Upcoming Professional Development

Contact Thea Keppel at keppeltm01@buffalostate.edu with any questions or concerns regarding event registration


Buffalo Math Collaborative
Dr. Kara Imm

A professional learning community of K- 9 teachers and leaders, across grand bands, schools, and districts who come together to:

  • Design learning experiences for kids, study them in real time, and reflect on what and how mathematical learning is happening
  • Deepen the mathematical pedagogical content knowledge needed for teaching (our own mathematics + how children make sense of mathematics)
  • Share ideas in a space designed to build on teachers’ love of kids and math (#lovekidslovemath)
  • Provide a model for empowering our students mathematically through cognitively demanding tasks and routines that feature equitable access and that foster student agency, ownership, and identity. 
BMC meeting locations:
  • Willow Ridge Elementary
  • Union East Elementary
  • Maryvale Middle School
  • Amherst Middle School
  • Sweet Home Middle School
  • Cleveland Hill Middle School
Dates: Weeks of 10/27, 1/26, 3/16, and 5/18

Buffalo Math Collaborative Registration

Buffalo Math Collaborative Flyer


Chautauqua Math Collaborative
Dr. Kara Imm

A professional learning community of teachers and leaders, across grade bands, schools, and districts who come together to:

  • Design learning experiences for kids, study them in real time, and reflect on what and how mathematical learning is happening
  • Deepen the mathematical pedagogical content knowledge needed for teaching (our own mathematics + how children make sense of mathematics)
  • Share ideas in a space designed to build on teachers’ love of kids and math (#lovekidslovemath)
  • Provide a model for empowering our students mathematically through cognitively demanding tasks and routines that feature equitable access and  foster student agency, ownership, and identity. 
Location: Falconer Central School District
Dates: Thursdays, October 30th, January 29th, March 19th, and May 21st

Chautauqua Math Collaborative Registration

Chautauqua Math Collaborative Flyer


Mathematical Landscapes in Practice: Fractions, Decimals, and Percent
Pedagogical Moves to Create a Learning Community in Grades K-8
Rachael Burke & Denea Czapla

The Western Region of the New York State Master Teacher Program is excited to offer an extension of our mathematical landscapes of learning series that focuses on the pedagogical moves teachers make to nurture a community of mathematicians across the elementary and middle school grades.  The mathematical content will be situated within Cathy Fosnot’s landscape of learning framework and will explore the coherent development of topics along the K – 8 spectrum. Video case studies across the grade levels of classroom practice will be analyzed and discussed using the TRU Framework, from Dr. Alan Shoenfeld at the University of California, Berkeley.  These video cases provide opportunities for participants to share their grade level expertise and to enhance our understanding of the content connections across the landscape.  

October's sessions will highlight building a welcoming math community for learners to take risks, gain confidence, and take charge of their learning with a focus on the landscape of fractions, decimals and percents throughout grades K-8. Sessions will feature mathematical models and tools for thinking such as pattern blocks, fraction tiles, number lines, ratio tables, Building Thinking Classroom principles, number strings, and more. Real world contexts and situations will be used as we consider and reflect on how to best develop students’ conceptual understanding, mathematical identity, and a supportive, nurturing classroom community.

Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 259
Dates: Wednesdays October 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd; 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Mathematical Landscapes October Registration

Mathematical Landscapes October Flyer


October Cohort Meeting
 
Location: State University of New York at Fredonia, Science 105b, Kelly Auditorium
Dates: Saturday, October 18th; 9:00am - 1:00pm 
 

Counted Out Movie Screening
 
We are excited to invite you to SUNY Fredonia on October 18th for a free screening of Counted Out- A powerful documentary that shines a light on math as the foundation of democracy and economic opportunity. “Counted Out” investigates the biggest crises of our time. Political polarization. Racial biases. Social injustice. Economic inequity. Climate change. And most critically, the mathematics teaching and learning environment. See the trailer here.
 

Location: Science 105b, Kelly Auditorium
Dates: Saturday, October 18; 1:15 - 3:15 pm (90 minute film and 30 minute conversation)

Counted Out Movie Screening Registration

Counted Out Movie Screening Flyer


Guided Autumn Hike at the College Lodge Forest
Andrew Gaerte

Join Western New York Land Conservancy staff for a guided autumn hike at the College Lodge Forest, a beloved forest and wetland in northern Chautauqua County. Designed for the WNY Master Teachers program, this hike will showcase the forest’s brilliant fall colors, diverse plant and animal life, and the role forests play in supporting biodiversity and climate resilience. Participants will learn about local conservation efforts, forest restoration, and ways educators can connect ecological concepts to classroom learning. Expect a moderate walk along scenic trails, with plenty of opportunities for observation, discussion, and seasonal inspiration.  

This hike is limited to 20 participants.

Location: College Lodge Forest
Dates: Saturday October 18th; 1:20pm - 3:00pm

Guided Autumn Hike Registration

Guided Autumn Hike Flyer


Global Change Ecology: Species Invasion, Climate Change, and Habitat Loss 
Dr. Robert Warren

This minicourse investigates how global change drivers—including species invasions, climate change and habitat degradation—reshape the ecological interactions that underpin biodiversity. Attention is given to both mutualisms and antagonisms, highlighting examples such as disrupted pollination synchrony, altered herbivore–plant associations, novel allelopathic competition and cascading trophic effects of invasive species. Emphasis is placed on identifying the resilience and vulnerability of these relationships under shifting environmental conditions, and on exploring the broader consequences for community structure, ecosystem function and evolutionary trajectories.

Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 169
Dates: Thursdays, October 23rd and November 6th, 5pm - 8pm

Global Change Ecology Minicourse Registration

Global Change Ecology Minicourse Flyer


STEAM for Space Workshop
STEAM4Space 

Discover how the artistry and storytelling of NASA mission patches can spark curiosity and deepen engagement in STEAM. By exploring the origin stories behind real mission emblems, you’ll see how tactile and visual experiences connect students to STEM concepts in astronomy, space science, engineering, and more. This session includes strategies, resources, and a patch design activity to promote teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking. Special guest Fred Haise, Apollo 13 astronaut, will join us virtually for a live Q&A to share how STEM saved the Apollo 13 crew. Leave with ready-to-use ideas to bring this unforgettable experience into your classroom.

Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 357
Dates: Saturday October 25th; 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

STEAM for Space Workshop Registration

STEAM for Space Workshop Flyer


Streamline Your Teacher Life with AI Tools!
Mary Howard

Reclaim your time and reduce your workload by Streamlining Your Teacher Life with AI Tools!    This mini-course provides hands-on, practical examples designed specifically for educators. Across three engaging sessions, you’ll learn how to integrate artificial intelligence tools to save time, spark creativity, and supercharge your classroom.

Whether you’re creating lesson plans, grading, communicating with families, or designing student activities, AI can help you work smarter, not harder.

What You'll Learn:
✅ How to use AI for planning, differentiation, and content creation
✅ Time-saving hacks for grading, feedback, and classroom communication
✅ Tools for designing visuals, assessments, and engaging student materials
✅ Responsible and ethical AI use in education

Walk away with ready-to-use examples, templates, and confidence to put AI to work for you. Perfect for teachers of all grade levels and content areas with no tech expertise required!

Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 259
Dates: Wednesdays October 29th, November 5th, November 12th; 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

AI Tools Minicourse Registration

AI Tools Minicourse Flyer


Past Professional Development for WNY Master Teachers

See our database of past professional development offered to WNY Master Teachers