2017 Alt+Shift Summer Institute Call for Proposals

CALL FOR PRESENTERS

Rethink Possibilities
2017 Alt+Shift Summer Institute

What if our students were more like us than we realize? How will we provide the education for our students that we ourselves would want? Alt+Shift seeks presenters, who are answering these questions in their schools and districts, to share their expertise in three formats.

Building on last year's format, where each presentation included an 18-minute TED-style talk and corresponding breakout session, this year will also include the Speaker Encounter Reception on Tuesday afternoon at the Hagerty Center from 4:00-6:00 p.m. At the reception, speakers and attendees will engage in free form conversations about the content, and speakers will provide an activity, resource, or discussion topic that will help participants begin to implement new practices immediately.

Alt+Shift seeks presenters to share their expertise in three formats:

18-minute TED-style talks
75-minute breakout sessions
Speaker Encounter Reception (contingent upon minimum number of participants)

Proposals should address topics that highlight ways educators are:

Integrating assistive technology in social and academic spheres
Providing high quality mathematics and literacy instruction to every student
Making communication a priority for students with complex communication needs
Increasing participation and engagement for every learner
Constructing district-wide systems that support accessible learning environments

The 2017 Alt+Shift Summer Institute: Rethink Possibilities will be held June 20-22 at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City.

Be a part of an event that caused these types of shifts in thinking at last year’s institute, in both general and special education professionals:

“We do need to remove barriers for all of our students and do the extra work that it takes to remove the barriers of learning for all of our student population.”

“It’s opened my eyes to more accommodations for students with special needs. As a general ed teacher, and the left brain thinking, I see things black and white, and it’s opened my eyes to be able to help those students a lot more.”

“[Teachers are] proactive instead of reactive in the classroom, always assessing where they’re students are at. Working together as a team. We’re building those partnerships where it’s just much more collaborative and our students are more engaged in the curriculum.”

“One of the big key ideas here was the collaborative piece, working with the different teachers and finding ways to overcome the same problems… anything new that was going to make their experience with those special ed students better.”

CALL FOR PROPOSALS DUE December 15, 2016
Direct questions to kate.fanelli@altshift.education

Institute Format
Tuesday: TED-style Talks in the morning followed by corresponding breakout sessions in the afternoon.
Wednesday/Thursday: 2-Day Institutes presented by invited speakers.

Who should submit proposals?
Educators (e.g. teachers, related services providers, consultants, coaches, parents, administrators, etc.) who had an idea and use it to effectively improve outcomes for students through (but not limited to):

Content-area instruction
Coaching
Assessments and accommodations
Personalizing student learning
Using data to improve teaching and learning
Engaging all students
Implementing and sustaining new initiatives
Supporting students with low-incidence disabilities
Supporting students with complex communication needs

Join the conversation and keep it going by submitting a speaker proposal.

Lead presenters receive lodging and complimentary registration for the 3-day institute; up to two (2) co-presenters receive free registration.