All educators are welcome to join the Microsoft Teams and Canvas help desk teachers for a twitter chat on Sunday, November 22^nd at 7:00 PM. Follow accounts @MSTeamsWA and @CanvasWA with #TeacherTechWA as they discuss technology for teachers.

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

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

In partnership with OSPI, CSTP is excited to announce the WERD (WA Educators Read and Discuss) Book Study. This opportunity is open to all Washington paraeducators, teachers, principals, administrators and ESAs. Registration is free and 10 clock hours per study will be available.

Starting on January 21, we will feature Culturally Responsive Education in the Classroom: An Equity Framework for Pedagogy by Dr. Adeyemi Stembridge.

Our second book study will feature Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson and will kick-off on February 18.

Pro Tip: Districts with OSPI's 664 TPEP iGrant can use those funds to purchase books for their teachers and can register a team.

Visit our website to learn more. Those who register by November 29, will be entered for a chance to win a free copy of Culturally Responsive Education in the Classroom.

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

School demonstration sites talk about inclusionary practices they are using and how they are working in their school. Registration is free and clock hours are provided by UW Haring Center.

Date and time: 12/2 at 8:30 am

Inclusionary Practices Highlighted: Universal Design for Learning, Use of Assistive Technology, and Social Emotional Learning.

Date and time: 12/2 at 3:00 pm

Inclusionary Practices Highlighted: Co-teaching, co-planning, and master scheduling to support inclusion.

Date and time: 12/3 at 2:00 pm

Inclusionary Practices Highlighted: Pyramid model, MTSS: Multi-tiered Systems of Support, inclusive vision and mission

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

These free pre-made forms can be used in upper elementary for daily check-ins. It's just one way teachers can incorporate Google Forms into distance learning.

Everyone needs a little praise! Check out the Praise App that you can use in Microsoft Teams. 

Check out these tips and tricks to make Schoology work for you!

Are you doing conferences soon? If so, check out this blog post on how to use Seesaw for conferences to increase student agency.

Are you or a colleague working with Canvas, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Schoology or Seesaw and need support using your district’s Learning Management System (LMS)? Can’t find all the information you need in one place or figure out how to work the newly updated system? We have got you covered with our fully updated (November 2020) versions of the Learning Management System Resource Guides! These Resource Guides were created by Washington teachers and can help both beginner and advanced users with all things related to their LMS platform. The Resource Guides are free, easy to use and available any time of day. Check them out, use them, and share them with colleagues on the CSTP website.

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

Learn more on the CSTP website.

We couldn't be more thankful for the upcoming holiday break to relax and catch up on reading and our favorite shows. For anyone looking for something to watch, here are our recommendations:

Disney +: Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic, Magic of Disney's Animal Kingdom, Mandalorian

HBO Max: Ballers, Big Little Lies

Hulu: Life in Pieces

Netflix: Dash & Lily, Holidate, Loved Guaranteed, Unsolved Mysteries

Prime: Life in Pieces

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

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