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
Problem Solving Through Games and Puzzles: The Workshop Part 2!
Erin McClure, Stephen Johnson, and Adam Eschborn
Come play games with us to build fluency, strengthen math identity, and deepen community and communication skills!
Participants will arrive ready to teach a favorite game and lead a brief pedagogical and content-focused discussion from Math Games with Bad Drawings by Ben Orlin. After several rounds of playing and reflecting, we’ll share our high school elective outline/curriculum. An optional pathway is available for teachers who want to use games for math nights, clubs, or non-curricular enrichment.
Open to grades 6–12 math teachers and math club/family night facilitators. Our goal is to adapt each game across levels—after all, “a 10-year-old can enjoy most games.”
Date: Saturday, March 28th, 8:30am-12:30pm; lunch break 11am-11:30am
Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 259
Problem Solving Through Games Workshop Registration
Problem Solving Through Games Workshop Flyer
Canva for the Classroom: Simple Templates, Real Classroom Uses
Catherine Stojanovich
Looking for simple ways to make classroom materials more engaging without spending hours designing them from scratch? Canva offers thousands of ready-made templates teachers can quickly personalize for everyday classroom use. In this session, we will explore the basics of Canva’s template library and how to find designs that work well for classroom materials. We will then look at creating slides for warm-ups, editing PDFs, designing classroom posters, and creating templates for student projects, awards, or communication materials. The focus will be on adapting templates by adjusting text, colors, images, and layouts. Participants will explore templates, icons, images, and simple design tools within Canva. Teachers will leave with ready-to-use materials and ideas they can apply immediately. Best for K–12 educators with beginner to intermediate Canva experience.
Date: Saturday, March 28th, 9:30am-11:30am
Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 266
Canva for the Classroom Workshop Registration
Canva for the Classroom Workshop Flyer
Click, Create, Connect: Interactive Digital Notebooks with Canva & Google Slides
Deanna Przepiora and Jamie Mancuso-Dulak
What if your interactive notebooks could be engaging, organized, creative, and paperless? In this hands-on workshop, participants will design digital interactive notebooks using Canva and Google Slides. We will explore how to build a unit-based notebook and add interactive elements such as drag-and-drop activities, reflection pages, embedded practice, and visual note-taking layouts that support student engagement and ownership. Participants will have time to begin creating their own notebook and receive design feedback during the session. Teachers should come prepared with a unit and any materials they want to use. Strategies for implementation, organization, and supporting independent learning will also be shared. This workshop is best suited for upper elementary through high school teachers (Grades 4–12) across all subjects looking to increase engagement through digital design.
Date: Saturday, March 28th, 12pm-2pm
Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 266
Conference Ready: Proposal Writing and Workshop Crafting 101
Lisa Brosnick
You have something worth saying — so why aren't you on the conference stage yet? This session gives you the tools and confidence to submit that proposal and design a workshop educators will actually remember.
We will begin by examining what makes a conference proposal stand out, using real examples of accepted and rejected submissions. From there, we'll explore the anatomy of a compelling workshop — how to build an arc that engages adult learners and lands on a takeaway that sticks. We'll share winning workshop design elements and a peer feedback protocol to structure our work. We will conclude by drafting our own proposal language in real time and leaving with a polished working draft ready for submission.
This workshop is best for K–12 educators who are ready to take their expertise public — particularly those who have considered presenting at a regional, state, or national conference but haven't yet taken the leap.
Participants will leave with a working proposal draft, a repeatable framework for designing future workshops, and the clarity to know exactly what they bring to the professional learning conversation.
Conference Ready Workshop Registration
Conference Ready Workshop Flyer
Review Roundup
Join STANYS and the NYS Master Teacher Program as they host Review Roundup, a half‑day professional learning experience designed to support educators in preparing students for NYSSLS‑based assessments. This collaborative event brings together science teachers from across the region to share expertise, exchange strategies, and co‑create high‑quality instructional resources. This event is open to all teachers, free of cost!
9am-10am: Flexible Learning Sessions
Participants may choose one of the following formats based on their interests and needs:
- One 50‑minute deep‑dive session, offering a focused exploration of a single topic. Sessions include high school Chemistry, Physics, and Earth & Space Sciences Investigations, Literacy strategies, and using AI to create 3-D lessons.
- Two 20‑minute mini‑sessions, allowing teachers to sample multiple ideas, resources, and review approaches. Sessions include: NYSSLS101, using PLDs, Educator Guides & Course Maps, and the Cluster Format of NY Science assessments.
These sessions are led by Master Teachers and experienced STANYS educators, providing practical tools for classroom use.
10am-12pm: Collaborative Work Groups
For the remaining two hours, teachers will join course‑specific work groups (e.g., Life Science: Biology, Chemistry, Earth & Space Sciences, Physics, Middle Level Science, Elementary Science). In these collaborative sessions, participants will:
- Work with colleagues who teach the same course
- Develop and refine review materials
- Share classroom strategies for three‑dimensional learning and assessment
- Create resources aligned to the NYSSLS performance expectations and exam formats
Participants will leave with ready‑to‑use materials and a network of colleagues to support ongoing collaboration.
Professional Writing Workshop
Dr. Julie Henry and Dr. Michael Jabot
Are you interested in sharing your teaching ideas with a wider audience? The Western NY cohort is again hosting a writing program for NYS Master Teachers who want to publish their teaching ideas and experiences in professional journals. Interested teachers can work alone, with another Master Teacher or a college faculty co-author to generate topics and outlines for articles. Teachers who are ready to complete the writing process will be invited to the Professional Writing Workshop to write their articles and submit them for publication. This year’s writing coaches will be Dr. Julie Henry and Dr. Michael Jabot.
Date: July 13-16, 2026
Location: Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, NY 14731
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!
Dates: Wednesdays, April 8th and 22nd; 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Location: Buffalo State University, SAMC 259
AI Tools Minicourse Registration
Engineering Tomorrow EV Design Challenge
Engineering Tomorrow Engineers
Bring a group of high school students to Buffalo State on April 22 to experience the Engineering Tomorrow EV lab day. Pizza and soda will be provided.
In this lab, students are introduced to the history, development, and design features of electric vehicles. Students will learn how to build their own electric vehicle and gain an understanding of this burgeoning technology.
Date: Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026; 10am-1pm
Location: Buffalo State Student Union Social Hall
From Geometric Curves to Celestial Arcs: Contributions of Islam to Mathematics
Sara Rezvi, Ph.D.; Thurs, March 12; Virtual: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. ET
Join us for a special Ramadan رمضان edition of MƒA’s Thursday Think series featuring the mathematical contributions of scholars from the Islamic world, followed by an iftaar الإفطار (breaking of the fast) and dinner. In this talk, Dr. Sara Rezvi will highlight key intellectual traditions and contributions of Muslim mathematicians through the lenses of algebra الجبر (al-jabr), geometry, and astronomy. From cubic equations and conic sections to intersection curves and celestial arcs, she will explore the mathematical significance of architectural geometry, Islamic art, and scientific instrumentation. Throughout, Dr. Rezvi will invite teachers to consider how engaging with this content and with CRSE tools can support more inclusive classrooms and affirm students’ mathematical identities, particularly for Muslim students.
Teach for Climate Justice: Building a Foundation With SEL
Tom Roderick and Elissa Teles Munoz; Tues, Mar 24; Virtual: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. ET
Do you want to incorporate climate justice curriculum into your classroom while also supporting your students' social-emotional learning (SEL)? In this webinar, educators and activists Elissa Teles Munoz and Tom Roderick will guide teachers through tools from Roderick’s award-winning book Teach for Climate Justice: A Vision for Transforming Education. Tom and Elissa will share how building a “beloved community, a place where people take responsibility for each other’s thriving,” can serve as the foundation for climate justice education. Teachers will explore a climate justice framework and adaptable SEL activities and tools from the Teach for Climate Justice website, the Climate Emotions Toolkit for Educators, and the Mental Health Teacher Guide. Teachers will leave with new strategies to strengthen their classroom community, foster group solidarity, and support students in taking action to care for one another and build a just and sustainable future.
Math Therapy: Understanding and Overcoming Math Trauma
Vanessa Vakharia; Thurs, Apr 23; Virtual: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. ET
Mathematics anxiety is deeply embedded in American culture, with the phrase “I’m not a math person” heard repeatedly in STEM classrooms across the country. But when someone says they are "not a math person," it is often rooted in more than anxiety and indicative of unresolved math trauma. In this talk, Vanessa Vakharia will explore why mathematics frightens so many students and how educators can transform this fear into courage, curiosity, and even passion. She will present the 5 M’s of her “Math Therapy” framework that specifically address the dynamics of fear and how it manifests in mathematics classrooms. Rather than relying on common, temporary solutions, these tools aim to help students truly overcome their fears. Teachers will leave with practical, ready-to-use strategies to break the cycle of fear and avoidance, ultimately changing students' lives well beyond the classroom.
From Intention to Impact: Supporting Black Students’ Success in Mathematics
Lateefah Id-Deen, Ph.D.; Mon, May 11; Virtual: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. ET
Despite decades of equity-focused reform, many Black students continue to experience mathematics classrooms as spaces where they are overlooked, misunderstood, or unsupported. These experiences are not typically the result of a single policy or overt act, but rather the outcome of everyday instructional practices, mindsets, and reflective questions about Black students’ participation. Drawing on classroom-based research and the perspectives of Black students, Dr. Lateefah Id-Deen will situate mathematics teaching within a broader arc of educational justice that has shaped Black students’ access to rigorous and affirming mathematics learning experiences. Teachers will be invited to discuss how well-intentioned teaching practices can either constrain or expand Black students’ opportunities to participate, be challenged, and recognized as capable learners. We will create space for reflection on what it means to support the success of Black students in mathematics classrooms and the responsibility educators carry in shaping those experiences.
Bats and the Biodiversity Crisis: Extinction and Resilience
Angelo Soto-Centeno, Ph.D.;Thurs, May 14; Virtual: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. ET
With ~1,500 species, bats are one of the most diverse mammalian groups on the planet! Found on every continent except Antarctica, their habitats span nearly every ecosystem from islands to forests to urban environments. But bat populations, like most other species, are on the decline. In this talk, Dr. Angelo Soto-Centeno will explore the drivers of species loss (and survival) through the lens of bats, including habitat fragmentation, climate change, and human impact. With a special focus on bats from the Caribbean and NYC, he will zoom into the factors, both natural and anthropogenic, that contribute to bat diversity and provide insights into the mechanisms that shape species resilience.