E
plore Biblical Education
Descriptions of the workshops for Exchange Conference 2022 are available here. Workshops for 2023 will be announced in March.
Download the 2022 in-person schedule.
Keynote
My Path to Grace Relations: A Biblical Worldview of Race Relations
NewPresenter: Dr. A. Charles Ware
Dr. Ware will share how his own experience of being rejected by believers, due to beliefs that interracial marriage was biblically wrong, led him to deepen his walk with Christ and a firm commitment to biblical reconciliation.
Color Me Love
NewPresenter: Dr. A. Charles Ware
This session will challenge Christian educators to make biblical love the primary outcome of Christian education.
The Grace Relations DREAM (Dream, Reality, Expectations, Applications, Measurable)
NewPresenter: Dr. A. Charles Ware
The Grace Relations DREAM is a process that Christian schools can apply to identify God's dream/vision for their schools, assess where they are, and create a plan with metrics for implementing God's dream.
Help! My Students Are Really Confused!
NewPresenter: Dr. Bryan Smith
Students these days are distracted, unmotivated, and easily led. The education they need is not interesting to them, and the influences they definitely don’t need are taking them down the wrong path. What can we do to help them? Biblical worldview shaping. We need to engage students in learning experiences that challenge what they assume about life. We need to model for our students a biblical way of responding to wrong thinking and living. We need to show students how to develop the skill of Christian discernment.
How Do We Keep from Losing Our Kids?
NewPresenter: Dr. Bryan Smith
You’ve seen the polls, and you’ve heard the stories. Many of our young people leave the Christian faith not long after they graduate from Christian schools. These departures often seem like sudden, rash decisions. But they rarely are. Behind them is usually a long process of wrong thinking. Confronting that process and disrupting it are some of the most important things we can do as Christian educators. In this session we will consider how we can be more effective at passing on our faith to the next generation.
General
A Biblical Worldview of Leadership
Presenter: Dr. 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."
A Biblical Worldview of Math? Does It Add Up?
New*Presenter: Dr. Renton Rathburn
Typically, attempting to integrate Bible into a math course results in unconvincing biblical connections and a distraction from advancing mathematical knowledge. Often Bible integration in math changes the subject from math to religion and makes connections that seem random or unrelated, which hinders the course’s intended learning process. This problem is often rooted in wrong assumptions about mathematics itself. This workshop defines mathematics from a biblical worldview and develops strategies that 1) allow discussions of biblical worldview to emerge naturally from the mathematical concepts, 2) deepen the students’ understanding of math, and 3) give the students a proper perspective of mathematical limits.
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.
Bonus Level Unlocked
NewPresenter: Rachel Santopietro
Level up your teaching, unlock new quests for instruction, and score a personal record in student motivation by exploring the theory and practice of gamification.
Conducting Conferences That Count
Presenter: Dr. Jenny Copeland
Parent-teacher conferences often create anxiety for all parties involved—the teacher, the parent, and the student too! Even the stereotypical idea of a parent-teacher conference is one of awkward interactions, bad news, and wish lists on both sides. You can lead the change and make even that small segment of time together a valuable bridge for the entire year. Come gather practical ideas for efficient scheduling, warm environments, panic-free preparation, positive team-building discussions, and effective action item wrap-ups. Make this year’s conferences different!
Getting Organized: Strategies for Catching the Details
NewPresenter: Dr. Esther Baker
Whether you are administering a school or an extracurricular activity, details can easily be missed, creating hard feelings or worse. We will discuss both organizational strategies and simple (and inexpensive!) tools for managing your life.
Give Backstage Prep a Break
NewPresenter: Dr. Jenny Copeland
Incorporating technology into your classroom should take your instruction to the next level—not hijack your preparation time! Discover some amazing tools that will help you manage your classroom and motivate your students without tons of work behind the scenes.
Have You Thought of This? Thinking Through Safety…Daily
Presenter: Dr. Jenny Copeland
Every day parents entrust us with their most treasured possession—their 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.
iCheat: Staying One Step Ahead of the Devices
New*Presenter: Dr. Jenny Copeland
Technology is no longer a novelty in education; it is a vital and powerful force in education. But while we focus our attention on finding the newest tool or incorporating the most fabulous app, are we remaining vigilant of the potential misuses of technology? Everyday technology tools have made cheating incredibly easy, but unfortunately, the strategies students are using to cheat are often beyond what educators would have even considered! This session will present specific cheating methods as well as specific safeguarding and accountability strategies. Come get ideas for how to protect your classroom and your students!
Learning Issues in the Christian School, Part 1
NewPresenter: Christina Miller
Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) constitute the largest segment of the special education population in the United States. Do students with SLD exist in the private school sector? If so, how do we identify them? What is our responsibility as Christian school educators to these students and their parents? This introductory workshop addresses these common concerns and challenges Christian educators to consider their role in the identification and support of those students with SLD in the Christian school classroom.
Learning Issues in the Christian School, Part 2
NewPresenter: Christina Miller
Once we have identified students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in our classrooms, Christian educators should provide them with an education that will fit their individual learning needs. This workshop addresses the Christian school’s current response to these students and presents what we can do to better support their academic needs in the classroom and beyond. Classroom modifications/accommodations and differentiated instruction will be discussed, as well as ideas for setting up an effective resource room in your school.
LGBTQ+ Ideology: What Your Students Are Facing and How to Respond
NewPresenter: Dr. Renton Rathburn
Students in our classrooms today are inundated with LGBTQ+ indoctrination via social media, entertainment, and personal friendships. Now there are movements, even within the church, that have accepted varying degrees of LGBTQ+ affirmation. What can Christian teachers do in response to students confused about what the Bible says about gender and sexuality? In this session, we will explore how biblical worldview strategies can shape students to think biblically about these concepts.
Making Sense of Standardized Test Scores
NewPresenter: Dr. Brad Batdorf
Can you explain the difference between criterion and norm-referenced grading, how a percentage score is different from a percentile rank score, and what those grade equivalent scores really mean? In this workshop, you will get hands-on experience with analyzing and interpreting common standardized test reports so that you can explain them to parents.
New Digital Opportunities for Christian School Teachers with eTextbooks
NewPresenter: Milton Ashley
BJU Press has had digital resources such as Teacher Tools Online, Vital Source books, and After School Help tutorials for quite a few years. And we now have several new digital opportunities for eTextbooks through Textbook Hub. This session will highlight our new fillable/gradable workbooks and many other features of our Textbook Hub products. We’ll cover all the elements of these products with the perspective that the technology needs to serve the teacher in accomplishing their learning objectives for their students.
Reclaiming Lost Instructional Time: Working on Your Classroom Transitions
Presenter: Dr. Brian Carruthers
How can teachers make better use of 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
Presenter: Dr. Brian Carruthers
A quality of an effective teacher is reflection. Typically, busy teachers find 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.
Simple STEM for Busy Teachers
NewPresenter: Dr. Brad Batdorf
STEM activities need not be complex or costly. Learn why STEM is so popular right now, and how you can integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math in ways that engage and motivate students.
Super Tech Superpowers
NewPresenter: Cindy Dickinson
Technology has power—the power to help you reach your students on a different level. Do you need new PowerPoint or Google Slides design ideas, templates, images, music, or sound effects? Are you looking for apps, websites, effective classroom management tools, or great student response tools? Do you want to add variety to your students’ day to keep them engaged and loving learning? Join me to discover over 40 tech tools that can give you the superpower to become a super teacher!
Survival Tips for New and Not So New Teachers
NewPresenter: Cindy Dickinson
So, you’re a new teacher or in a new school or you’re teaching new subjects. How will you ever get through this first year or two? This workshop will give you pointers and tips for making it through those tough first few months. Come learn about lesson planning, classroom management, dealing with coworkers, finding a mentor, and where to go for help when you need it.
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.
The Visual Classroom
NewPresenter: Rachel Santopietro
You buy posters, create bulletin boards, purchase knick-knacks, and spend a lot of time and money making your classroom a welcoming place for students to learn. But does it welcome or overwhelm? Does it help them learn, or does it distract? Make the aesthetics of your classroom work for you by learning about educational research on the visual aspect of learning.
TTO 2.0: What’s in Here Now?
NewPresenter: Cindy Dickinson
Teacher Tools Online (TTO) is a great resource provided by BJU Press to make teachers’ lives easier. TTO has received significant updates and improvements. The main feature changes for this update are saved searches and filters, multi-select filter, and category updates. The improved search feature will be a great help to quickly find desired resources. There is even a new Help Center to allow you to get help right when you need it. Join me to get a closer look at all Teacher Tools Online has to offer to make your life easier.
Understanding Trauma in the Classroom: Compassion and Care for Students Who Are Hurting
New*Presenter: Christina Miller
Childhood trauma occurs more than we would maybe care to think about. In fact, by the age of 16, over two-thirds of children will have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. As educators, it is important for us to recognize the signs of traumatic stress and its short- and long-term impact on children, especially as it relates to their learning. In this workshop, we will discuss the spectrum of trauma, adverse childhood experiences and their impact on overall physical, mental, emotional, and social health of children, and common trauma triggers. This workshop will also address how the effective educator can respond to such students with compassion, care, and concern for their students’ spiritual, academic, and mental well-being.
Using ExamView in the Classroom and Remotely
Presenter: Milton Ashley
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.
What's Your Mindset?
Presenter: 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.
When Parents and Teachers Meet: A View from Both Sides of the Desk
NewPresenter: Becky Teruel
Have you ever heard, or said, “I would love teaching if it weren’t for the parents?” Parents should be viewed as a positive part of our teaching—helping our students to become more successful. I have taught many years in the classroom and believe that parents can be partners. As a parent of four children, I learned to see and value both sides of communication. Come learn ways to include parents in your students’ learning to make your year the best it can be!
Why Curriculum Mapping Is Critical to School Culture
NewPresenter: Michael Arnold
Curriculum mapping is often a major school initiative driven by accreditation and other external expectations, but it is best seen as a key cultural component for any faith-based school. It can help teachers and administrators prioritize school mission, vertically align instruction from one grade to the next, identify key areas for professional development, and enhance collaboration opportunities. Collecting and streamlining instructional decisions allows teachers to gain the freedom and flexibility, which can help their relationships with students, parents, and the broader community flourish. This workshop will outline the basic questions curriculum mapping explores as the practice becomes part of school culture.
*This workshop will not have an in-person audience. All Exchange Conference attendees will be able to watch it virtually.
Administrative
How to Lead Through a Major Change
NewPresenter: Dr. Jeff Heath
Change is inevitable. Change leadership is an important skill to master. Learn a proven process that will enable you to practice change leadership effectively.
The School Leader’s Teaching Role
NewPresenter: Dr. Brian Carruthers
Every good school leader must also be a great teacher, effectively working to implement research-based changes in the school’s instructional program. This workshop will explore the opportunities the lead teacher will have to transform the organization by coaching teachers to be more effective in the classroom.
Preschool
Focus on Fives for a Strong Foundation
(K5)Presenter: Becky Custer
The Focus on Fives program from BJU Press starts children on a journey of developing the skills they will need for first grade. This all-inclusive program provides foundational activities for heritage, science, literature, and all the language arts. We will explore the parts and pieces that make up this exciting, newly revised program. As we look at the special features of a unit, week, and day we will also focus on the instructional themes for heritage, science, and literature.
Highly Explosive! Handle with Care: How the Bible Can Impact the Classroom
(K3–K5)Presenter: Becky Custer
God’s Word contains light to direct, food to support, and comfort to cheer. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Discover multiple ways to use Scripture in the classroom and ignite hearts for God.
Music and Puppets—Supplemental Teaching Tools to Enhance and Stimulate Learning
Presenter: Becky Custer
Music, a powerful motivator, can also be one of the joys of learning. Introducing puppets to early learners helps their minds create, explore, and flourish. Create fun, memorable learning experiences by incorporating appropriate melodies and exciting puppet friends into the classroom!
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.
Right from the Start: Philosophy of Early Childhood Education
Presenter: Becky Custer
The beginning years of a child's education are critical because we are laying a vital foundation. How we do this will shape each child’s approach to future learning. In this session, learn what we can do to stimulate and encourage a love of learning in these formative years and teach preschool right, from the start.
Seeing the Big Picture with Footsteps for Fours
(K4)Presenter: 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 parts and pieces that work together in Footsteps to ensure that your students have an exciting start to their world of learning!
Watch Me Grow! Understanding and Cultivating Preschoolers' Developmental Skills
Presenter: Becky Custer
Learn practical ways to instruct and inspire early learners to grow academically, socially, and spiritually. Explore the most productive methods for circle time and learning centers so that preschoolers can thrive in their classroom environment.
Elementary
Bright Ideas!
NewPresenter: Various
Fast paced. Seriously practical. Come join the fun as multiple elementary teachers present their favorite ideas for classroom management, technology, organization, and communication in a rapid-fire, back-to-back presentation format. Let the ideas begin!
Cliques, Clowns, Toughies, and Tattletales
(K3–Grade 5)Presenter: Katie Klipp
Doesn't it seem like just when you think you've mastered dealing with a certain type of difficult student, a new breed arrives to challenge your strategies? Sometimes it seems teachers have to spend more time in character training than in actual academic instruction! If that is the case, teachers need to step back and determine how to manage these types of students effectively. What do you say to a class clown, a perpetual tattler, a disinterested kid, or a competitive bragger? Come gain a new understanding of difficult students and then gather new and creative ways to include them, reach them, and teach them.
Communicating to Motivate Students: Bring Out the Best Behavior in Your Students
Presenter: Pam Elbell
The tough challenge of classroom management becomes easier when you have the right resources. Come learn creative ways to encourage good behavior. Let’s share ideas on how we can better communicate our expectations to help our students learn good classroom behavior.
Extra! Extra! They DON'T Read All About It!
(K3–Grade 5)Presenter: Katie Klipp
Classroom newsletters are a work of art and heart, so it's disappointing when families don't read them as closely as we wish they would! In this day of fast-paced communication and packed schedules, we must find ways to get both needed information and fun class memories to parents to keep them involved, informed, and LOVING what comes from our classrooms. Learn ways to grab, stimulate, and keep their attention and support with the help of some great tools that are easy and free!
From Less to Best - Making Bible Class Come Alive with Understanding and Creative Interaction
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.
From Tedious Mission to Terrific Masterpiece: Handwriting and Writing for K5–1
Presenter: Katie Klipp
In this session, participants will learn how to navigate the BJU Press K5 and Grade 1 handwriting materials, gain helpful ideas that enhance students’ ability in and understanding of handwriting and writing, and learn about creative ways to make these two sections of the day enticingly more colorful for students.
Going Beyond the Basic Colors: Reading for K5–1
Presenter: Katie Klipp
In this session, participants will learn how to navigate the BJU Press K5 and Grade 1 reading materials, gain helpful tips that enhance students’ ability in and understanding of reading orally and silently, and gather creative ideas for making the reading section of each day enticingly more colorful for students.
Helping Young Historians See God's Story throughout History
(K5–Grade 6)Presenter: Marnie Batterman
Does history seem boring to your students? Many students see history as lists of dates, people, places, and facts. It's hard to inspire students when that is the mindset as you begin a lesson. Let's refresh their mindset to see God's hand throughout history as He works to accomplish His will and allow them to share in His story.
Helping Young Scientists Discover God's World
(K5–Grade 6)Presenter: Marnie Batterman
Students are eager to study science because they find rocks, space, and animals interesting. But do your young scientists realize studying science helps us discover more about God's character, ways we can manage the world for His glory, and ways we can help other people?
I Can Do It! Developing a Can-Do Attitude in Struggling Learners
(Grades 2–6)Presenter: Marnie Batterman
Do you have students who struggle in class? Do they ever hit a wall, become easily frustrated, or feel they cannot do it? Perhaps there is not a specific disability, yet they struggle to achieve as easily as their peers. Let's chat about strategies to help them find success and ways to encourage positivity in those reluctant learners.
Integrating a Foreign Language in Classroom Instruction
Presenter: Ann Carruthers
This workshop will provide the classroom teacher with a variety of ways to integrate a foreign language into everyday teaching and activities.
Language Arts Beyond Reading: A Look at Grammar, Writing, and Spelling
(Grades 2–5)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.
Logical, Practical, and VIBRANT: Spelling for Lower Elementary
Presenter: Katie Klipp
In this session, participants will learn how to navigate the BJU Press Grade 1 spelling materials, gain helpful tips that enhance students’ ability in and understanding of word families and sentence dictation, and gather creative ideas for making the spelling section of each day enticingly more colorful for students.
Making the Most of Your Math Manipulatives
(K5–Grade 5)Presenter: Cindy Dickinson
Do you have questions about using manipulatives in your math classroom? Perhaps you feel like manipulatives are a burden, a bother, or a waste of classroom time. Research shows that using manipulatives in your math classroom can positively affect student understanding. Learn creative ways to use your math manipulatives, leading your students to a deeper understanding of math. And learn a variety of ways to organize your math manipulatives to make the most of your classroom time.
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.
Phonics: The Whys and Hows
Presenter: Becky Teruel
Does phonics seem tedious to teach? Does it matter how students are taught to read? Since phonics is the proven method of teaching reading, understanding how it is used in the classroom is imperative. Join me as we explore the whys and hows of teaching phonics. We will look at the role of the Word Family approach in phonics instruction.
Reading Groups vs. Whole-Class Instruction: Does It Really Matter?
Presenter: Becky Teruel
Shouldn’t it be up to the teacher whether grouping or whole-class instruction is used to teach reading? Isn’t the outcome the same for students no matter which way reading is taught? Up-to-date reading group research shows that how reading is taught does matter for students. In this session, learn why reading groups are important and how to implement them. Participate in an interactive reading lesson and discuss ideas for how to occupy students during reading group time to help the classroom flow smoothly.
Reading: The Final Grade
Presenter: Becky Teruel
Isn’t giving a reading grade too subjective? Is it possible for a reading rubric to be consistent in all the elementary classes in your school? Come learn an effective method of grading for all elementary reading levels. Participants will learn which components of reading to grade and will practice grading and recording parts of a reading lesson.
Science Strategies for Success
New*Presenter: Cindy Dickinson
What makes a successful science teacher? Successful science teachers have goals, think about assessment, and use resources not only to deepen their students’ scientific literacy but also to develop a biblical worldview. Join me to discover ways to engage students while helping them to answer essential questions such as where did our world come from? why are we here? and why is science important? Learn about teaching strategies and resources you can use to help make your science classroom a success.
Systems for All Your Stuff! Organizing Your Classroom and Beyond
(Grades 1–6)Presenter: Pam Elbell
A well-organized classroom sends a clear and positive message to your students. Is your classroom sending the wrong message? Come and learn practical ways to effectively organize your classroom, schedule, and supplies to be able to better serve your students.
The Cat in the Hat and Other Musical Ideas for the Elementary Classroom
NewPresenter: Joanie Pegram
Music is a gift from God that can be used as a tool in the general elementary classroom to make learning fun and help routines run more smoothly. Whether or not you think of yourself as musical, find out how using music in your classroom can help you and your students have the best year possible and leave with some tools to help make that happen.
Use All of the Crayons in Your Box: Phonics for K5-1
Presenter: Katie Klipp
In this session, participants will learn how to navigate the BJU Press K5 and Grade 1 phonics materials, gain helpful tips that enhance students’ ability in and understanding of word families and word manipulation, and gather creative ideas for making the phonics section of each day enticingly more colorful for students.
Wait! I Teach Art Too?
NewPresenter: Sandy Mehus
Art does not have to be relegated to an “art class.” Art can be used in a variety of ways to enhance any subject in the curriculum. In this workshop we will discuss a variety of ways to help the non-art teacher incorporate art into general classroom activities.
Yes! You Can M.A.T.H.
NewPresenter: Cindy Dickinson
Math can be an engaging and exciting subject to teach. It is so much more than just recalling and memorizing. Interested in current ideas for your math classroom? Join me to discover ways you can M.A.T.H. M—make it interesting, A—add to their knowledge, T—take it to the next level, and H—find out how they did. By engaging, instructing, applying, and assessing, you can take your math classes as well as your students to the next level.
*This workshop will not have an in-person audience. All Exchange Conference attendees will be able to watch it virtually.
Middle School
Capturing Creative, Comprehensive, and Current in Middle School Language Arts: Part 1
Presenter: Christy Hand
A firm foundation in grammar and reading is crucial for middle-school students as they transition to high school. Both the mental development and the amount of material in language arts can be a challenge for middle schoolers, but with careful planning and creativity, both challenges can be met! This session will give strategies for covering various materials, specifically BJU Press materials, including the newly designed books. We will also explore the change from reading to literature studies and how to incorporate writing and vocabulary into many areas. Prepare to participate and capture ideas to make your language arts classroom full and fun.
Capturing Creative, Comprehensive, and Current in Middle School Language Arts: Part 2
Presenter: Christy Hand
You know the material and how to incorporate it into your classroom, but is it effectively reaching today’s learners? While the subject matter hasn’t changed, our students and our technology certainly have. Learn ideas about how to make classes effective for today’s students through creative learning. This session will provide ideas for both technology and pen-and-paper strategies. Bring your own ideas, and be ready to try something outside the box!
Managing the "Middles"
Presenter: Pam Litzenberger
Wondering how to keep a room full of sixth graders engaged? Or a group of eighth graders actually paying attention in class? In this workshop I will present practical ways to keep your class moving and your students engaged in what you are teaching. We will discuss how to take attendance painlessly, make transitions, grade homework easily without having to repeat answers numerous times, grade that endless pile of tests more quickly, and record grades. Come loaded with questions and tips to share with the group!
Surviving the Middle School: Tips for Parents, Teachers, and Students
Presenter: Christy Hand
Middle-school years are too often dreaded by parents and teachers and misused by students, despite the fact that these are some of the most wonderful and crucial years of growing up. Learn not only how to survive but also how to love the middle-school years, whether you are the parent, the teacher, or the student!
Teaching Middle School Math Actively
Presenter: Pam Litzenberger
Need ideas to make sixth 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.
The Professional English Juggler (Grades 6–12)
Presenter: Christy Hand
You can manage the daunting task of teaching students all the facets of ELA—grammar, literature, writing, vocabulary, spelling, and more! Learn not only how to survive but also how to enjoy this task. Find new ideas to develop your teaching and English skills. Accomplish it all in a professional manner through planning, organizing, adapting, and personalizing the ELA material.
High School
Doing Biblical Integration in the ELA Classroom
NewPresenter: JR Remelgado
Teaching English consists of much more than merely instructing students in metaphors and participles. It is an opportunity for students to evaluate a variety of worldviews in light of biblical principles and learn how to communicate a biblical worldview to others. In this session, we will explore ways to skillfully integrate biblical worldview shaping into both literature and writing lessons, engage students in rich worldview discussions, and show students how to transfer their worldview-shaping skills outside the English classroom.
Essential Strategies for Success of the Struggling Learner
(Grades 5–12)Presenter: Julia Soram
Have you been at a loss of what to do to help a student who is having a hard time in your class? Come learn essential strategies to help struggling learners reach their full potential. The first half of this workshop will focus on strategies to use in the classroom to help struggling learners. The second half will focus on strategies to share with families of the struggling learner to better assist outside of the classroom.
Getting the Most from Your Teacher Editions
NewPresenter: Pam Litzenberger
Need help putting together your lessons using your BJU Press materials? This workshop will give step-by-step practical methods to plan your lesson and your year using the many resources available with both your BJU Press teacher edition and online materials. Bring your teacher edition and computer to this workshop to fully benefit!
Helping Students Develop Strong Writing Skills: Part I
(Grades 9–12)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.
Helping Students Develop Strong Writing Skills: Part 2
(Grades 9–12)Presenter: JR Remelgado
Learn how to develop a plan to put writing strategies into practice. Participants will be able to collaborate with colleagues to develop a writing schedule for the school year and integrate new teaching strategies into that schedule.
Helping Students Fall in Love with Literature: Part I
(Grades 6–12)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 Fall in Love with Literature: Part II
(Grades 6–12)Presenter: JR Remelgado
This workshop will give you the opportunity to write a lesson plan that incorporates strategies for engaging students in a particular selection of literature. Exchange ideas with colleagues and gather practical ideas for how to foster student enthusiasm for literature.
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.
Ideas and Activities to Make Your Secondary World Languages Classroom More Exciting
Presenter: Ann Carruthers
Are your students losing interest in learning a new language? Are they just tolerating verb conjugations? Are your classroom games and activities losing their appeal? Join me to discover fun activities, apps, and ideas that will add excitement to your classroom, engage your students, and make language learning fun.
Interesting History
NewPresenter: Kirsten Alexander
Learn how to teach history in an exciting way using BJU Press textbooks. This workshop will present practical methods for teaching history and will share ideas for how to make social studies engaging to the students.
Memorable Science
(Grades 6–12)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.
Memorable Science and Its Application
(Grades 6–12)Presenter: Rachel Santopietro
This workshop will apply new vision and methods to instruct and inspire students in science using BJU Press’s secondary science resources. Participants will use BJU Press resources to craft an interactive lesson that develops critical thinking and shapes worldview in students.
Overcoming Math Anxiety
Presenter: Pam Litzenberger
As many as 25%–50% of pre-college students have math anxiety. In this workshop, we will discuss this fear, where it may have originated, and most importantly, how we, as their math teachers, can help our students overcome their anxiety. We will also talk about math myths and how they affect our students.
Recipe for Success: Teaching Secondary Math
(Grades 6–12)Presenter: Pam Litzenberger
This presentation gives an overview of BJU Press math textbooks (Grade 6 Math, Fundamentals of Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Precalculus, and Consumer Math), highlighting how to best use the features of the teacher edition and the student text. The workshop explains the front and back matter, available resources, Teacher Tools Online, ExamView, and AfterSchoolHelp.com. Suggestions are given for lesson planning, teaching the class, and classroom management.
Teaching Bible from a Biblical Worldview
NewPresenter: Dr. Brian Collins
This session examines the foundational role that the Bible class should have for everything a student learns at school. In the other academic disciplines students will encounter unbiblical worldviews. Without the foundations that direct instruction in the Bible, Christian theology, biblical worldview, and apologetics provides, teachers in the other academic disciplines will have difficulty developing a fully biblical worldview in their students. This session prepares teachers of Bible classes in how to effectively lay the necessary biblical foundations that every student needs.
*This workshop will not have an in-person audience. All Exchange Conference attendees will be able to watch it virtually.
