If you’re an average Jane or Joe Citizen in Kane County, you might not be hanging on the edge of your seat to find out what happened during #InstituteDay2016, which took place March 4 at locations throughout Kane County.

But if you’re a professional educator or the parent of a student in Kane County schools, you might care very much. If you have a child who’s been bullied, if you care about reading programs in public schools, if you want to know more about what’s happening in today’s classrooms or if you care about quality education and training for the professionals who teach your kids, you can find out more by searching the hashtag #InstituteDay2016 on social media.

Every spring, the Kane County Regional Office of Education is responsible for organizing a countywide Institute Day filled with workshops that educators can then incorporate back into the classroom. Not only do the topics range from STEM to practical strategies of co-teaching, but workshops emphasizing social and emotional learning such as bullying were also were available among the 32 offerings.

A packed auditorium at the Northern Illinois Food Bank for Dr. Steven Layne.

As the workshops differed, so did the presenters. Dr. Steven Layne, a professor, author and internationally renowned speaker, led a presentation on the positive impacts of reading aloud in classrooms. Twitter lit up with educators using the hashtag #DefendReadAloud echoing Dr. Layne’s sentiments; that when teachers read aloud, they create a model for children of how to make sense of a story.

“Hearing text read aloud is what takes our students from knowing how to read to loving how to read,” one participant noted.

Teachers learn meditation techniques from Dr. Katie Wick.

A new workshop introduced this year that was very popular was implementing mindfulness in meditation for high school and middle school levels as a group counseling technique. Katie Wick, meditation teacher of Prana Yoga Center in Geneva, taught more than 50 educators how to lead students through guided meditation and visualization to help with self-esteem, relationships, anxiety, depression, and overall well-being. Wick holds a Ph.D. in psychology and has been a school counselor for nine years.

The Institute Day discussions were held in a variety of venues. The Fine Line Creative Arts Center, for instance, a nonprofit located on 4 acres in a beautifully restored farmstead in St. Charles, offered art teachers a hands-on program to explore new techniques in paper, fiber, metal and glass. Participants left with artistic possibilities adaptable to any age level from elementary through high school.

Art teachers learn new techniques to bring back to their classroomsschool.

“Schools and school districts use professional development to ensure educators continue to strengthen their practice throughout their careers,” said Regional Superintendent Patricia Dal Santo. “The Kane County Regional Office of Education curates programs year-round to target important topics and protocols in our schools.”

Educators are legally required to attend workshops and academies in exchange for CPDU’s, continuing professional development units, to maintain their teaching license. Also offered by the ROE are endorsement courses in partnership with Aurora University. Middle school endorsement courses will be available in July this year at the ROE, including EDU 5440 Middle School Mission and Methods as well as EDU 5370 Adolescent Develop & Learn. Register and learn more by clicking on the links.

Are you interested in presenting at Teachers Institute Day 2017? Contact Kathy Lawson by email.

About the Kane County Regional Office of Education

Led by Regional Superintendent of Schools Patricia Dal Santo, The Kane County ROE is located in Geneva and serves nine school districts. From teacher licensure assistance to professional development, the ROE’s mission is to advocate for education, provide leadership and perform regulatory functions. Learn more about the ROE’s offerings on Facebook, Twitter and by signing up for the semimonthly newsletter.