Way back when this blog started, in 2012, I was as nervous as they get about leading professional development for teachers. Now, over 150 events later, I'm a grizzled vet 😉

I know how to connect with colleagues in all kinds of schools, all kinds of content areas, all kinds of roles and experience levels.
I know how to leave folks saying things like, “That was meaningful. That was helpful. That was relatable. That made me so excited to be a teacher.”
And best of all, I know how to do these things not through manipulation or hype, but just by telling basic truths about teaching and illustrating them via real classroom examples and real stories from the research.

As of the 2021-2022 school year, here's what I'm finding works best for my visit to your school:

Year-long student motivation partnerships. These are custom arrangements that can include:
- a visit from me where we introduce the concepts
- access to the Student Motivation Course for everyone on the team
- monthly or quarterly mini-PDs w/ Dave over Zoom, with just your faculty — these allow for coaching, custom content delivery, and a collegial atmosphere between your faculty and me
- custom asynchronous content delivered monthly or quarterly.

What folks love about this offering is its comprehensiveness — I'm your PD thought partner for the year, and I help you create a genuine movement in your school of collective teacher efficacy around student motivation.

The Classroom Management Experience — This involves a group or school license to the Classroom Management Course and an in-person kickoff with Dave. I did this in Doral, FL with a team of K-12 teachers at all experience levels, and we all had a complete riot talking about these super fundamental concepts together. (Classroom Management can be an icky term — here's how I approach it.)

What folks love about this offering is that it provides an opportunity to grow as an entire faculty around a very fundamental skillset. I find that just about every teacher has areas of their classroom management that they'd like to be better, and many teachers feel ashamed about their struggles in this area. This experience really helps with that. And since it includes faculty access to the course, my visit isn't one-and-done — it's impact can stretch to every faculty or team meeting you have afterward.

The Time Management Experience — Same idea as above except with the life-focused Time Management Course as the asynchronous anchor content. What's amazing about this one is that it's a realistic, low-pressure, crazy-high-yield way of thinking about time management. Time management comes from who we are — and who we are comes from what we do. So: what exercises help us to become better time managers? That's what I focus on in the course and during my visit we do many of the exercises in the course right there together.

This one's powerful because it gets right to the foundations of our lives. Great for facilitating deeper connections as a faculty and making sure that things like “family first” and “self-care” are more than just nice things to say.

Keynote + breakouts — State- or regional-level organizations get a lot of value of having me visit for a keynote and breakouts combo. This allows interested participants to get “more of me,” and also allows you to produce a well-rounded event that's not just focused on a single speaker and his limited topics. (As you'll see below in the FAQ section, I focus on three topics: student motivation, teacher morale/motivation/burnout prevention, and These 6 Things (i.e., literacy across the school day).

In addition to my work as a classroom teacher, I research, develop, and deliver quality professional development experiences for schools and organizations all over the place. My areas of expertise are literacy and student motivation, and I can frame these topics around various district-level initiatives (e.g., technology, Title 1 initiatives, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, PBIS, etc). I have extensive experience making professional development that is relevant and impactful to all attendees, and I work with all clients prior to my events to ensure that what I bring meets the needs and goals of your group.

To get an idea of my work, I recommend that school leaders invest in reading These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most. This book became a Corwin bestseller within a month and is beloved by teachers in dozens of countries around the world. If leaders are pressed for time, I recommend getting a copy of the book for your most avid on-staff professional reader, and then asking that person to read the book and let you know which of the chapters would most suit your staff. And if even that is too much (I get it), just reach out and tell me where you're at and where you'd love to be. We'll schedule a call, and we'll see where it leads! I've done this a lot and will let you know if I don't see a fit between my expertise and your circumstances.

Below, you'll find:

a list of Frequently Asked Questions about my curated professional learning experiences
a sampling of what colleagues say about the experiences I've led
an exhaustive list of my prior experience leading professional development experiences all over the place

But what if I just want to get in touch with you now, Dave?

Perfect! Here's the form!

Frequently Asked Questions about Dave's Curated Professional Learning Services

What new professional development offerings does Dave have for 2021?

Year-long Student Motivation partnerships: I visit your school for a kickoff learning experience, and then we schedule monthly or quarterly Zoom calls for me to work further with your faculty on the things they're wrestling with right now, this year.
- Some schools opt to deepen these partnerships further with asynchronous video content for you to use as a supplement to faculty or department meetings. These arrangements produce lots of happy campers, as it allows the school to focus on the fundamentals all throughout the school year.
The Classroom Management Experience: Your school purchases a site license for the Classroom Management Course and I visit your school to kick off your team's engagement with course content. The best thing about this course is that it's full of the nuance and depth that you'd expect from me, but its video content is primarily led by the brilliant Lynsay Mills Fabio. This experience is a complete blast and has been well received by teachers all across grade levels and years of teaching experience.
The Time Management Experience: Same idea as above except your teachers get access to the life-enriching 10 video Time Management Course, and they experience the first few lessons of the course with the author there in person with them.

What content does Dave cover?

I'm all about the fundamentals, so these are the most common content bundles that I speak on:

After you reach out, we'll decide together what material or combination of material best suites your unique needs.

Does Dave offer keynotes?

I delight in keynotes. I've given keynotes at various state-level conferences, and I was a Featured Speaker at the International Literacy Association's 2019 annual conference. This video does a good job giving a sense of my keynotes, although it is a bit dated.

When districts hire me, they sometimes like me to give a K-12 keynote to start off a PD day, and then they ask me to lead a breakout or two during the late morning and/or early afternoon that is specifically geared to secondary literacy, a specific chapter of my book, or student motivation. This keynote-breakout format works quite well.

Does Dave do remote keynotes? And are they cool?

He does and they are! Here's feedback from a remote keynote he did for a diverse group of support professionals in Lawrence, MA:

Unedited feedback from the group in Lawrence, MA.

What happens when I contact Dave using the form at the bottom of this page?

When you complete the form at the bottom of this page, I receive an email. The more information you can give me about your needs, your district, and your timeline, the quicker our conversation can get productive. Once I receive your email, I like to set up a phone conversation to get to know the needs of your group better. In this conversation, we can discuss my latest rate information as well.

Once we transition from the inquiry phase to a contract, I like to schedule a conference call so that I have optimal clarity on what you and your team are hoping for from my visit. This allows me to build a dossier on your specific school/district/organizational needs, and I study this in advance of my visit to ensure a fit between the learning experience I bring and the unique culture of your group its journey.

When I'm in town for your event, I'm often asked by leadership groups to share a meal together. While I don't expect such a generous gift of your time, I do welcome the chance to break bread with and learn from you.

What's the best way to make use of Dave's visit?

The most powerful use of my visit is to have your teachers thinking about my work before I come. A school-sponsored study of my book, These 6 Things, always works well — as does a site license to my all-online Student Motivation Course. (Let me know if you're interested in group rates for my book or my courses.) You can also have your leaders begin forwarding blog articles I've written.

The more credible I am with your staff before I walk in, the quicker they'll be to listen to me. The more of my material that your staff knows in advance of my visit, the more they'll retain from our time together.

What does Dave do to ensure teacher engagement during a professional development session?

As an experienced classroom teacher and professional development facilitator, I intuitively monitor engagement throughout a session and make on-the-fly adjustments as needed. Like all good teachers, I incorporate illustrative anecdotes, practical examples (e.g., classroom video clips), and processing activities to ensure that real learning is taking place. For the researcher types in an audience, I cite all of my research and include generous references to articles, books, and studies for further exploration.

My goal in a given PD or speaking situation is for everyone to win: participants learn, leaving encouraged and equipped; the folks who hired me feel accomplished, having selected a guy who gave a great experience for all involved; and I win, because I've learned from your group and had my thinking sharpened by the questions and insights that come out of our time together.

What is Dave's speaking style like?

I've been described as “down to earth,” as someone who “gets it,” and as “the colleague down the hall.” If you're looking for edutainment, stand-up comedy, or emotionalism, I would recommend that you keep looking. I'm just an earnest colleague trying to get to the bottom of how we produce more learning in our schools with less stress for all of us. In general, teachers of all stripes really appreciate this, and I'm able to encourage buy-in for the essential work that sustained school improvement is built on.

Does Dave do administrative strategy work?

The volume of research, writing, and school visits that I've completed gives me a unique perspective that leadership teams often appreciate. I'm happy to talk with you more about an administrative series in which I work with your leadership team to clarify where the biggest opportunities lie for your school's quest to promote the long-term flourishing of young people. Use the contact form at the bottom of this page to get that conversation going.

Is there a flyer I can give to my administration to encourage them to contact Dave about coming to my school for PD?

As a matter of fact, there is. You can access it here.

Here's what colleagues are saying about what it's like to learn with Dave

You were a breath of fresh air. Thank you for putting the wind in our sails before we embarked on another school year.
Anonymous in Columbia, MO

This presentation left me excited and energized, rather than drained and numb (like most PDs). Jam packed full of practical, apply-immediately type of material.
Anonymous in Doral, FL

It was so incredibly refreshing to hear from a teacher that is still in the classroom and facing the difficulties we face. I also felt validated by the idea that we are needed elsewhere in the world other than our classroom and should be preserving that time.
Whitney of Rootstown, OH

After nearly 20 years of teaching, my automatic response to PD is usually defensiveness. You managed to bring down that wall very quickly and because you seemed to value other teaching experiences and gave us time to talk about real things, this was definitely one of the best PDs I've attended. Thank you!
Anonymous of Rootstown, OH

After 25 years in education it’s the first time I felt relaxed after a conference (due to your keynote message and final session) because you changed my focus
Julie of Kalispell, MT

I am honestly scoring this high because it was TRULY relevant because it came from an educator that is teaching right now and TRULY understands the demands of a classroom currently. I had a ton of take aways that I am implementing right now.
Josie of Casper, WY

Best PD of my career.
Heather of Rio Rancho, NM

“Down to earth, engaging, authentic, practical.” These are just a few of the words my staff used in describing Dave after our recent workshop, which centered on the ideas presented in These Six Things.
In my nearly 20 years in education, I’ve experienced only a few PD opportunities that I would describe as transformational. Dave’s workshop was one of them!
Dave combines his deep, well-researched knowledge base with real-life examples from his own classroom and presents all of it with a level of sincerity, passion, clarity, and humility that are extraordinarily compelling.
Every teacher in your building will benefit from this workshop, not only because of Dave’s extensive focus on cultivating the right teaching mindset, but also because he works diligently to make applications across the curriculum.
In fact, within two days of his workshop, teachers in every department in our school were trying out a strategy or applying a principle that Dave presented to us. And not because we required it, but because they actually saw value and believed that Dave’s ideas could improve the quality of their teaching and help them remain joyful and invested in the work— for the long haul.
Dave was responsive, generous with his time and resources, and eager to ensure that he provided us with an experience tailored to our needs. I recommend him enthusiastically, and with every confidence that your school community will benefit in deeply-felt and long-lasting ways.
John Tanner, Alfred G. Waters Middle School, Delaware

I appreciate your candidness and can only say please continue to deliver PD in the same straight-forward manner.
Matt of Attica, NY (high school ELA)

I most appreciated your total understanding of a teacher's job because you ARE a teacher. What a difference that makes in PD.
Pattie L. of Turlock, California (6th grade, all subjects)

You are honest, and that means a lot since you are in the trenches like us. You know the challenges.
Heather N. of California (AgBio, Environmenal Horticulture, and Animal Science high school teacher)

I appreciated your wit, your sense of humor, and your relaxed sense of being. Your students must love you!
Jane D. of California (5th grade social studies)

I appreciated that you gave us just the right amount of time for table discussions and action planning; you also showed us video of some of the strategies as you use them in your own classroom.
Monica H. of California (English 9 teacher)

(I have former client references available upon request. Please request via the contact form at the bottom of this page.)

Dave's experience as a speaker and professional learning facilitator

Here are the speaking/training engagements I've done since the start of 2013. These speak to my ability as a PD facilitator as well as my ability to speak to larger audiences in keynote settings. To learn more about me, check out davestuartjr.com.

174. December 16: Edmond, OK — Cultivating Student Motivation in Title I Classrooms

all-day workshop

173. December 8: Williamsburg, VA — Virginia's Annual ASCD Conference

keynote (in-person and remote)

172. November 13: Anchorage, AK

coffee and colleagues chat re: this crazy school year

171. November 8: Clarksville, TN — The Will to Learn

keynote + whole-year partnership kickoff

170. October 26: Irvine, CA — remote mini-workshop on teacher and student motivation

169. October 23: Online — Rise Up Summit

keynote

168. October 13: Rochester, NY — Association of Supervisors & Administrators of Rochester

evening keynote

167. October 8: Bethel, ME — The Will to Learn

keynote + breakouts
year-long resilience partnership kickoff

166. August 31: Lawrence, MA — The Will to Educate

keynote on professional staff motivation

165. August 26: Casper, WY — CY Middle School

Year-long PD Partnership kick-off

164. August 25: Columbia, MO — Columbia College Annual Fall Faculty Conference

keynote + breakouts

163. August 18: Kalispell, MT — Montana Reading Council Annual Conference

keynote + breakouts

162. August 12: Lindon, UT — four conditions for more learning, less stress

Year-long PD partnership kick-off

161. August 11: Monument, CO — fundamentals of motivation

Year-long PD partnership kick-off

160. August 9: Rootstown, OH

keynote + breakouts

159. August 6: Los Alamos, NM — student motivation

virtual kickoff + Student Motivation Course site license

158. August 5: Naples, FL — literacy and motivation workshop

156 & 157. July 28-29: Doral, FL

3 hour sessions on Classroom Management, Time Management, Student Motivation, and Teaching with Articles

155. July 8: Manila College, Philippines — student motivation

virtual keynote + Q&A

154. May 25: Nye County, NV — student motivation and achievement for each child

153. May 3: South Dakota Council of Teachers of English — These 6 Things book study

Zoom-based session

152. April 23: Vancouver, BC — Sustaining the Will to Teach

virtual talk + Q&R

151. March 26: College Credit Plus

Virtual keynote and breakout discussion sections on connecting with students remotely

150. March 13: Doral, FL – student motivation

Three-hour in person workshop on student motivation

149. March 1: Metro Bureau

Pre-recorded keynotes on student motivation and teacher motivation

148. March 4: Alberta Teacher’s Association (invited)

Pre-recorded session on student motivation

147. February 12: Oklahoma Department of Education

Three-hour workshop on student motivation

146. November 20-22: Tribute at National Council of Teachers of English, Annual Conference

Tribute for educator Barry Gilmore

145. November 6: Breakout sessions with teachers in Charlevoix, MI for Charlevoix-Emmet ISD

Student motivation, from a distance or in-person (remote only)

144. November 3, 2020: Workshop for Fort Zumwalt, MO

Student motivation, building relationships from a distance, and teacher morale

143. October 24, 2020: Keynote for Rise Up Summit

Motivating Students in 2020-2021 with Linda Kardemis

142. October 21, 2020: Recorded session for teachers and leaders

“Ten (Or So) Things That Are Helping Right Now” (available for purchase for whatever price you'd like)

141. September 30, 2020: Grandville, MI for ResLife Church

Humanizing online learning spaces

140. August 19, 2020: East Grand Rapids, MI for East Grand Rapids Public Schools (high-flex synchronous, in-person + remote)

Humanizing online learning spaces and building relationships from a distance

139. August 10, 2020: Redding, CA for Gateway Unified School District (remote)

Humanizing online learning spaces and building relationships from a distance

138. August 2020: Cedar Springs, MI for Cedar Springs Public Schools (asynchronous)

Humanizing online learning spaces and building relationships from a distance

137. August 5, 2020: South Dakota Council of Teachers of English (remote)

Student motivation from a distance in the English classroom

136. August 5, 2020: Rio Rancho, NM (remote)

Building relationships from a distance

135. July 20, 2020: Wittenberg, WI (remote)

Student Motivation, Come What May

134. May 5, 2020: Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the Logos school (remote)

five key beliefs overview and exploration of how this thinking applies to our work now and in the future

133. March 10, 2020: St. George, UT for Washington County School District

These 6 Things: How to Focus Our Teaching on What Matters Most

132. March 9, 2020: Linden, UT for Oak Canyon Junior High School

The Five Key Beliefs beneath student motivation (and how they can apply to and inform the diverse work of a whole middle school staff!)

131. February 18, 2020: Muncie, IN for Northside Middle School

Building walkthrough + admin strategy session + mini-PD on student motivation

130. February 14, 2020: Cedar Springs, MI for Cedar Springs Public Schools

Opening remarks on teacher credibility for MTSS PD day

129. February 1, 2020: Ronan, MT for the Flathead Reservation

Final These 6 Things PLC meeting — surprise visit!

128. January 25, 2020: Bakersfield, CA for RIAP

More Writing, Less Stress: How to Focus Our Teaching on What Matters Most

127. January 20, 2020: St. Charles, MI for St. Charles Community Schools

Keynote, K-12: the Five Key Beliefs beneath Student Engagement
Breakout, 6-12: Improving literacy outcomes, secondary
Breakout, PK-5: Improving literacy outcomes, elementary

126. December 3, 2019: Cedar Springs, MI for Cedar Springs Public Schools

Session: Teacher Credibility

123., 124., 125. November 22 & 23: Baltimore, MD for the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference

Roundtable: Thinking in Public: Teacher-Blogging as a Years-Long Inquiry Project
Roundtable: How to Develop Teacher Credibility in the Early Career Years
Respondent: The Case for Curious Feedback: How Feedback Influences Student Motivation

122. October 18, 2019: Gillett, WI for an All-Day Workshop as a guest of CESA 8

Topic: These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most

121. October 12, 2019: New Orleans, LA for a Featured Speaker Slot at the International Literacy Association Annual Conference

Topic: The Five Key Beliefs that Motivate Readers and Writers

120. September 16, 2019: Pablo, MT for an All-Day Workshop

Topic: The Five Key Beliefs Beneath Student Motivation

119. August 20, 2019: Fremont, MI for an Afternoon PD

Topic: Student Motivation

118. August 19, 2019: Bethel Park, PA for a Keynote and Breakouts

Keynote: Student Motivation, Gr K-12
Breakouts: These 6 Things in ELA and social studies

113., 114., 115., 116., and 117. June 2019: Brisbane, Australia as a guest of the Kingston Learning College

Administrative strategy, student motivation training, one-on-one coaching (details here)

111. and 112. March 2, 2019: Columbus, OH for the OCTELA Annual Conference

Keynote: The Five Key Beliefs: A Low-Stress, Science-Based Approach to Motivating Readers and Writers
Session: Doing More Isn't Doing Better: How to Be an English Teacher and Have a Life

110. February 15, 2019: Cedar Springs, MI for a District-Level PD Day

Session: The Five Key Beliefs Beneath Student Motivation

108. and 109. February 8, 2019: Denver, CO for the CCIRA Annual Conference

Invited Session: These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most
Invited Session: The Five Key Beliefs Beneath Student Motivation

106. and 107. January 28, 2019: Crystal Mountain, MI for Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals Conference

Keynote: More Learning, Less Stress: A Simple, Science-based Approach to Improving Teacher Performance and Flourishing
Breakout: These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most

105. January 22, 2019: Casper, WY

Follow-Up PD: These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most

104. January 18, 2019: Collinsville, IL

Workshop: These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most
Secondary social studies and ELA staff

101., 102., and 103. November 16-18, 2019: Houston, TX for the Annual Conference of the National Council of Teachers of English

Session: Doing More Isn't Doing Better: How to Be an English Teacher and Have a Life
Session: Listening Arguments & Pop-Up Debates
Session: Ignite talk: Student Motivation

98., 99., and 100. October 24, 2018: Arkansas City, KS for Engage AC 2

Keynote: The Secret Sauce in High-Powered Learners
Breakout: Article of the Week — What I've Learned Using Gallagher's Assignment Over the Years
Breakout: Pop-Up Debate — Getting Kids Arguing in an Earnest, Amicable Way

97. October 8, 2018: Middletown, DE

Workshop: Let's Do Better: Increasing the Quantity and Quality of Writing and Reading Across the School Day
Entire middle school staff

96. August 23, 2018: Casper, WY

Workshop: These 6 Things: How to Focus Your Teaching on What Matters Most
Entire high school staff

95. June 30, 2018: Boise, ID for the Craft + Commerce Conference

Workshop: Teaching Toward Transformation

94. April 27, 2018: Hailey, ID for the Passports and Passages Symposium — Writing as a Bridge between High School, College, and the World

Keynote: More Writing, Less Stress

93. March 5, 2018: Grand Rapids, MI for the Fire Up Conference for Student Teachers

Keynote: Three Essential Dispositions for Early (and Late) Career Teachers

90., 91., and 92. November 17 and 18, 2017: St. Louis, MO for the Annual NCTE Conference

Ignite Talk: “Belief Drives Behavior”
Panel Session: “Reclaiming Our Voices: Creating Agency at the Student, Curricular, Departmental, and National Levels”
Panel Session: “Doing More Isn't Doing Better: How to Be a Teacher and Have a Life”

88. and 89. November 3 and 4, 2017: Wausau, WI and Madison, WI: Literacy Institute of the Wisconsin Reading Association

Topic: The Everest Framework: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy and Mastery Across the School Day

87. October 21, 2017: Normal, IL, Annual Conference of the Illinois Association of English Teachers

Keynote: “Never Finished: Continually Becoming the Teachers We Hoped We'd Be (and Staying Sane in the Process)”

86. October 10, 2017: Palatine, IL, High School District 211

All-day Workshop: “The Everest Framework: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy and Mastery Across the School Day”

85. October 7, 2017: Denver, CO, Regional Conference of the Colorado Language Arts Society

Keynote: “Never Finished: Continually Becoming the Teachers We Hoped We'd Be (and Staying Sane in the Process)”

84. August 16, 2017: Dearborn, MI

All-day literacy workshop at Divine Child High School

83. August 15, 2017: Beavercreek, OH

Morning 3-hour session on writing with science and social studies teachers, grades 6-8
Afternoon 3-hour session on writing with ELA teachers, grades 6-8

82. August 14, 2017: Houston, TX

All-day literacy workshop for Harmony Public Schools

81. August 9, 2017: Turtle Lake, WI

All-day literacy workshop for CESA 11

80. August 1, 2017: Weston, MO

All-day literacy workshop for teachers grades 5-12

78. & 79. July 25-26, 2017: Murfreesboro, TN for Rutherford County Conference

Two days, four 1-hour sessions per day
Topics were chosen from literacy workshop segments and Never Finished

76. & 77. July 11-12, 2017: Las Vegas, NV for National Differentiated Instruction Conference

Two days, four 1-hour sessions per day
Topics ranged from Jedi Mind Tricks for Avoiding Burnout to Pop-Up Debate to Reading Purposefully and Often to Developing a Never-Finished Mindset

75. June 14, 2017: Cincinnati, OH

All-day literacy workshop for regional teachers

74. May 23, 2017: Grand Rapids, MI for West Michigan AP Best Practices Conference

Keynote: “Beliefs Drive Behavior: Improving Equity and Access through Noncognitive Factors”

73. May 22, 2017: Flint, MI – Powers Catholic High School

Reflective conversations with department chairs on the academic school year and forward planning

72. March 19, 2017: Raleigh, NC for North Caroline Reading Association Conference

Invited Institute: “A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction: The Foundations Framework”

69., 70., & 71. February 13, February 22, and March 6, 2017: Flint, MI – Powers Catholic High School

Contextual professional development days with English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science departments, respectively; lab classroom set-up

66., 67., & 68. November 18 & 19, 2016: Atlanta, GA for Annual NCTE Conference

Ignite Talk: “Defining Everest”
Panel Session: “Argument and Advocacy: Using Speaking to Bring Both to the Classroom”
Panel Session: “Doing More Isn't Doing Better: How to Be a Teacher and Have a Life”

65. November 8, 2016: DeSoto, MS

Workshop, 6-12: “The Non-Freaked Out approach to Literacy Instruction”

64. October 17, 2016: Grand Rapids, MI for Fire Up Conference for Student Teachers

Keynote: “The Four Non-Negotiable Teacher Mindsets”
Session: “Jedi Mind Tricks for Avoiding Burnout”

63. October 11, 2016: Austin, TX for AMLE National Conference

Session: “Three Birds with One Stone: Addressing Speaking, Argument, & Technology,” with Erik Palmer and Sandy Otto

60., 61., & 62. September 12, September 26, and October 3, 2016: Powers Catholic High School, Flint, MI

Contextual professional development days with English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science departments, respectively; lab classroom set-up

59. August 26, 2016: Grafton, WI

Keynote (“Never Finished”) and workshop, all secondary staff

58. August 25, 2016: Genessee County Catholic Schools, Flint, MI

Keynote, K-12: “Never Finished”
Workshop, 6-12: “The Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction”

57. August 22, 2016: Dubuque, IA

Keynote, K-12: “Never Finished”
Sessions: “Character Strengths and the Science of Success” and “Reading Purposefully and Often”

56. August 19, 2016: Berwyn South, IL

Keynote, K-8: “Never Finished”
Sessions: “Writing Purposefully and Often” (middle school), “The Consortium Framework” (administrator's lunch)

55. August 18, 2016: Round Rock, TX

Keynote, K-12: “Never Finished”
Workshop, 9th grade social studies and ELA: “The Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction”

54. August 17, 2016: Desert Sands, CA

Mini-workshops: “The Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction”

52. & 53. August 8 and 10, 2016: Flint, MI

Administrator PD Facilitation, Coaching, and Needs Analysis

51. August 2, 2016: Dublin, OH

Opening Keynote for two-day Leadership Institute
Topic: Never Finished – Continually Becoming the Teachers We Want to Be
Breakout Sessions: The Science of Success: Teaching Character in the Classroom; and Writing Purposefully and Often: Quantity, Quality, Feedback and Grading

49. & 50. July 19-20, 2016: Las Vegas, NV, National Differentiated Instruction Conference

Two days, four 1-hour sessions per day
Topics ranged from Jedi Mind Tricks for Avoiding Burnout to Pop-Up Debate to Reading Purposefully and Often to Developing a Never-Finished Mindset

48. July 14, 2016: National Network of State Teachers of the Year Conference, Chicago, IL

Invited speaker, Expanding Teacher Leadership strand
Topic: Leading from the Classroom through Teacher Blogging — The Most Important Lessons Learned in Four Years

47. June 21, 2016: Oshkosh, WI (virtual)

Keynote for two-day disciplinary literacy workshop
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Disciplinary Literacy

46. June 8, 2016: Columbus, OH

All-day workshop for Social Studies and English teachers
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction Across the Content Areas

45. February 12, 2016: Centralia, IL; Tri-County Teacher Institute

Four sessions on various topics around literacy, teacher leadership, and teaching success

44. December 4, 2015: Glassboro, NJ; Rowan University, South Jersey Literacy Consortium

All-day workshop for English and Special Education teachers, grades 4-12
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction and Student-Centered Learning

43. November 23-24, 2015: National Conference of Teacher of English in Minneapolis, MN

Presenter: “Doing More Isn't Doing Better”
Round-table presenter: “Speaking and Argument in the Secondary Classroom”

42. October 3, 2015: Virtual Education Symposium

Opening keynote at event hosted by the American College of Education
Topic: More Learning and Less Stress in the Digital Age

41. August 31, 2015: Plainwell, MI

Keynote for entire district
Topic: Never Finished — Continually Becoming the Teachers We Want to Be (and Staying Sane in the Process)

40. August 18, 2015: Bethel, WA

All-day workshop for science, social studies, and career/technical skills teachers
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction Across the Content Areas

39. August 17, 2015: Vancouver, WA; Language and Literacy Conference

Keynote and breakout sessions
Keynote topic: Character Strengths
Breakout topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction Across the Content Areas

38. August 6, 2015: Mobile, AL

High school staff workshop
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction Across the Content Areas

37. August 4, 2015: Cleveland, OH, Breakthrough Schools Network PD Conference

Breakout session for middle school and late elementary teachers across the content areas
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction Across the Content Areas

36. July 19, 2015: St. Louis, MO, International Literacy Association Annual Conference

Session topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction Across the Content Areas

34. & 35. July 9-10, 2015: Las Vegas, NV, National Differentiated Instruction Conference

Two days, four 1-hour sessions per day
Topics ranged from Jedi Mind Tricks for Avoiding Burnout to Debate Across the Content Areas to Reading Complex Texts

33. July 6, 2015: Parma, MI, NErD Camp

Topic: Disciplinary Literacies: Bridging the Department Divide
Co-presented with Erica Beaton

32. June 26, 2015: Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey

All-day workshop for secondary teachers across the content areas
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction Across the Content Areas

31. June 10, 2015: Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL

Keynote & Breakout Session
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction Across the Content Areas

30. May 22, 2015: Attica, NY

Entire district: 1 hour literacy keynote
Secondary math, science, business, and technology teachers: 1 hour literacy workshop
Secondary social studies, ELA, Reading, language, and Special Education teachers: 3 hour literacy workshop

29. April 3, 2015: Turlock, CA

540 PK-12 teachers; 3 hour keynote-workshop hybrid
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction

28. March 12-13, 2015: Sacramento, CA

School board members and superintendents; Small School District's Association of California, Annual Conference
Topic:
- A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction

27. March 2, 2015: Allendale, MI

Early Career Teachers; Fire Up Conference
Topic:
- Jedi Mind Tricks for Avoiding Burnout
- Never Finished: 10 Tactics for Being Better, Saner Teachers

26. January 31, 2015: Turlock, CA

Grades 5-12, Teachers across the content areas
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction

25. January 23, 2015: Dearborn, MI

Grades 9-12, Teachers across the content areas, excluding math
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Literacy Instruction + Afternoon PLC breakouts

24. November 15, 2014: Turlock, CA

Grades 6-12, Teachers across the content areas
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction

23. November 7, 2014: New Lothrop, MI

Grades K-12, all teachers in the district
Topic: Speaking, Listening, and Informational Texts

22. October 24, 2014: Turlock, CA

Grades 6-12, Teachers across the content areas
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction

21. October 20, 2014: Grand Rapids, MI

Student teachers, K-12 across the content areas
Three sessions:
- Jedi Mind Tricks for Avoiding Burnout (and Thriving Instead)
- Strategic Tips for Working Well with Adults in the First Year
- A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction — What You Need to Know for Year One

20. October 4, 2014: Turlock, CA

Grades 6-12, Teachers across the content areas
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction

19. September 29, 2014: Dublin, OH

Ohio Council for the Social Studies, Annual Conference
Topic: Building a Classroom Culture of Argument: The Key to Literacy in All Spheres

18. August 19, 2014: Hartsburg, IL

Hartsburg-Emden Schools
K-12 audience, Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction

14., 15., 16., and 17. August 11, 12, 13, and 14: Independence, Bishop, and Turlock, CA

Workshops in various “small school” and continuation school settings
Topic: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction

13. August 6, 2014: Cleveland, OH

Breakthrough Schools Network
Keynote: A Non-Freaked Out Approach to the Common Core
Breakout Session: Literacy Strategies for the 6-8 Classroom

12. July 19, 2014: Oak Brook Terrace, IL

American College of Education
“Teacher Leadership and Small Wins” — Alumni Achievement Award Acceptance Speech

11. June 12, 2014: Louisville, KY

Archdiocese of Louisville
“The Six Non-Freaked Out Common Core Literacy Instructional Emphases,” all-day PD

10. March 3, 2014: Allendale, MI

Fire Up Spring Conference
“Thriving in the Early Years of Teaching”
“How to Use a Teacher Blog to Develop Yourself Professionally”

9. February 14, 2014: Cedar Springs, MI

Cedar Springs Public Schools All-District Professional Development Day
“Jedi Mind Tricks for Avoiding Burnout in the First Years of Teaching”
“How to Build a Rewarding Teacher Blog”

8. October 25, 2013: Royal Oak, MI

Elementary school, 3-hour PD session (co-led with Erica Beaton)
“Close Reading: From Theory to the Nitty Gritty”

7. October 21, 2013: Grand Rapids, MI

Fire Up Fall Conference
Keynote address
Breakouts

6. September 23, 2013: Peterborough, NH

Staff Development for Educators
“An Overview of the Non-Freaked Out Approach to Common Core Literacy Instruction”

5. August 9, 2013: Lebanon, MO

High school staff, 6-hour PD session with whole-staff and PLC breakout sessions
“A Non-Freaked Out Approach to the Common Core” plus discipline-specific breakouts

4. August 8, 2013: Harrah, OK

Whole district, 3-hour PD session
“A Non-Freaked Out Approach to the Common Core”

3. May 30, 2013: Cedar Springs, MI

Commencement Address
“Hard Work and Humility”

2. March 10, 2013: Grand Rapids, MI

Michigan Reading Association Conference
“Using Close Reading to Light Student Minds on Fire”

1. March 4, 2013: Allendale, MI

Fire Up Spring Conference
“Jedi Mind Tricks for Avoiding Burnout” and “Strategic Impact, Starting Now: Tips for First-Year Teachers”

Bring Dave to your setting!

I'd love to have a conversation about your school's journey: where you've been, where you are, and where you'd like to be. Just use the form below and I'll be in touch!