E
plore Biblical Education Virtually
Descriptions of the virtual workshops for Exchange Conference 2021 are available here.
Download the 2021 livestream schedule.
General
Teaching From and For a Biblical Worldview
Presenter: Dr. Bryan Smith
TBD
Curriculum Trak and BJU Press: A Partnership for Advancing the Christian School Mission!
NewPresenter: Michael Arnold
Curriculum Trak mapping software meets the needs of many faith-based schools due to its ease of use, Faith-Learning Integration, All Belong accommodations and strategies, alignment and reporting tools, and sharing network. Since BJU Press has made materials digitally available in Curriculum Trak, schools that use BJU Press have found it even easier to map out their units and lesson plans, saving nearly 40,000 hours of planning and reporting. Learn how this integration works and how it could benefit your school!
What's Your Mindset?
NewPresenter: Dr. Esther Baker
Research demonstrates that how we think about our abilities and effort makes a dramatic difference in outcomes. And how we talk to our students makes a dramatic difference in their outcomes. We will discuss how our mindset affects our success in academics, athletics, social interactions, and more.
Accommodation or Modification?
Presenter: Dr. Esther Baker
Help for students with special needs can be confusing. Come learn the basic terminology, critical parameters, and useful strategies for helping special learners.
The Sociological Apocalypse of Generation Z
Presenter: Ben Schettler
What’s happening in our culture and why is it happening so quickly? With attention to detail, sobering passion, and a splash of humor, Ben Schettler gives the historical context that has shaped the thinking of Generation Z. Most teachers are aware that Generation Z students they teach don't think like they do. However, it can be difficult to discern where this shift in thought came from and why it is so substantial. Well-meaning teachers become frustrated because their students "just don't get it." This session prepares teachers with biblical answers and inspires them with hope, while making bold and sobering predictions about the biggest challenge Generation Z will face.
Thriving Not Just Surviving in a Technology Driven World
NewPresenter: Kevin Mathes
Technology has infiltrated every aspect of modern life, and classrooms are no exception. Schools have invested in various types of technology, such as computers, mobile devices, internet access, and interactive whiteboards. This session provides educators with research-based information about students’ educational experiences in schools with established technology programs.
Helicopters and Snowflakes: Dealing with Today's Parents
Presenter: Pam Litzenberger
Parents and students today are very different from those we dealt with 20 or even 10 years ago. In this workshop we will discuss several types of parental involvement, explore how and why parents are different than they were in the past, and talk about practical methods for handling difficult parental situations in your classroom—without losing your sanity!
Teacher Tools Online: What's in Here
(K5–Grade 12)Presenter: Cindy Dickinson
Teacher Tools Online (TTO) is a great resource provided by BJU Press to make teachers’ lives easier. In this session, you will learn how the Lesson Plan Overviews and PowerPoints can help with lesson preparation. You can also find ideas for using the artwork on interactive whiteboards and in assessments, discover options for showing videos to your classes without advertisements, and learn how to build your own tests using the ExamView test-building software.
A Biblical Worldview of Leadership
NewPresenter: Renton Rathburn
Christian education needs strong leadership. But what does that mean? A Christian school can create a healthy interdependency between administration and faculty. This is possible when administration leads by transforming their faculty into leaders. This kind of leadership is not only demonstrated in Scripture, but it is also a central part of imitating Christ. This workshop traces foundational principles of biblical leadership, illustrates strategies for engaging and inspiring millennials, and demonstrates the importance of changing from game-theory leadership into "foxhole leadership."
From The Classroom To Virtual Learning: The Resources YOU Need
NewPresenter: Pam Litzenberger
Where can I find “stuff” to help my class learn more effectively? If you are willing to put in work and try new ideas, you can make your class warm and inviting. Most importantly, you can help your students better understand the concepts you have taught them. This session will cover classroom, instructional, and online resources, as well as information on remote learning, such as online tools to record your own videos, finding online videos, and general tips for teaching remotely.
Have You Thought of This? Thinking Through Safety…Daily
Presenter: Dr. Jenny Copeland
Every day parents entrust us with their most treasured possession—thier children. But safety warnings, wish lists, and recommended responses fluctuate frequently. Comprehensive safety plans take time and expertise, and equipment is costly. Where do you start—and do you ever fully cover all your bases? Come join the conversation as we brainstorm and share ideas of where to start, how to implement plans for today, and how to keep moving forward and improving your plans to protect the school and students God has given you.
Understanding Generation Z
NewPresenter: Ben Schettler
Why is Generation Z so difficult to lead, teach, and connect with? Technology and cultural influences have increased the divide between the thinking, communication and even learning styles of generations. You may feel it is almost impossible to connect with the children you are called to teach. What do you need to know to help them? How can you better understand how they think and feel? What Bible truth is important for their development? Weaving together headlines, recent research, and practical biblical truth, this session paints a clear and accurate picture of the seven greatest challenges Generation Z will face.
Using the ExamView Assessments in the Classroom and Remotely
NewPresenter: Mike Santopietro
One of the popular resources on Teacher Tools Online from BJU Press is the ExamView Assessment Suite. This session covers the basics of getting started with ExamView and highlights some of the robust features of this digital assessment tool.
Teaching Tomorrow's Scientists, Mathematicians, and Engineers
NewPresenter: Rachel Santopietro
Discover how to turn your science and math students into student scientists and mathmeticians by transforming your class with STEM education.
Reclaiming Lost Instructional Time: Working on Your Classroom Transitions
NewPresenter: Dr. Brian Carruthers
How can a teacher make better use of his or her instructional time? Often we are guilty of blaming outside factors for eating into our valuable class time, but maybe the culprit is ourselves! This workshop takes a critical look at just how we spend our valuable instructional time and gives suggestions for making each minute count.
Reflective Teaching Transitions
NewPresenter: Dr. Brian Carruthers
A quality of an effective teacher is reflection. Typically, busy teachers finds it difficult to spend much time reviewing their effectiveness in the classroom. This workshop explores the role of the reflective teacher and how this quality actually improves future instruction.
The Ready Educator
NewPresenter: Ben Schettler
“Be ready always to give an answer…” is the command, not the suggestion, of I Peter 3:15. In a culture that questions the truth of the Bible at every turn, educators need practical procedures and foundational knowledge to “give an answer.” This session will identify some of the more challenging objections that twenty-first-century Christians must be prepared to answer. It will equip you with biblical answers to those objections. And will teach you a three-step process for thinking through and answering any skeptical question.
What Should a Bible Program Look Like in a Christian School?
NewPresenter: Renton Rathburn
Ideally, when the Bible program in your school is thriving, so are the spiritual lives of the students and faculty. Unfortunately, Bible courses often suffer from a lack of intentional, year-to-year scaffolding of subject matter, a lack of relevance to other subjects, and a lack of rigor that equals the rigor of other courses. This presentation demonstrates that all these issues can be overcome when we develop a Bible curriculum, intentionally structured in its scope, relevance, and rigor.
Wow, What Just Happened? Learning from Remote Instruction and Regrouping for Future Needs
NewPresenter: Dr. Jenny Copeland
The current health situation necessitated lightning-speed pivots in learning delivery models over the past year. As educators, we scrambled, learned, and explored—all while still delivering content and pouring hours into keeping students learning. We can learn much from these experiences. Join us as we reflect on what we have learned, both successes and challenges, and how we can prepare for the days ahead. We will look at helpful strategies, practices, and instructional tools.
Understanding a Biblical Worldview
NewPresenter: Dr. Bryan Smith
TBD
Administrative
How to Deal with the Stress of Being an Educator
Presenter: Bobby Stokes
TBD
Preschool
Pathways for Preschool: Parts and Pieces
(K3)Presenter: Becky Custer
Pathways for Preschool provides a center-based, hands-on approach to learning. The many parts and pieces to this program help teachers as they promote discovery learning and age-appropriate developmental skills in their classroom. Learn creative instructional tips and lesson planning strategies while we experience this exciting preschool program.
Let's Focus on Focus on Fives
NewPresenter: Becky Teruel
What goals should an excellent K5 program have? Find out as we discuss the parts and pieces of Focus on Fiveswhile taking a deeper look at the phonics component that gives kindergarten students a strong foundation for reading. Let's walk through a lesson together to find instructional activities that make using our program seamless and exciting.
Seeing the Big Picture with Footsteps for Four
NewPresenter: Becky Custer
Early learners are just starting to focus in on the world around them. Footsteps for Fours provides a solid academic foundation for future learning and also creates opportunities to grow physically, emotionally and spiritually. Discover all the Footstep’s parts and pieces that work together to ensure that your students have an exciting start to their world of learning!
Elementary
Math: More Than Memorization
(K5–Grade 5)Presenter: Cindy Dickinson
Memorizing facts is important in mathematics, but it should not be the ultimate goal. This workshop focuses on how successful math students go beyond memorization to really understand math. Learn ways to help your students become mathematical thinkers, not just fact-memorizers.
Language Arts Beyond Reading: A Look at Grammar, Writing, and Spelling
(Grade 2–Grade 5)Presenter: Becky Teruel
Is grammar fun or ho-hum in your classroom? Is writing enjoyable or tedious? Are dedicated class times for spelling and handwriting necessary in this age of technology? Join me to discover strategies and ways you can use BJU Press materials to keep your students excited, engaged, and loving the language arts.
Your Students, Your Scientists
Presenter: Cindy Dickinson
Science experiments can be a highlight to your student's day, but many teachers cut out experiments because of lack of time and resources. To become scientists, students need hands-on experience. Find out how you can include simple experiments in your science lessons to help your students grow from observers to scientists.
Reading: The Final Grade
NewPresenter: Becky Teruel
Isn’t giving a reading grade too subjective? Is it possible for grading reading to be consistent in all the elementary classes in your school? Come learn a method of grading reading that can be used in all elementary grades. Participants will learn what parts of reading to grade and will practice grading and recording parts of a reading lesson.
From Less to Best — Making Bible Class Come Alive with Understanding and Creative Interaction
(Grade 1–Grade 6)Presenter: Katie Klipp
Why is it that teachers sit back and breathe easy when "Bible time" comes each day? Do we feel that it's easier to teach because it’s without all the manipulatives, hands-on work, and critical thinking the other subjects demand? But wait, Bible class has all those things and more! Come learn how to make the most of the BJU Press Bible materials, how to make Bible truths come alive and STICK for years to come, and how to use creative methods and ideas from other teachers to engage your students during a time of the day that is the single most important influence in their school years.
People, Places, and Dates, Oh My!
Presenter: Cindy Dickinson
People, places, and dates in history are important, but elementary social studies can be so much more. We need to equip students to understand, biblically evaluate, engage in, and make decisions about their world. How do we help our students accomplish this? How do we help them understand their place in this world? Learn how you can help your students to develop their biblical worldview, critical-thinking skills, and social studies skills that enable them to become lifelong learners who value freedom, equality, and individual responsibility.
Secondary
History Through Eyes of Faith
Presenter: Dr. Bryan Smith
Christians agree that the Bible is essential to understanding history. But what is this supposed to look like in the classroom? Many teachers focus on godly character traits seen in the lives of certain individuals. But this approach often leaves the core objectives of history unaffected by biblical teaching. This workshop proposes that the key to effective biblical integration is Christian worldview shaping. Students learn Christianly when they see the past through the lens of a Christian worldview. Discover classroom practices that will help you achieve core history objectives in a distinctively Christian way.
Helping Students Fall in Love With Literature
(Grades 7—Grade 12)Presenter: JR Remelgado
Learn how to use BJU Press materials to create a comprehensive but flexible plan for teaching literature throughout the year. Identify strategies for engaging students with different interests, backgrounds, and reading abilities, and help them develop connections to and enthusiasm for literature.
Helping Students Develop Strong Writing Skills
(Grades 9—Grade 12)Presenter: JR Remelgado
In this session, we will develop methods for challenging a group of students who have different writing abilities. Learn how to create an effective but manageable plan for teaching grammar and composition and tailor that plan to meet the needs of each student; and develop a teaching style that keeps students engaged as they improve their writing skills.
Teaching Middle School Math Actively
(Grades 5—Grade 8)Presenter: Pam Litzenberger
Need ideas to make 6th grade math more interesting or methods to help your pre-algebra students understand slope more easily? How can you make learning the quadratic formula—or any formula—easier to learn? In this workshop, I will present simple ideas that will be easy and inexpensive to personalize for your class and then implement. From graphic organizers to games and projects, these resources will add variety to your class and get your students excited to learn math.
Memorable Science
(Grades 7—Grade 12)Presenter: Rachel Santopietro
This workshop will present practical methods for teaching science and will explore the philosophy behind BJU Press secondary science materials. Participants will gain a new vision of how to instruct and inspire students when this curriculum is used.
