Severn Hosts AIMS Professional Development Roundtables

In a one-two punch of professional development, faculty on both our Chesapeake and Teel Campuses hosted AIMS teachers for two days of professional learning and sharing. From topics like early learning maker spaces to cross-curricular teaching through the arts, these roundtable sessions allowed our teachers to both share expertise and learn new strategies from their peers, continuing our commitment to lifelong learning.

Day One: Lower School Birds of a Feather Sessions

Our Lower School faculty offered three sessions to discuss relevant topics in the changing world of early childhood education. 

  • Embracing the Maker Movement in the Early Childhood Classroom. Prekindergarten teachers Ms. Crystal Erskine and Ms. Chrisie Saunders along with technology teachers Mr. Sam Mendez and Ms. Vicki Dabrowka discussed the philosophy of being a maker, the design process, and how it aligns with developmentally appropriate practice for our youngest learners. 
  • Social Studies Session. Fourth grade teacher Ms. Karen Bennett led a discussion on how to teach firmly established, beloved content while, at the same time, opening ourselves up to evolving thought and broader global perspectives.
  • Flex those Math Muscles with Warm-Up Routines. Lower school math specialist Ms. Stacy Shaener and 2nd grade teacher Ms Kristin Long shared strategies for implementing warm-up routines to help students review, practice and extend math skills.
 
Severn prekindergarten teachers share their expertise on maker spaces in the early school classroom.
 
Severn Lower School math specialist shares strategies for implementing math warm ups in the classroom.


Day Two: Upper School Salon d'Idées, a Visual Arts Teacher Gathering

Upper School art teachers Ms. Mary Ellen Carsley, Ms. Kourtney Stone and Ms. Cassandra Kapsos welcomed fellow art teachers to our studio spaces for a day of exchanging ideas and inspiration. 

  • An Introduction to Severn's Art Program. Ms. Carsley, Ms. Stone and Ms. Kapsos provided a brief synopsis of the structure of our program along with individual course offerings in 2D, 3D and digital art.
  • Cross-curricular Teaching. Ms. Carsley discussed the benefits of and strategies for integrating arts into other subject areas.
  • Building Student Digital Portfolios and Using iPads in the Art Classroom. Ms. Kapsos shared how the art department utilizes our one-to-one iPad program to enhance art instruction along with different platforms and workflows we use to develop digital student portfolios.
  • Art History in the Studio. Ms. Stone discussed how art history instruction informs studio art diving into student critique projects including writing about art and curation. 

Severn upper school teacher Cassandra Kapsos shares her expertise on digital photography and design.

Severn upper school art teacher explains cross-curricular teaching through the arts.


Part of the Larger Educational Community

Our faculty don’t live (or teach!) in a vacuum. We embrace change and are always looking for ways to improve and broaden our perspectives as members of the educational community. We believe in sharing what works for us and love the feedback, suggestions and ideas our peers bring into these sessions.

Ms. Carsley said it best,
"We see our presentations during these as sessions conversation starters. We believe in giving back and sharing what we do, but even more so we value the influx of ideas from our peers.”
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Upper School