Summer Teacher Institutes and National Oratory Fellows--Applications Close March 17, 2025
Ford’s Education offers immersive professional development programs for teachers. We value the wealth of knowledge teachers bring to the table and foster an atmosphere of sharing and collaboration. Our programs are robust, thought-provoking and hands on, so that teachers can translate what is learned at Ford’s, into tools for the classroom.
- The Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Civil War Washington The city of Washington was a complex, gritty, unfinished and precarious place during the Civil War. In this week-long institute, connect with peers to illuminate new perspectives and under-told stories, explore historic sites and collect a wealth of resources. July 6-11, 2025
- Set in Stone: Civil War Memory, Monuments and Myths Examine how people have sculpted the narrative of United States History through monuments and memorials in our nation’s capital. In this week-long institute, gain tools to help students grapple with histories whose legacies matter today. July 20-25, 2025
- National Oratory Fellows This multi-year transformative program empowers teachers to cultivate critical thinkers, equipping students with tools to navigate both the classroom and the broader world. This arts-integrated program incorporates theatre techniques, encourages civic discourse, promotes open classroom communication, and supports student facilitated discussions, debates and presentations. Begins July 31, 2025
ISTE New Ideas Submission Open Until March 14
The New Ideas submission just opened. You are invited to submit a proposal for an Ignite Talk, Model Classroom Experience, or submit an artistic piece for the Creators’ Fiesta Gallery. Submit by Sunday, March 14th!
Mote 2.0 is here! Your Mote Unlimited subscription now includes Read Aloud & Translation
Your Mote experience just got a major upgrade...
Big news! Mote 2.0 is here with powerful new features designed to help eliminate barriers to reading and learning.
Our biggest ever product update includes:
- Read Aloud: text-to-speech with human-like voices on any web page.
- Enhanced Translation: convert text and voice notes across 50+ languages
- Sidebar: a new way of interacting with the Mote extension
Watch our announcement to see these features in action:
Want to learn more? Watch a recording of our launch webinar, linked below.
We have been piloting these new features with educators and students over recent months, and the feedback we have received has been incredibly encouraging.
We hope that you love these new additions to Mote, and that you're excited to continue your learning journey with us.
ALSO, Mote now supports single sign-in with ClassLink. Teachers and students can now access Mote as an app within ClassLink, or go to the Mote log-in page and click on ClassLink to log-in.
Padlet Releases FREE (for now) AI-powered Assistant for Educators (in Beta)
Key features:
- A complete suite of classroom content tools (lesson plans, presentations, curriculum, worksheets)
- Specialized content generators (short stories, decodable texts, procedural writing)
- Practical widgets (QR codes, AI images, short links)
- Available in 40+ languages with direct export to Google Docs
- Easy sharing of prompts and outputs via link
- Access your prompt history if logged in with your Padlet account - or access without logging in
You can check it out at teachingassistant.com.
Sign up for BrainPOP’s Sneak Peek for Teachers
Awakening Student Agency Through a Pedagogy of Choice Webinar
Cult of Pedagogy’s Jennifer Gonzalez joins Street Data author Shane Safir, and educational leaders Marlo Bagsik, Dr. Sawsan Jaber, and Crystal M. Watson on May 21 at 4pm PT/7pm EST as they unveil their forthcoming book, Pedagogies of Voice: Street Data and the Path to Student Agency (Corwin, July 2025). Through rich dialogue and public reflection, the authors will:
- Unpack the Student Agency framework, expressed through the domains of Identity, Belonging, Inquiry and Efficacy
- Explore 8 concrete pedagogical approaches that awaken student voice
- Share the story behind this book and what gives it a “special sauce”
- Inspire you to design dynamic, agentic learning experiences for the learners you serve
Seesaw Webinars and Symposium 2025 Save the Date
WEBINARS
- Empowering Multilingual Learners: Tools & Strategies for Growth Thursday, February 27, 2025 · 11:00 AM MST
- How to Foster Family Relationships that Drive Academic Growth Tuesday, March 11, 2025 · 3:30 PM MDT
- When Families Engage, Students Excel: Building Successful Home-School Partnerships Wednesday, March 19, 2025 · 11:00 AM MDT
Seesaw Symposium 2025
Save the Date!
May 20, 2025, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM EST
Join us virtually at the Seesaw Symposium 2025—an essential event for school and district leaders. Experience expert-led keynotes, interactive workshops, and dynamic panel discussions packed with actionable strategies and cutting-edge tools to elevate student engagement, accessibility, and achievement. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and lead with impact!
More Resources and Newsletter Templates from Smore!
Spring is in the air, and with it comes a season of growth, excitement, and—let’s be real—some much-needed energy boosts for educators everywhere! 🌷✨ March is packed with opportunities to engage students, celebrate history, and bring fresh ideas into the classroom. And guess what? We’ve got Smore templates to make it all effortless for you.
From Women’s History Month to Read Across America to good ol’ St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans, let’s dive into this month’s top picks for keeping your students engaged and your families in the know.
EdWeek Top School Jobs
Looking for a job, resources to help you find a job and more?
Look no further than EdWeek TopSchoolJobs!
Creative Funding Solutions for Schools and Districts Webinar from EduMatch on March 12
School budgets are shifting—but funding for PD is still available! The challenge? Many districts don’t know where to find it.
Join EduMatch’s free webinar on March 12 at 3pm eastern to learn how districts are securing funding for professional learning and making strategic investments in educator growth.
Save your seat: http://bit.ly/4aUKizq
Classroom Tools That Use AI
Pear Deck: Host Your Own Training Session
Want to bring more Pear Deck Learning to your school? Host a Share the Pear session for Pear Deck, Pear Assessment, or Pear Practice, and get everything you need (including swag) to help your fellow educators grow their skills!
For the Love of Lit ❤️
Introduce a Fresh Take on Language Arts & Literature with It's Lit! (6-12)
Is Dune the most important sci-fi series ever? Should fanfiction be taken seriously? And how in the world do you write a bestseller? Answer all these questions and more with your students using this smart, funny video series! You’ll dive into popular literature topics that will get even the most resistant readers talking about the “prose” and cons of their favorite books.
Educator Tip: Check out One Minute Lit for quick, student-led book reviews!
Reimagine the American Canon (9-12)
It’s time to disrupt the traditional notions of the American Canon! Expand traditional narratives about American history and culture with resources that introduce more ethnically and culturally diverse American writers into your classroom. From the power of Toni Morrison’s Beloved to the spine-tingling horrors of the “The Tell-Tale Heart,” use this collection to encourage your students to reflect on the pieces of work that have changed the ways we think about literature and storytelling.
Blast to the Past with Reading Rainbow Stories (K-5)
Do you remember the popular PBS series Reading Rainbow? Join your students on the show's next iteration as they watch and listen to stories that will spark their creativity, encourage exploration of world cultures, and cultivate community! Featuring clips with original host Levar Burton, these snappy videos provide early learners with opportunities to engage deeply alongside accompanying activities, discussion questions, creative art projects, and writing prompts.
Explore More PBS LearningMedia Resources
- Introduce Your Students to 100 of America’s Best-Loved Novels (3-12)
- Did You Know These Popular Words Were Invented by Authors? (6-12)
- Literary Elements and Techniques 101 (3-12)
- Learn About Zora Neale Hurston | Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (K-2)
- Lesson Plan: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (6-12)
- Join Super Why! for a Retelling of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" (PreK-K)
- HOW and WHY We Read with John Green (9-12)
Meet Trailblazing Women Who Changed History
Celebrate Women's History Month with Unladylike2020
Introduce your students to this rich collection that features the stories of several trailblazing women from the Progressive Era! Created to honor the centennial of women’s suffrage, this timeless collection highlights the unsung heroines who shaped history.
From Jeanette Rankin, the first woman in history to be elected to the U.S. Congress, to Maggie Lena Walker, the first African American woman to found a bank in the United States, these incredible women — diverse in profession, race, geographical, and class backgrounds — broke barriers in previously male-dominated fields such as science, business, exploration, and the arts.
Teach the Women's Suffrage Movement
Explore the inspiring journey of women’s suffrage with this collection highlights pivotal figures like Sojourner Truth, Carrie Chapman Catt, and Grace Abbott, as well as key regional movements in the decades-long fight for voting rights. Dive into primary source documents that trace the movement's evolution, which culminated in the historic ratification of the 19th Amendment, and discover the groundbreaking strategies that fueled the largest expansion of women's voting rights in U.S. history.
Feature Fearless Female Scientists in Your Classroom
Who is the most famous scientist your students know? Is it Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein? If your students can name only male scientists, use this video to introduce your students to the fearless females — such as Marie Curie, Marie Tharp, and Jane Goodall — who have made scientific discoveries with lasting impact!
Meet the Notorious Women of Piracy
Why is the woman pirate Zheng Yi Sao not as well known as the male pirate Blackbeard? Zheng Yi Sao had a fleet of 1,200 ships at the height of her powers, whereas Blackbeard had just four or five. Join us as we set sail on the high seas and explore the incredible and unsung stories of history’s most notorious women pirates.
Explore More PBS LearningMedia Resources
- Printable: Make a Marie Curie Reader (1-2)
- Meet Electa Quinney: Mohican Teacher and Mentor (3-8)
- Fly Girls: Women in Aerospace (3-8)
- Meet Women Who Defied Expectations with Rebel Girls (6-12)
- Explore Alaska Native History with Molly and Elizabeth (K-2)
- Shirley Chisholm Was a Trailblazer for Change (6-12)
- Learn About Juliette Gordon Low and the Birth of the Girl Scouts (6-12)
Monticello Teacher Institute (MTI) Applications Due April 1
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation is proud to offer the Monticello Teacher Institute (MTI), an immersive professional development program that provides social studies teachers the opportunity to research and study at Monticello and the Jefferson Library in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Global Hour of Code Invitation
Attention Educators Everywhere!
Join a Global Movement: Connect Your Students Worldwide!
Are you ready to provide your students with an incredible opportunity to learn and grow alongside peers from around the globe? Help us spread the word about this unique initiative designed to bring classrooms together.
Join us for a Global Hour of Code, a FREE week long Coding event with students in Nigeria.
✅In person (Nigeria) & Virtual Asynchrnous (respect to time zones )
✅Differentiated instruction/ resources ️
✅Perfect for beginners—no coding experience needed!
Interest Form https://bit.ly/GlobalHoC
Educator Alexander Consulting Provides FREE Google Training for Your District Through Google's EPSO
You may be wondering what districts are eligible and how to redeem this offer?
To learn more about the offer, check out this one-pager or this site. Still undecided? Review the quantifiable benefits and cost savings enabled by Education Plus here.
Eligibility Requirements:
Customers purchasing Education Plus for the first time
Customers upgrading to Education Plus who did not own Education Plus licenses as of Jan 1, 2024
Transition renewals moving from legacy G Suite Enterprise for Education on a price lock (purchased in 2020) to Education Plus
How it works
Purchase Education Plus licenses for your full domain
500 license minimum
Choose your services by filling out this form
Select PD and/or IT services. Learn more about each here: goo.gle/education-plus-offer
Within 30 days of receiving email approval from Google, connect with Educator Alexander Consulting to schedule your services.
Services do not have to be redeemed within 30 days, just scheduled / on the calendar
EDUCATOR ALEXANDER CONSULTING is an approved provider for these services! Choose us and we can provide your FREE training!
TCEA TECH BLOG GOODIES
Reviving Commonplace Books to Promote Lifelong Learning in Modern Classrooms
Free Tools and AI Resources to Support Social-Emotional Learning
Spectrum of History Learning with the PRISM Framework
Seven Ways to Celebrate Read Across America Day 2025
Creative Book Report Alternatives to Transform Your Classroom
Scaffolded Learning with Concept Mapping
Four Steps to Save Time and Engage Students with Peer Review
Educators Can Get Office 365 for FREE
A Couple More Google Updates
To Stay Updated, Watch ALL Here or Teaching for Tomorrow: Exploring AI in the Classroom
Introducing Class tools: a streamlined way for educators to manage Chromebooks
Class tools is a new set of real-time control and student engagement features for managed Chromebooks, available with Google Workspace for Education Plus. With Class tools, educators can create digital workbooks, and share and pin content to students' screens to engage in real time. Educators can share lesson content directly to students with just one click. They can also easily check in on students’ progress by remotely viewing their screen and share student work with the entire class. Plus, they can display live translated captions for multilingual learners — or turn on captions for students who want extra help focusing in a noisy environment.For Safer Internet Day 2025, learn about Google for Education's work with educators, families, and students to navigate the age of AI, media literacy, and wellbeing. Read the blog post to discover how we can all partner to build safer and more enriching digital learning experiences.
New virtual event series: Edu on Air
Sign up today to hear from Google for Education product experts, partners and your peers - every month! We'll be hosting online sessions on the latest advancements in Google for Education, including the latest with Gemini AI, NotebookLM, Chromebooks, Google Workspace for Education, and Classroom to help make learning more personal and differentiation more achievable.
Report: Changing Learning. Changing Lives.
Dr. Fiona Aubrey-Smith released an exciting update to the LEO PedTech Impact Report in the UK, reflecting on the impact of using digital technology to support learning. Read her report: "Changing Learning, Changing Lives. The Next Chapter". It measures key sustainability measures, scalability and the impact of AI.
The Gemini app and Gemini Advanced are now using Gemini 2.0 Flash
The Gemini app and Gemini Advanced are now using Gemini 2.0 Flash, our new AI model for the agentic era. Gemini 2.0 Flash builds on the success of 1.5 Flash, with enhanced performance at similarly fast response times. Notably, 2.0 Flash even outperforms 1.5 Pro on key benchmarks, at twice the speed, and comes with new capabilities.
New admin controls and visibility in the Gemini app
Google Vault now supports the Gemini app on web and mobile. Admins can now use Vault for eDiscovery tasks to search Gemini app conversations and create an export of your search results.
Please re-confirm access to Additional Google Services for users under 18.
Admins have until March 2025 to complete their re-confirmation for additional Google services for users under 18. After March 2025, for any additional Google service that you have not re-confirmed access to, users designated as under 18 can no longer use that service with their Google Workspace for Education account. Review this help center article to guide you with reviewing and re-confirming Additional Services, which also includes step by step instructional video.
See progress on student phonics skills in Classroom
When you assign a decodable book within Read Along in Google Classroom, you'll now see phonics skills insights at the class and student-level. Just click on the assignment within the Gradebook, then click on "Class insights."
Canva now available through Google App Licensing
Our integration with Canva is now available through Google App Licensing. Educational institutions can deploy creative tools across their districts with just a few clicks through Google Workspace - reducing time from weeks to minutes.
Educator Resources
Want to make a real difference in how technology is used in your school? Become a Google for Education Certified Coach! We provide a structured, year-long curriculum and research-based coaching model to help you empower teachers to use technology effectively. As a certified coach, you'll work one-on-one with teachers to find and implement technology solutions that address classroom challenges.
Dr. Desiree Alexander, Educator Alexander Consulting
Dr. Desiree Alexander is an award-winning, multi-degreed educator, speaker, and author who has been in the educational field since 2002. She is the Founder CEO of Educator Alexander Consulting, LLC and the Deputy Director for the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana. She consults with members of several schools/businesses and presents at conferences globally.
Dr. Alexander is lifetime certified in Louisiana in Secondary English Education, as a Reading Specialist, as a School Librarian, as an Educational Technology Facilitator, as an Educational Technology Leader and in Educational Leadership 1. She is certified in Texas as a Principal, in English Language Arts and Reading for grades 4-8 and grades 8-12, as a Reading Specialist for grades EC-12, and as a School Librarian. She holds multiple technology certifications, including, but not limited to, IC3 certification, Google Certified Trainer, Innovator and Partner, Apple Teacher, and Microsoft Office Specialists.
She holds a Bachelor, a Master + 30, and an Education Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Louisiana State University, a Master of Library Science from Texas Woman’s University and a Master of Educational Leadership with a concentration in Educational Technology Leadership from Nicholls State University. She also holds a Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Educational Leadership from Lamar University.
She is the author of Ready to Be an Educational Leader: Your Guide for Passing the SLLA 6990, the 2024 Common Sense Education Ambassador of the Year, a 2024 Common Sense Ambassador of the Year, a 2024 Illinois Digital Educators Alliance Conference (IDEAcon) Thought Leader, 2023 Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators (LACUE) Conference Featured Speaker, 2022 & 2021 Texas Computer Education Association Conference (TCEA) Featured Thought Leader, 2020 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Featured Voice, 2020 Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) Featured Presenter, 2019 Customer Commitment Award Honoree from Better Business Bureau's (BBB) Torch Awards for Ethics, a 2019 Shreveport National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) Mover and Shaker, a 2017 Young Professional Initiative 40 Under 40 Awards Honoree, 2017 Center for Digital Education Top 30 Technologists, Transformers & Trailblazers, 2017 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Learning Media Digital Innovator for Louisiana, 2016 Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana Member of the Year, 2015 Librarian of the Year for Louisiana Librarian Association, 2015 Campus Teacher of the Year in the Zachary Community School District and 2014 Leader of the Year for Region 2 Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators.
Email: educatoralexander@gmail.com or desiree@educatoralexander.com
Website: https://www.educatoralexander.com
Phone: 318-759-7591
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