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K12 Teaching Webinars & Workshops

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The Center for Critical Thinking and Creativity is pleased to offer free professional development to P12 teachers. This online webinar and in-person workshop series focuses on a wide range of teaching strategies and support for teachers at all levels of education. All webinars are posted on the College of Education's YouTube Channel and are freely available to all. Please register for a workshop. We will send you a reminder email before the workshop.


Upcoming
Empowering At-Risk Readers: New Screeners and Helpful Next Steps This workshop is designed to support teachers with practical next steps to support young, at-risk readers. Learn more about the new reading screeners now required for grades K-2 in California and discover practical, research-based strategies to help striving readers thrive. Participants will gain insights needed to identify challenges early, implement research-based interventions, and make a lasting impact on their students' literacy journey. Whether you're preparing to enter the classroom or looking to enhance your current practice, this workshop offers valuable takeaways to empower every young learner. Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026 Time: 9:00-11:30 AM Location: In-person CSUF Campus, EC-024 Presenters: Joanne Chapman and Carla Salcido	Register
Hands-on Phonics Fun Workshop Presenter: Dr. Joyce Gomez Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 9-11 AM (in person) Targeted grades: PK-2 Hands-On Phonics Fun In this session, we unpack some of the steps to developing phonics lessons that promote learning and engagement. The session includes examples and interactive activities.	Register
Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction Presenter: Dr. Joyce Gomez Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 9-11 AM (in person) Targeted grades: PK-2 How can teachers create intentional curricular opportunities to leverage students’ intersectional social identities as part of their reading and literacy instruction? In this session, we explore culturally responsive and sustaining approaches to literacy and reading instruction that not only target skills and standards, but also empower students to draw from their unique perspectives and experiences to amplify their voices. From explorations of picture books to music and art, this session includes examples and engagement with learning materials and experiences you can utilize in your classroom.	Register
Cultivating Reading Comprehension Through Engaging Text Instructor: Dr. Joyce Gomez, [email protected] Saturday, November 14th from 9-11 AM Location: CSUF Campus, in person Targeted grades: PK-4 Cultivating Reading Comprehension Through Engaging Text Set the stage for fostering curiosity and the joy of reading! Explore theoretical and pedagogical approaches to cultivating reading comprehension using culturally relevant text. Consider ways to scaffold instruction and generate collaborative dialogue among multilingual learners. In this hands-on session, we will explore specific strategies and resources you can use in your classroom right away.	Register
Utilizing Technology Tools to Support Literacy Instruction: Part I Join the CSUF Reading Center directors as they share innovative ways to enhance your literacy instruction using various free education technology tools. In this engaging workshop, you'll explore how to integrate AI tools, readability platforms, and other technology resources to support and inspire young readers in grades K-8. Whether you're a new teacher eager to embrace technology or a seasoned educator looking to refresh your approach, you'll gain practical strategies to make reading instruction more effective, personalized, and engaging for all learners. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your teaching and empower your students! You are welcome to attend one or both workshops. Date: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026 Time: 9:00-11:00 AM Location: In-person CSUF Campus, EC-024 Presenters: Joanne Chapman and Carla Salcido	Register
Workshop Title: Wonder in Every Stroke: Integrating Art with STEM and Stories Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026 Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Audience: Elementary Teachers, Grades K–5 Presenter: Dr. Sangeetha Carmona and Dr. Kelly Meyers-Wagner This session explores how play supports attention, memory, meaning-making, collaboration, and student engagement. Through painting, drawing, journaling, storytelling, creative design, and board games, participants will experience playful strategies that can be intentionally adapted across grade levels and subject areas. Together, we will examine how playful learning can create more welcoming, connected, and imaginative classroom spaces while still supporting meaningful academic goals. Participants will leave with practical ideas, completed creative projects, giveaways, and inspiration for designing learning experiences that are joyful, reflective, and deeply engaging. If you have questions about this workshop, please contact [email protected]	Register
Planning for Your First Classroom (New Teacher Workshop) Are you a new teacher? Preparing for the first week of a new school year can be a daunting task. We are pleased to offer this workshop designed for new teachers to support you in your new career as you prepare for your students and classroom plans. This workshop has concluded. However, if you are a new teacher and are interested in this workshop, please email us. We will schedule another session.	Register
Utilizing Technology Tools to Support Literacy Instruction: Part 2 Join the CSUF Reading Center directors as they share innovative ways to enhance your literacy instruction using various free education technology tools. In this engaging workshop, you'll explore how to integrate AI tools, readability platforms, and other technology resources to support and inspire young readers in grades K-8. Whether you're a new teacher eager to embrace technology or a seasoned educator looking to refresh your approach, you'll gain practical strategies to make reading instruction more effective, personalized, and engaging for all learners. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your teaching and empower your students! Note: Part 1 is not a requirement for Part 2 attendance Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026 Time: 9:00-11:00 AM Location: In-person CSUF Campus, EC-024 Presenters: Joanne Chapman and Carla Salcido	Register
Step Into the Story: Boosting Comprehension Through Play & Perspective Teach essential early listening and reading comprehension skills through play-based, developmentally appropriate perspective-taking. In this interactive PK–3 workshop, you'll engage in character play, exchange ideas with workshop participants, and leave with ready-to-use, hands-on classroom materials. Date: Saturday, December 5, 2026 Time: 9:00-11:00AM Location: In-person CSUF Campus Presenters: Rosie Ordonez-Jasis	Register
Strategies to Empower Young Authors Instructor: Dr. Joyce Gomez, [email protected] Saturday, December 12 from 9-11 AM Location: CSUF Campus, in person Targeted grades: PK-4 Strategies to Empower Young Authors How can we help young students see themselves as confident and capable writers? This interactive workshop will explore practical, engaging strategies for teaching writing in the elementary classroom. Participants will learn ways to build a strong writing community, support students in generating ideas, and scaffold the writing process.	Register


Past events
Learning journals in the classroom, increasing depth and complexity This webinar is designed for teachers in K-5 grades. We will provide you with an introduction to creativity as a tool for increased engagement and learning through the process of learning journals.	Recording
New Literacies: Critical Literacy Skills for an Ever-Shifting World Participants will explore how literacy skills are being redefined in our technologically rich world. And yes, AI will be part of the session!	Recording
Humanizing Our Teaching by Adopting a Mentoring Stance When Offering Feedback to Student Writers During the workshop, teachers will learn new strategies to enrich their repertoire of knowledge and strategies related to responding to students’ writing. (Grades 6-12).	Recording
Amplifying Newcomer and Emergent Plurilingual Students' Voices: Engaging Students as Researchers and Policymakers In this webinar, we examine ways to engage culturally and linguistically diverse newcomer and emergent plurilingual students in re-envisioning classrooms as sites of authentic co-learning, collective agency, and transformative justice. Throughout, we'll explore strategies for embracing and expanding students' linguistic repertoires, drawing upon students' insider knowledge and lived experiences, and amplifying students' voices within and beyond their classroom, school, and community.	Recording
Augmented Reality and Google Translate: Lesson Plan Ideas for Elementary Teachers This webinar provides an overview of augmented reality and lesson plan ideas for teachers who are interested in integrating Google Translate into their teaching. It is for teachers who are new to using AR in the classroom and eager to begin the integration process.	Recording
Augmented Reality and Measure App: Lesson Plan Ideas for Elementary Teachers This webinar provides an overview of augmented reality and lesson plan ideas for teachers who are interested in integrating the Measure App into their teaching. It is for teachers who are new to using AR in the classroom and eager to begin the integration process.	Recording
Support for Seeking Post-Graduate Studies as a K-12 Teacher Dr. Diaz shares a pathway for K12 teachers who are interested in pursuing a doctoral degree to advance their education.	Recording
Providing Helpful Feedback to Student Writers This session focuses on time-saving approaches to providing students with helpful feedback on their writing, including the ethical use of AI as a tool for providing formative feedback to student writers.	Recording
Addressing Big Behaviors: Support for Oppositional Defiance Disorder Students with Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or who have similar characteristics, present unique challenges within the classroom for teaching and learning interactions. In this webinar, you will learn more about ODD and what strategies are most effective to increase learning and prosocial engagement. You’ll feel empowered with your new knowledge.	Recording
Selecting and Navigating Textbooks and Multimedia Materials	Recording
Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction for K-6 Teachers	Recording
Artificial Intelligence Resources and Creating Lesson Plans This webinar explores two AI resources: Teachology and ChatGPT to create lesson plans and assessment rubrics. Using AI is an effective way to draft a lesson plan that could be shared with substitutes to support learning. AI is a new technology and requires editing and revisions to the new content.	Recording
What's New with Expository Reading and Writing	Recording
Social Emotional Learning: Coaching It Starts with You! Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3	Recording1 Recording2 Recording3
The P.O.W.E.R. of Process Writing in Content Area Classrooms Presenter: Dr. Chris Street Participants will explore how to use various writing to learn techniques that are quick and easy to assess.	Recording
Understanding the Function of Problem Behaviors Presenter: Dr. Barnett Participants will explore a function-based approach to identifying problem behaviors and learn to develop strategies for pro-social replacement behaviors.	Recording
New Literacies: Critical literacy skills for an ever-shifting world Presenter: Dr. Chris Street Participants will explore how literacy skills are being redefined in our technologically rich world.	Recording
An Introduction to Understanding Diverse Learning Styles	Recording
Hands-on Phonics Fun for Grades K-2	Recording
Adopting a Mentoring Stance When Offering Feedback to Student Writers During the workshop, teachers will learn new strategies to enrich their repertoire of knowledge and strategies related to responding to their students’ writing. (High School)	Recording
Social Emotional Learning Coaching in Special Education Participants will learn strategies to enact the role of an SEL "coach" to students with disabilities, providing routinized modeling, meaningful practice, and feedback that promotes growth.	Recording
Trauma Sensitive Teaching Strategies This session will review the impact of trauma on student behavior and learning. Participants will identify the physical and psychological characteristics of trauma and develop strategies to support a trauma-sensitive classroom.	Recording
Diverse Literacy Strategies for Diverse Learners: Common Sense Literacy Strategies for All Content Areas Join us to learn about literacy strategies that are designed to foster student engagement and promote critical thinking skills. You will leave the session feeling confident with many new strategies that are useful in a variety of content areas and grade levels ( Grades 4-12).	Recording
Positive Classroom Management Strategies Participants will review positive classroom management strategies based on an evidence-based PBIS (Positive Behavior Support and Intervention) framework, such as developing positive classroom-wide expectations, reinforcement strategies, and responding to problem behavior.	Recording
What's New with Expository Reading and Writing? The Expository Reading and Writing Course has been thriving for 20 years now. Come to this one-hour workshop to learn all about the new and exciting aspects of the third edition of the ERWC curriculum.	Recording
Early Writing Strategies to Support Young Authors (K-2) Consider the direct connection between reading and writing among young learners.	Recording
Meaningful Engagement with Fiction Text: Supporting Comprehension in the High School Context (9-12). This webinar is available on YouTube.	Recording
Writing Instruction in the High School Context: Support for Adolescent Authors (Grades 9-12). This webinar is available on YouTube.	Recording
Restorative Practices in the Classroom Participants will review and practice strategies for restorative practice in the classroom, such as Affective Statements and Questions, Informal Restorative Conferences, and Community Circles.	Recording
Literacy Strategies to Engage Learners Participants will examine approaches to literacy and reading assessment and intervention/instruction that are anchored in just, equitable, and inclusive principles.	Recording
Proud to be “YOU” Social Emotional Learning and Social Media Participants will practice hands-on three effective classroom strategies that can be used the very next day to build their students' skills in digital wellness through community building and empowering individual voices.	Recording
Standards-Based Math Instruction for Grades K-6	Recording
Fundamentals of Guided Reading (K-5) Presenter: Dr. Joyce Gomez-Najarro [email protected]	Recording
Data Driven Instructional Support in the High School Context (9-12 grades) Presenter: Dr. Joyce Gomez-Najarro	Recording
Promoting Student Growth with HyperRubrics Create clarity of expectations for student projects. This workshop will help educators differentiate instruction through individualized rubrics that serve as a guide for student learning. Students can self-assess to work towards subject mastery.	Recording
Podcast Like a Pro: Students and Educators When individuals know their work will be made public, they create a higher-quality product. Learn how to write a script, produce, record, edit, publish, and create authenticity. All this can be done with no studio or extra equipment.	Recording
Critical Thinking and Writing Skills for High School Students Join us for this engaging and interactive session to learn more about strategies to support the writing process. We will focus on a wide range of literacy activities that can be completed by high school students.	Recording
Social Emotional Learning Coaching in Special Education Participants will learn strategies to enact the role of an SEL "coach" to students with disabilities, providing routinized modeling, meaningful practice, and feedback that promotes growth.	Recording
Literacy Strategies to Engage Learners Participants will examine approaches to literacy and reading assessment and intervention/instruction that are anchored in just, equitable, and inclusive principles.	Recording
Literacy for Early Childhood Education	Recording
Independent Literacy Activities to Support Struggling Readers Teachers will learn how to create engaging and content-rich independent literacy activities that are effective with elementary-level students in Tier 2 or Tier 3 levels of Response to Intervention. Activities shared will incorporate sensory experiences, technology, and partner practice.	Recording
Building a Class Library That Reflects Your Students Building a class library that is representative of your students’ identities helps students feel more connected to your classroom, literature, learning content, and the school as a whole. Students achieve greater academic gains when they recognize themselves in book characters and topics. In this webinar, several book recommendations will be shared, along with engaging learning activities to go along with a selection of the books.	Recording
Creating an Author's Corner in Your Classroom Participants will learn how to design a diverse “Author’s Corner” in their classroom, which highlights different authors and provides in-depth engagement in the authors’ published works as well as their background. Several examples will be shared along with related learning activities.	Recording
An Introduction to Project-Based Learning: Making PBL Manageable and Starting Small	Recording
Building Literacy Skills through Art Exploration	Recording
Supporting Relationship Building Skills	Recording
SEL Activities for Early Childhood Special Education	Recording
Making Reading Fun!	Recording
What is embedded instruction? Join us and find out more!	Recording
Teaching Practices That Help Introverted Students Thrive Introverted students have so much to offer, but many of the common practices in our schools are centered around the needs of extroverted students. In this workshop, you will learn some simple practices to create a rich learning environment where everyone can thrive.	Recording
Sensitive Children: The Hidden Gems in Our Schools Did you know that high sensitivity is a normal genetic trait present at birth in 20% of the population? And did you know that sensitive people are often creative, empathetic, highly attuned, and very intelligent? Sensitive children have so much potential, but they are very susceptible to their environments, for better or worse. In the right setting, they shine! But too much overwhelm, and they may shut down – for years. In this workshop, you will learn more about high sensitivity and how to help sensitive children thrive in a world that often feels too loud.	Recording
Shaming in Schools: How to Interrupt A Harmful Common Practice Presenter: Dr. Row Shaming as a disciplinary tool in schools comes in many different forms, all of which do more harm than good. And it can be especially harmful to quiet or sensitive students who tend to internalize shame in a way that interrupts their ability to learn. Shame in schools is so common and often very subtle that it can be hard to even recognize. This workshop aims to shine a light on common shaming practices and provide tools for developing healthier and more effective ways to connect with students.	Recording
Inspiring Quiet Leaders Presenter: Dr. Row Just because a student is quiet doesn’t mean they can’t be effective leaders. Quite the opposite! Some of our most respected leaders throughout history were/are introverts who learned to use their quiet nature as an advantage in developing impactful leadership skills. In this workshop, you will learn how to provide opportunities in your classroom that allow all students the opportunity to find their voice and lead.	Recording
Writing Effective IEP Goals Presenter: Jennifer Taberski	Recording
Successful IEP Meetings Presenter: Jennifer Taberski	Recording
Encouraging Student Participation in IEP Meetings Presenter: Rosalinda Larios	Recording
Strategies that Support Students with Special Needs Presenter: Dr. Pierson Grades: K-12	Recording
Online Teaching Webinar: Humanizing Online Teaching Presenter: Ms. O'Neill Grades: K-12	Recording
Creating Clarity in Virtual Teaching Presenter: Dr. Row Grades: K-12	Recording
Active Engagement for the Literacy Rich Classroom Presenter: Dr. Pierson Grades: K-12	Recording
Disrupting Math Inequities Presenter: Dr. Brye Grades: K-6	Recording
Using Flipgrid as an Assessment Tool Presenter: Ms.Nigro Grades: K-6	Recording
Resources for Collaboration and Accountability in Online Environments Presenter: Dr. Ylagan-Nicanor Grades: K-6	Recording
Engaging P6 Students in Online Learning Environments Presenter: Dr. Gonzalez Grades: K-3	Recording
Nutrition Education: Why it Matters and How to Make it Work in Distance Learning Presenter: Pheobe Peterson, Daily Council of California Grades: K-12	Recording
Active Engagement for the Literacy-Rich Classroom Presenter: Dr. Pierson Grades: K-6	Recording
Make Learning Fun! Virtual Learning Ideas Presenter: Dr. Pierson Grades: K-6	Recording
Special Education High Leverage Practices: Practical Ideas for Instruction Presenter: Dr. Tiffany Row Grades: K-12	Recording
Make It Meaningful: Virtual Instruction that doesn't feel like busy work Presenter: Dr. Row Grades K-12	Recording
Building Authentic Connections with Students Presenter: Dr. Row Grades K-12	Recording
Backwards Design Strategies Presenter: Ms. O'Neill Grades K-12	Recording
Creating Deeper Discussions in Online Sessions Presenter: Dr. Street Grades 7-12	Recording
Rehumanizing Online Teaching Presenter: Ms. O'Neill Grades K-12	Recording
Growing Young Scientists with Online Teaching Strategies Presenter: Dr. Cox-Peterson Grades K-2	Recording
Strategies to Teach Writing Skills Online Presenter: Dr. Street Grades 7th - 12th	Recording
NGSS, Local Habitats, and Online Teaching Strategies Presenter: Dr. Cox-Peterson Grades 3rd - 6th	Recording
Incorporating Films to Teach Literature Online Presenter: Dr. Ambracetti Grades 7th- 12th	Recording
Reaching Struggling Learners Virtually through High Leverage Practices Presenter: Dr. Row Grades P-12	Recording
NGSS, Decomposition/Chemistry and Online Instruction Presenter: Dr. Cox-Peterson Grades 6th - 8th	Recording
Creating Clarity in Virtual Teaching Students Learn More and Stress Less Presenter: Dr. Row Grades P-12	Recording
Teaching Literacy in a Remote Learning Context Presenter: Dr. Gomez-Najarro Grades K-5	Recording
Free Apps for Educators Teaching Online Presenter: Ms. O'Neill Grades: P-12	Recording