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.
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Willow Ridge Elementary
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Union East Elementary
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Maryvale Middle School
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Amherst Middle School
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Sweet Home Middle School
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Cleveland Hill Middle School
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.
Chautauqua Math Collaborative Flyer
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
Dates: Saturday, October 18th; 9:00am - 1:00pm
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
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
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