature environment. Teachers will learn to become the facilitator to independent reading groups. Best of all, you will feel confident and ready to put literature circles to work for you and the children in your class.

The ABC’s & XYZ’s of Literacy Success PreK-2

Explore techniques and strategies for aiding your readers and writers to achieve success. Learn ways to develop and provide tools to students that facilitate the mastering of those key skills so vital to literacy achievement. . You’ll discover ways to tap into child’s intrinsic motivation to be “a reader & writer”. Build a toolbox of activities, strategies and routines that will create an environment that builds a love of learning. This workshop will not only give the basics, the ABC’s but the fun, the XYZ’s of literacy. Come and share ideas that can be immediately implemented in your own classroom.

The Path to Success in Math K-2 Can be a Make & Take

Examine the 7 strands of math that enable children to become “math wizards”. Gain effective techniques for ensuring that all children are practicing and gaining mastery of important math concepts. Learn to utilize center opportunities to reinforce your performance indicators daily. Better yet, join us to create the centers that will make it happen tomorrow. The goal will be to facilitate children in becoming problem-solvers and independent thinkers. Come and explore the advantages of finding those everyday opportunities to integrate math into your curriculum. Donna demonstrates techniques that will enable you to introduce, practice and extend your math topics each and every day to ensure that they are an integral part of the students’ learning experiences.

Last 30 days…. & Fresh Ideas for Next Year! K-2 Can be a Make & Take

Spring is upon us and ending the year can be just as challenging as the beginning. Come and find ideas and themes for “wrapping it all up”. The kids will love it and you will find the motivation to end the year with a BANG! Share strategies that can be easily transferred to your classroom for the rest of this year. Then, we will look forward to starting next school year with routines and management tips that are sure to help you create a successful learning environment. Investigate the importance of beginning the day as a group of learners. Establish everyday opportunities for introducing, practicing and extending basic learning concepts that will enable every child to succeed. Also learn the importance of adding closure at the end of each day. Donna will share a variety of activities, songs and games that encourage children to become active members of a classroom built to facilitate higher level thinking. We will explore how more teaching doesn’t necessarily mean adding more, but instead focusing on essential elements of learning. Let’s create the classroom of our dreams for teaching and learning. Where children are our focus and learning is fun!

Games to Play & Songs to Sing K-2 Can be a Make & Take

Introduce, practice and master basic concepts with fun games and songs that teach. Discover a variety of hands-on activities; props and materials that can help promote developmental phoneme awareness in your students. Utilize children’s natural enjoyment for playing with language using nursery rhymes, poems, songs and stories to teach phonemic sense. Don’t miss this opportunity to add these engaging, ready to use, games and teaching tunes. You will not only receive dozens of ideas to use in your classroom immediately but also the research to support their use in learning success.

Games that Teach! ~ Make & Take K-2

Activate higher-order thinking skills with kid-tested games that teach! Create daily learning opportunities that are fun and allow children to practice basic concepts. Motivate and empower children across the entire curriculum. And, have a great time with your students while you build skills and reinforce concepts. Plus, the games will be transferable to many subject areas to enable the children to play them independently. We will be creating games that you can take back to your classroom. Each participant will leave with several file folder games along with a bag of “goodies” to implement the games the next day! *** Materials provided by the participants

Morning Meeting/Afternoon Wrap-Up ~ Routines that Create Successful Classrooms K-2 Can be a Make & Take

Differentiating and Learning begin with organization and routines for a diverse classroom. Investigate the importance of beginning the day as a group of learners. Effectively utilize morning meeting to connect children with the classroom. Discover routines and tools that will add teaching time to your day. Also learn the importance of adding closure at the end of each day. Donna will share a variety of closing activities that encourage children to answer that parent question, “What did you do in school today?” with more than “nothing!”

Fun & Motivating Teaching Tips for Successful Classrooms K-2 Can be a Make & Take

Come and share ideas and activities that will boost your daily classroom schedule and create a classroom where children want to learn. We will explore 7 skills that have been identified and prioritized as most important to successful learning. You will learn songs, games and other exciting activities to build and nurture each skill that will give a child a firm foundation for learning! I promise you a session of fun and laughter as you learn quick and easy teaching tips that will add time and energy to your day. You will leave this session with simple organizational tools, activities and strategies that you can use in your classroom the very next day!

Teacher's Toolbox for Differentiated Instruction K-2 Can be a Make & Take

Discover the tools you will need to successfully teach all levels and learning styles within your classroom. Gain instructional strategies that aid in motivating children and lead to increased achievement for all. Learn approaches you can use tomorrow to create a student-centered classroom where all children can succeed. Donna offers her best tips, tricks, and teaching techniques for overcoming the challenges of meeting higher standards and keeping your classroom a positive and productive learning environment. You'll learn that you CAN have fun with your learners while meeting diverse needs and still address curriculum goals and state standards. This workshop will explore routines and brain-based learning strategies that lead to classroom success.

Tricks of the Trade for New Teachers K-2 Can be a Make & Take

Start the school year with routines and management tips that are sure to help you create a successful learning environment. Come and discover how to bring fun, excitement and learning to your classroom that will lead to success for every child. Donna will share ideas to ensure that your classroom is well managed with a constant focus on learning. Explore strategies that will start with early morning rituals and carry you all the way to wrapping up your day. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to share tricks of the trade that will make a difference for you and your students each and every day.

Interventions for the 5 Components of Reading K-5 1 or 2 Full Day(s) Workshop(s) ~ Make & Take

Interventions need to be aimed at systematic, research-based instruction and strategies for struggling learners. Come and spend two days with Donna Whyte and you will learn to move general curriculum to small groups with targeted activities to ensure the success of all students. The essential five components of reading will be addressed, along with the answer to the question, "but what if they aren't getting each one?" Each component (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension) will be outlined and best practice interventions introduced. Every teacher will leave with lessons and strategies for reading interventions that address modeling, guided practice and independent practice to ensure mastery. Donna will give you the tools and aide you in creating idea folders to empower you to easily transition to targeted skills for the children who are struggling with the core reading program. Time and management factors will be explored and solutions provided to enable each teacher to address the needs of all students. You will leave this workshop knowing how to "fit it all in" by the use of independent learning opportunities, collaborative work and finding support to ensure that every child succeeds.

Seven Skills for Learning Success! PreK-K

What skills are necessary for young children to succeed as they enter a Kindergarten classroom? Pre-K & K teachers may be surprised by the answer to this question. Come and explore 7 skills that have been identified and prioritized as most important to successful learning. The seven skills include - building independence, listening, fine motor ability, basic number/letter recognition, enthusiasm towards learning, getting along with others and oral language ability. You will explore activities, games and songs to build and nurture each skill that will give a child a firm foundation for learning!

You Can’t Teach a Class… You Can’t Manage PreK-5

Come join Donna and take advantage of motivating strategies to help learners connect positive behavior with rewarding consequences. Encourage all your students to take responsibility for their own learning and actions. Discover how to teach students in ways they learn best-and create a classroom that supports learning without a focus on the management issues. Learn developmentally appropriate solutions you can use to prevent and reduce common misbehaviors and develop the skills to become a "coach" in redirecting inappropriate student behavior when it occurs. Explore ways to reduce power struggles and handle behaviors in ways that leave a student's dignity and self-esteem intact. Donna will share the four cornerstones of great discipline that will allow you to turn a disruptive environment into one where communication and learning are the focus. Teach the gift of self-discipline and create a classroom where children learn to get along, take responsibility for themselves and for their work.

Literature Circles ALIVE! 1-3 Make & Take

Come and take advantage of this opportunity to explore and discuss strategies for creating successful literature circles. Help your students master skills that will allow them to increase their reading comprehension and refine their text discussions. Discover techniques for conferencing and using reader response journals. There will be discussion and creation of materials for the roles and responsibilities of each child in a circle. You will leave with tools to use in your classroom the very next day as you build an exciting literature environment. Teachers will learn to become the facilitator to independent reading groups. Best of all, you will feel confident and ready to put literature circles to work for you and the children in your class.

Kindergarten Assessment Made Easy! K

Come and join Donna in this session that will explore how best to align what we teach, to what we assess. Be proactive in creating a reporting system that is teacher-friendly, parent-friendly and in line with the assessment of the “Common Core State Standards”. Build an “assessment box” and checklists that will allow you to assess students on a daily basis and teach the skills that they lack in a more timely fashion.

ALL Children Can Learn! Recognizing that “One Size Doesn’t Fit All” Inclusive Classrooms that Work! PreK-3

Create a classroom environment where differences are recognized, accepted, and utilized to ensure that ALL children reach their full potential. You'll learn effective techniques to help you carefully and thoughtfully consider every child's needs and create ways to “teach to reach” your entire class. Establish a positive environment that will enhances academic achievement and help to promote appropriate classroom behavior. Also, explore options for co-teaching and support systems that will help you to create a classroom where the teacher loves to teach and the children love to learn!

The Why and How of Parental Involvement in Schools K-4

We all know the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”. Part of the village is the school and finding ways to build bridges to parents is an essential part of education. Successful schools find ways to connect a child’s life at school to the child’s home life. Donna will share the importance of this relationship and how to build a foundation of parent involvement. The session will explore strategies for addressing the issues that surround this topic and how we can find creative solutions that work for both teachers and parents. Solutions that support our children in their learning will lead to more successful classrooms and communities.

Reading & Writing ~ They’re Connected! PreK-2

Come and share a day all about reading and writing with young children. Learn dozens of activities and strategies to create a balanced program for all levels of learners. Explore how shared, modeled, interactive, and independent reading and writing strategies can support and improve each student’s skills. Learn ways to develop and provide tools to students that facilitate the mastering of those key skills so vital to literacy achievement. Best of all you will leave with ideas for engaging reading and writing strategies and stations that can help motivate students to practice and master newly learned skills starting tomorrow morning.

Ready, Set, READ! (K-2)(3-5)

Come and take advantage of this opportunity to explore and discuss strategies for addressing the needs of struggling readers and creating more successful readers. Help your students increase their skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, fluency and vocabulary. There will be discussion and creation of materials necessary to aid your students in becoming the best readers they can be in guided reading groups, along with independent reading time. You will leave with tools to use in your classroom the very next day as you build an exciting literacy environment. We will also explore routines, strategies and share lots of ideas that will excite both you and your students on their paths to literacy!

Writing ~ Making it Happen! K-3

Come and share a day all about writing with young children. Learn dozens of activities and strategies to create a writing program for all levels of learners. Explore how shared, modeled, interactive, and independent writing strategies can support and improve students' writing skills. You will gain activities and mini-lessons to best utilize each of these components of writing to create the best possible writers in your classroom. Donna will guide you through the assessment of students' writing and how you can develop a plan to address diverse student needs based upon those assessments. Best of all you will leave with ideas for engaging writing strategies and stations that can help motivate students to practice and master newly learned skills starting tomorrow morning.

Reading & Writing with Nonfiction 1-4

Utilize nonfiction text to teach basic reading and writing skills. Explore ways to motivate your students to expand on their reading and writing skills utilizing nonfiction sources that will engage all students. Investigate numerous strategies and activities for teaching elements of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.

Top

Mini-Sessions

Mini-Sessions can be mixed and matched for a full day

50 Teaching Tips for Daily Classroom Use PreK- 3 75 min/1/2 day

Come and share ideas and activities that will boost your daily classroom schedule. These quick and easy teaching tips will add time, fun and energy to your day. Leave with simple organizational tools, hints for parent connections and strategies that will lead to learning success each and every day.

Book Talk Success! PreK–1 75 mins

It is never too early to teach children the language of literacy. Come and learn to be the facilitator of early text discussion groups. Help your students gain skills that will allow them to discuss books and further their understanding of text. Best of all, you will feel confident and ready to put the beginnings of literature circles to work for you and the children in your class.

Centers in a Snap Easy to Develop Learning Stations K-3 75 mins

Learn how to create effective learning stations for your classroom. Explore stations that address multiple learning levels and styles. Come and share ideas that can be immediately implemented in your own classroom. Make learning independent, hands-on and lots of FUN!

Centers in a Snap Easy to Manage Learning Stations K-3 75 mins

Learn how to manage effective learning stations for your classroom. Explore options for setting up centers that create independent learners and address multiple learning levels and styles. Come and share ideas that can be immediately implemented in your own classroom. Make learning independent, hands-on and lots of FUN! Centers in a Snap

Easy to Develop/Easy to Manage Learning Stations K-3 ½ day

Learn how to create and manage effective learning stations for your classroom. Explore stations that address multiple learning levels and styles. Come and share ideas that can be immediately implemented in your own classroom. Make learning independent, hands-on and lots of FUN!

Coaching Reluctant Readers and Writers PreK-K 75 mins

Explore techniques and strategies for aiding your reluctant readers and writers to achieve success. Learn ways to develop and provide tools to students that facilitate the mastering of those key skills so vital to literacy achievement.

Coaching Struggling Readers and Writers 1-3 75 mins

Explore techniques and strategies for aiding your struggling readers and writers to achieve success. Learn ways to develop and provide tools to students that facilitate the mastering of those key skills so vital to literacy achievement.

Creating Successful Writers K-2 75 mins

Explore ways to easily integrate writing into every aspect of the school day. Learn to effectively develop and utilize Writing Folders to create independent, responsible writers. Utilize themes and units of study as vocabulary builders as you facilitate children in creating tools for independent writing.

Comprehension and Fluency Puzzle 1-3 75 mins

Come and share strategies for “putting the pieces” of reading together. Leave with ideas that you can put into practice in your classroom tomorrow morning to build fluency and comprehension skills. Explore fun and motivating lessons that will aide your students in reading success!

Empowering the Brain! PreK-2 75 mins

Educators know more about the brain and how it learns than ever before. Let’s put this research to work in our classrooms. How do children learn? What determines what kids will learn successfully? Explore ways to answer these questions with the creation of child-friendly, brain-compatible classrooms where all children can learn and grow.

First 30 Days PreK-3 75 mins

Start the school year with routines and management tips that are sure to help you create a successful learning environment. Donna will share her ideas on facilitating a class of students who are independent problem-solvers. Less Interruptions + More Independence = Greater Learning! Explore strategies for creating a classroom with a “love of learning”.

First & Last 30 Days of School PreK-3 75 mins

Start the year with routines and management tips that are sure to help you create a successful learning environment. Share strategies that can be easily transferred into your own classroom. Ending the year can be just as challenging as the beginning. Come and find ideas and themes for “wrapping it all up”. The kids will love it and you will find the motivation to end the year with a BANG!

Games that Teach! PreK-3 75 mins

Activate higher-order thinking skills with kid-tested games that teach! Create daily learning opportunities. Motivate and empower children across the entire curriculum. And, have a great time with your students while you build skills and reinforce concepts. Plus, take advantage of great ideas for hands-on center activities, too!

Games to Play & Songs to Sing PreK-2 75 mins

Introduce, practice and master concepts with fun games and songs that teach. Build skills and knowledge with motivating activities that kids can’t wait to be a part of. Don’t miss this opportunity to add these engaging, ready to use, games and teaching tunes. You will not only receive dozens of ideas to use in your classroom immediately but also the research to support their use in learning success.

Fun and Valuable Year-Long Projects PreK-3 75 min/1/2 day

Come and explore options for Year-Long projects that reflect growth and learning. Enable your students to witness the power of learning over time. Many projects ideas will be offered that include reading, writing, science and social studies. Each will enhance academic achievement and connect classroom learning to real life.

Help…Boys Are Wired Differently! PreK- 3 75 min/1/2 day

Research has shown how boys and girls brains differ. With this knowledge educators are now able to make huge strides in accommodating for the differences in our classrooms. Come and learn quick and simple strategies that can make a BIG difference for a boy’s ability to learn in your classroom. This session will also address management ideas that enable every classroom to run smoothly. You will leave this session empowered to make a difference for every child you teach!

Help Me to Help Them! Early Intervention Strategies PreK 75 min

Learn intervention strategies and valuable adaptations that you can use in your classroom immediately for those students that come to us a “bit behind”. Find the everyday opportunities that will help your at-risk learners to start their path to education on the right note. Donna will share strategies that address what the research tells us creates motivated and successful learners. Be ready to return to your classroom with tools that will facilitate all students in reaching their full potential.

Inclusive Classrooms 101 PreK-4 75 mins/1/2 day

Create a classroom environment where differences are recognized, accepted, and utilized to ensure that ALL children reach their full potential. Establish a positive environment that enhances academic achievement. Also, explore options for co-teaching and support systems that will help you to create a classroom where the teacher(s) loves to teach and the children love to learn!

Inclusion for All K-4 75 mins/1/2 day (Beyond the basics)

Explore the strategies of inclusion teaching that benefit every child in your classroom. You’ll learn effective techniques to help you carefully and thoughtfully consider every child’s needs and create ways to reach your entire classroom. Plus, you’ll learn to provide more options in the classroom so that all children discover success. Also, explore and define options for co-teaching and support systems that will help you to create a classroom where the teacher(s) loves to teach and the children love to learn!

Interventions to use with Children of Poverty PreK-2 75 mins/ ½ day

This session will explore the teacher’s role in the life of a child that lives in poverty. Participants will learn about poverty and deepen their understanding of how a child’s teacher can intervene and assist children in significant ways to overcome their situation. Come and learn effective, research-based interventions to use in your classroom that improve achievement in learning and in life.

Inspiring Children to Succeed PreK-2 75 mins

Engage and inspire your students like you never thought possible! Now you can take advantage of unique, classroom-tested strategies for creating a classroom of motivated learners. You’ll discover ways to connect the classroom with your students’ world. Plus, create a positive environment that will guarantee academic success for all children.

Integrating Writing throughout the Curriculum PreK-2 75 mins

Come and explore how shared, modeled, interactive, and independent writing strategies can support and improve students’ writing skills. You will gain activities and mini-lessons to best utilize each of these components of writing throughout the day to create the best possible writers in your classroom. Best of all you will leave with ideas for engaging writing strategies and stations that can help motivate students to practice and master newly learned skills starting tomorrow morning.

Using Journals in the Classroom K-2 75 mins

Learn to use journals as an interactive teaching tool. Explore the many ways that journals can enhance reading and writing for the youngest of writers. Learn to assess stages of writing and be ready to facilitate children in achieving the next level.

Kindergarten Assessment Made Easy! K 75 min/1/2 day

Come and join Donna in this session that will explore how best to align what we teach, to what we assess. Be proactive in creating a reporting system that is teacher-friendly, parent-friendly and in line with the assessment of the “Common Core State Standards”. An example of an “assessment box” and checklists will be available for review.

Language & Learning PreK–2 75 mins

In education listening and speaking standards have often become secondary to the reading and writing. As educators we must address the need to build these communication skills in order for children to flourish in all areas of learning. You will leave this session with activities that will build language skills that carry children to higher achievement in all subjects.

Literature Circles Alive! 2-4 75 mins/1/2 day

Come and take advantage of this opportunity to explore and discuss strategies for creating successful literature circles. In this session you will become an active member of a group in order to determine how best to utilize individual roles to further group discussions. Discover techniques for conferencing and using reader response journals. You will leave with tools to use in your classroom the very next day as you build an exciting literature environment.

Balanced Math K-2 75 mins

Examine the basic components of math that enable children to become “math wizards”. Gain effective techniques for ensuring that all children are practicing and gaining mastery of important math concepts. Facilitate children in becoming problem-solvers and independent thinkers.

Morning Meeting/Afternoon Wrap-Up PreK-2 75 mins

Investigate the importance of beginning the day as a group of learners. Effectively utilize morning meeting to connect children with the classroom. Also learn the importance of adding closure at the end of each day. Donna will share a variety of closing activities that encourage children to answer that parent question, “What did you do in school today?” with more than “nothing!”

Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Fun! K-2 75 mins/1/2 day

Discover songs, poems and games that will help children master basic skills that enable them to become the best readers and writers that they can be! Direct teaching of these skills transfers into more independent reading and writing. This is your opportunity to gain strategies that you can put to use in your classroom starting tomorrow!

Phonemic Awareness Fun! Pre K–2 75 mins

Phonemic awareness best predicts reading success. Come and explore the facets of teaching phonemic awareness and its effects on young children’s learning. Discover a variety of hands-on activities; props and materials that can help promote developmental phoneme awareness in your students. Utilize children’s natural enjoyment for playing with language using nursery rhymes, poems, songs and stories to teach phonemic sense.

Phonics Fun! K–2 75 mins

Discover songs, poems and games that will help children “break the code”. Teaching children phonics transfers into more independent reading and writing. This is your opportunity to gain strategies that you can put to use in your classroom starting tomorrow!

Scribbler to Story Writer! PreK 75 min

Discover tools and strategies that will empower our beginning writers to take the leap into conveying meaningful thought onto paper. Come and learn the foundation blocks for creating children who love to write. Learn to assess stages of writing and be ready to facilitate children in achieving the next level. Our youngest writers are the authors of the future!

Seven Skills for Learning Success! PreK 75 min/1/2day

What skills are necessary for young children to succeed as they enter a Kindergarten classroom? Pre-K teachers may be surprised by the answer to this question. Come and explore 7 skills that have been identified and prioritized as most important to successful learning. This session will identify skills including building independence, listening, fine motor ability and others. You will explore activities to build and nurture each skill that will give a child a firm foundation for learning!

Future Scientist Are in Your Grasp! Everyday Science K-2 75 mins

Take advantage of those everyday opportunities to integrate science into your curriculum. Use science as a learning block that engages young children in the scientific method. Donna demonstrates topics that you can easily extend each and every day to ensure that science is an integral part of the students’ learning experiences.

Social Studies ~ A Part of THEIR World PreK 75 mins

Come and discover how social studies topics can be taught in early education. Explore lessons that teach children about themselves and their world. Find ways to put National Social Studies Standards into Pre-K lessons each and every day.

Social Studies ~ The Missing Piece K-2 75 mins

Come and discover how social studies topics can be transferred into multiple learning opportunities throughout the school day. Explore lessons that teach children about themselves and their world. Find ways to put social studies into reading, writing, listening, speaking & viewing instruction each and every day.

Struggling Reader First Aid 1-3 75 mins

Learn intervention strategies to use in your classroom immediately. Help your struggling readers with activities to build motivation to read. Also, share strategies for fluency, phonics, sight words and more. Be ready to return to your classroom with tools that support your struggling readers.

Teach…the way they learn! PreK-K 75 mins

Imagine lessons and strategies that key into the way the youngest students learn best. Explore how visual learning opportunities can empower every child in the classroom to acquire skills for reading and writing. Plus, discover how these fun learning opportunities can motivate your learners

The Why’s and How’s of Connecting with your Students PreK-4 75/ ½ day

Understanding the many aspects of children’s learning is vital to education success. Come and discover how to get to know your learners in order to better address their learning needs. We will identify why the personal connections are so important to learning and explore strategies and activities to create and enhance those connections.

The Why and How of Parental Involvement in Schools PreK-4 75/ ½ day

We all know the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”. Part of the village is the school and finding ways to build bridges to parents is an essential part of education. Successful schools find ways to connect a child’s life at school to the child’s home life. Donna will share the importance of this relationship and how to build a foundation of parent involvement. The session will explore strategies for addressing the issues that surround this topic and how we can find creative solutions that work for both teachers and parents. Solutions that support our children in their learning will lead to more successful classrooms and communities.

A Teacher’s Tool Kit for Interventions PreK-2 75 mins

Join Donna to discover a vast range of intervention strategies using learning tools that are especially appealing to students. You’ll learn several effective strategies, including teaching core reading and writing components to your whole class while engaging and supporting your struggling learners.

Teacher’s Toolbox for Differentiated Instruction PreK-2 75 mins/ ½ Day

Discover the tools you will need to successfully teach all levels and learning styles within your classroom. Gain instructional strategies that aid in motivating children and lead to increased achievement for all. Learn approaches you can use tomorrow to create a student-centered classroom where all children can succeed.

There’s More than One Way to READ! K-2 75 mins

Explore the components of reading with children, reading to children and allowing children to read by themselves. Learn strategies that address researched components that build children who want to read! Come and discover how to put literacy learning into your busy day.

Vocabulary Builds Success PreK 75 mins

Language development is at the heart of our education system. Communications skills can be taught that allow children to better succeed in our classrooms. Learn fun ways to introduce, practice and extend activities that build vocabulary and language skills.

Vocabulary Builds Success K-2 75 mins

Language development is at the heart of our education system for reading and writing. Communications skills can be taught that allow children to better succeed in our classrooms. Learn fun ways to introduce, practice and extend activities that build vocabulary and language skills.

Work Smarter/Not Harder PreK-3 75 mins

Take advantage of this special networking opportunity to share creative ideas, timesaving tips and classroom management solutions! This information-packed, interactive session will help you stock-up on classroom-proven teaching tools to streamline classroom set-up, establish family connections, use the internet and much more.

You Can’t Teach a Class …You Can’t Manage PreK-4 75 min/1/2 day

What do we do with those kids that seem to constantly disrupt the learning environment of our classrooms? In this session participants will address the behaviors that drain energy and time from our teaching. Donna will share developmentally appropriate solutions you can use to prevent and reduce common misbehaviors. Explore ways to reduce power struggles and handle behaviors in ways that turn a disruptive environment into one where communication and learning are the focus.

Top

Donna Whyte & TheSmartieZone grant permission to visitors to print these pages for home and classroom use only.
These pages cannot be otherwise distributed or sold, in paper or digital format.
© 2011 Donna Whyte & TheSmartieZone. All Rights Reserved.
Last updated January 3, 2011