Betsy Varis

First Days of School: Setting the Stage

What an educator does during the first days of school can determine the success or failure for the rest of the school year. Educators can win or lose classes in these first few days. Focus on relationships and emotions for establishing an environment for learning. Glasser’s issues of quality and Choice Theory and Tom Peter's "Pursuit of Wow" will be presented.

Learning to Read: Beginning Reading Instruction™

Regardless of what age level or subject area you teach, reading is a necessary skill for the internalization of the content being presented. In this training, educators will learn necessary foundational techniques to increase reading ability in students. Strategies include using a balanced and integrated approach, and intervention plans. A CD-ROM is included, which teachers can use as their "Coach in the Pocket."

The Three Pound Universe

Look at how the brain takes in, stores, and retrieves information as a framework for understanding thinking processes. Make teaching powerful and enthusiastic. Develop enriched meaningful lesson plans to metacognitively engage students in their own thought processes. Active and engaging teaching practices are experienced in order to connect to the ways the brain learns.

Successful Peer Coaching

Learn the skills to enhance true professional growth. This engaging session will provide the technique and practice for developing the skills to be an educational coach. Why dread those once a year evaluations when ongoing coaching provides the real enhancement for teachers and administrators.

Multiple Intelligences: Understanding and Integrating

This lively session provides experiences so the participants can understand each of the eight intelligences and integrate them into daily lesson plans. Dr. Howard Gardner's research provides the basis for the concepts.

Learning Modalities: Identification and Application of Multi-sensory Strategies

Meet the needs of all students' learning styles through the exploration of various teaching strategies that reach the senses. Attach a 'compelling why' to your lessons for greater involvement. In addition, The Kaleidoscope Profile®, a learning style inventory, may be used to identify individual learning styles. The participation in the session is active and purposeful.

Meaningful Activities for Interesting Classrooms™

This highly interactive session provides many exciting learning activities for all and contents. Stretch learning with games, physical activities, races, and simulations and then learn how to evaluate the activity.

Have a Slice of Real Life With Live-Event Learning®

Remember the teacher who "WOWed" you with special events and techniques that are still bringing a smile to your face? You can do that, too. Teach through an environment called 'live events' -- real life experiences. Learn the techniques that will provide an atmosphere of memorable learning. Explore ways for your students to really internalize content.

Critical Thinking: Modes of Questioning

Stimulate discussions and learning with advanced questioning skills. Work with 11 modes of questions to keep students actively involved and focused. Incorporate positive non-verbal communication and create win-win situations.

Parents: Communicate Effectively With Your Children

Adult-child relationships will improve through better communication at home and in the classroom. This seminar enables parents to identify their parenting styles and learn 12 effective communication skills. Discover what is on a child’s mind, overcome a child’s objections, solve problems and make decisions with a child.

Successful Teaching: One Step at a Time™

This series of seminars is comprised of after-school or 3-hour segments that can be customized to meet the needs of beginning or struggling teachers. Step-by-step training develops and refines the skills teachers need to effectively set up and manage classrooms and instruct and assess students. Topics include organizing your classroom, rules and routines, class-building activities, strengthening the parent-teacher relationship, adding pizzazz activities, creating sound assessments, developing authentic assessment tools, ways to keep cool in solving everyday problems, communication styles, and many more.