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
TRU Introductions
Denea Czapla and Erin McClure
Introduction to the TRU framework for powerful classrooms and powerful professional learning for teachers. Teaching for Robust Understanding (TRU) is a framework for characterizing powerful learning environments in crisp and actionable ways. It provides a straightforward and accessible language for discussing what happens (and should happen) in classrooms, in professional preparation and Professional Development (PD). TRU is consistent with what we know to be good practice, and it focuses classroom and administrative attention on what counts in learning. What that means, in particular, is that high-quality instruction and PD will be consistent with TRU and that if we adopt this framework and language, parallels in instruction across disciplines will be clear.
Date: Saturday, January 10th; 12:30pm - 2:30pm
Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 259
TRU Introductions Registration
Adventuring with Arduinos
Jessie Perison
Dates: Tuesday and Thursday, January 13th and 15th; 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: Buffalo State University, Science & Math Complex 357
Computational Thinking & AI Literacy: Physical Computing
Christina O'Malley
From there, teachers explore simple physical computing challenges that connect directly to P–8 math concepts such as operations, measurement, geometry, and data. Participants will also learn practical ways to integrate age-appropriate AI literacy—such as checking AI outputs, discussing bias, and using AI to support brainstorming—while maintaining a focus on critical thinking and student agency.
All activities align with the NYS Computer Science & Digital Fluency Standards, including Computational Thinking, Digital Literacy, Impacts of Computing, and Networks and System design. The course maintains a low-floor, high-ceiling approach, offering accessible entry points for beginners and meaningful extensions for more experienced teachers.
No prior experience is required. Participants will need a laptop for this course.
Dates: Tuesday and Thursday, January 13th and 15th; 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: Buffalo State University, Science & Math Complex 260
Computational Thinking Minicourse Flyer
Mathematical Landscapes in Practice: Number Sense, Addition & Subtraction - Pedagogical Moves to Create a Learning Community in Grades K-8
Denea Czapla and Rachael Burke
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.
January’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 number sense, addition and subtraction throughout grades K-8. Sessions will feature mathematical models and tools for thinking, including number bonds, number lines, Building Thinking Classroom principles, number strings, and more. Real world contexts and situations will be used as we consider how to best develop students’ conceptual understanding, mathematical identity, and a supportive, nurturing classroom community.
Dates: Tuesdays and Thursdays, January 13th, 15th, 20th, and 22nd; 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: Buffalo State University, Science & Math Complex 259
Mathematical Landscapes Registration
Preparing for NYSSLS Assessments and Required Investigations
As teachers begin to shift their instructional practice to meet the NYS Science Learning Standards, an important focus should also be on assessing student achievement of those standards. This workshop will provide teachers and administrators with insight into best practices for 9-12 classroom- level assessment as well as updates on state-level assessments.
Participants will explore the newly released Chemistry & Physics Investigations designed to provide multiple measures of student performance throughout the 9-12 grade band. Participants will also collaborate to determine best practices for implementing the investigations.
Date: Saturday, January 17th, 9am-2pm
Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 259
Preparing for NYSSLS Assessments and Required Investigations
As teachers begin to shift their instructional practice to meet the NYS Science Learning Standards, an important focus should also be on assessing student achievement of those standards. This workshop will provide teachers and administrators with insight into best practices for 9-12 classroom- level assessment as well as updates on state-level assessments.
Participants will explore the newly released Chemistry & Physics Investigations designed to provide multiple measures of student performance throughout the 9-12 grade band. Participants will also collaborate to determine best practices for implementing the investigations.
Date: Saturday, January 31st, 9am-2pm
Location: SUNY Fredonia, E114 Thompson Hall
Introduction to a Julia Robinson Math Festival and Materials
Annette Rouleau
Julia Robinson Math Festivals (JRMF) help students build confidence, joy, and a sense of belonging around math. At a Math Festival, students and families explore a variety of hands-on, play-based math puzzles and games. The NYS Master Teacher Program at Buffalo State University will have 2 JRMF kits for teachers to sign out and use with their school community to support the JRMFs across WNY. The Math Festival Kits come with reusable, hands-on supplies for 10 different activities that can serve over 100 students at one time at the elementary and/or middle school level. This introductory session will focus on acquainting you with the Math Festival materials in the kits, setting up for a math festival, and participation in an actual Julia Robinson Math Festival. A huge thank you to Cheektowaga Union East for hosting the introduction session as well as our first WNY JRMF! Union East Elementary will be holding a Family Math Night for students and their families on Feb 3 that participants will help set up and facilitate. Participants are strongly encouraged to stay for the Family Math Night so you have a sense of the evening and are ready to bring a JRMF to your school in March or April
Date: Tuesday, February 3rd, 3:30pm-5:00pm; pizza break; 5:30-7:00 JRMF for Cheektowaga Central families.
Location: Cheektowaga Union East, 3550 Union Rd, Cheektowaga, NY 14225
Introduction to JRMF Registration
Introduction to Building Thinking Classrooms
Annette Rouleau
This session focuses on the importance of collaboration, discourse, and hands-on experiences in creating rich learning opportunities in math. Whether learning new vocabulary or exploring new concepts, students need opportunities to empower themselves and each other in a productive struggle.
Using my own experience in implementing the Building Thinking Classrooms framework in my classroom, the objective is to overcome the norms that have fostered a culture of teaching and learning often devoid of student thinking. In the session, I’ll model strategies that help maintain the flow of a Thinking Classroom, where the focus is on the process of learning rather than the product. Participants will experience the joy of working in collaboration on rich math tasks at vertical, non-permanent surfaces.
Date: Wednesday, February 4th, 5:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 259
Introduction to BTC Registration
Developing and Using Models to Explore Systems in Biology
HHMI BioInteractive
Using the phenomenon of lactase persistence, participants will engage in a series of BioInteractive activities aimed at helping students understand the connection between genetic inheritance and metabolic function. We will explore how developing and using models allows students to understand a biological system from multiple scales. Educators will explore a variety of data analysis and literacy strategies to support student learning.
This workshop is for teachers who teach any level of high school biology (introductory, AP/IB, etc.). Middle school teachers, particularly 8th grade life science teachers, are also welcome to attend. Participants should bring laptops or tablets to fully engage in the workshop. All HHMI BioInteractive resources are free to students, teachers, and districts.
Date: Saturday, February 7th, 9am-3pm
Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 257