Workshop # 1: "Creating Cultures of Thinking"

The School of Education's UCI Writing Project presented the first of three 2018-2019 workshops focusing on "Research-Based Strategies to Enhance Learning for All Students", to 160 current and future Orange County educators. The workshops are part of a series of professional development opportunities offered to educators under the umbrella of UCI's newly-created Teacher Academy, sponsored by SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. 

The November 7th workshop, titled "Creating Cultures of Thinking", featured Ron Ritchhart, Senior Research Associate and Principal Investigator at Harvard Project Zero. During the 8:30 am to 2:30 pm workshop, teachers, administrators, and school leaders identified, explored, and discussed the cultural forces that are the keys to shaping and understanding group culture. 

Additional workshops are scheduled for January 23, 2019, featuring Jeff Zwiers, Senior Researcher at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, and March 21, 2019, presented by Aida Walqui, WestEd, and George C. Bunch, UC Santa Cruz Associate Professor of Education.

• January 23: "Communicating to Learn: Practices and Activities for Developing Academic Speaking, Listening, and Conversation Skills Across Disciplines (K-12)"
• March 21: "Amplifying the Curriculum: Designing Quality Learning Opportunities for English Learners"

Information for registering for future workshops and for the December 6th Annual Literacy Conference: http://writingproject.uci.edu/

The UCI Writing Project offers a range of professional development services including technical coaching, assistance, curriculum and assessment design, and professional development workshops ranging from keynote addresses and one day workshops to multiple year contracts with schools and districts in the area of literacy, with an emphasis on writing. Interested schools and districts should contact the UCI Writing Project Office at (949) 824-7842. The Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP) also offers professional development services in the areas of history mathematics, and reading and literature. Contact CFEP at (949) 824-7482.

The UCI Teacher Academy brings together expertise of the UCI Center for Educational Partnerships California Subject Matter Projects and the faculty and teacher educators in the School of Education to centralize and promote professional development for K12 teachers. Our aim is to create a context where teachers collaborate with colleagues, inspire one another to improve instructional practice, and lead others in transforming their instruction that will ultimately improve learning opportunities and academic outcomes for youth in Orange County schools.