Bobbie Solley Center of Excellence in Teaching
The Bobbie Solley Center for Excellence in Teaching (BSCET) is supported by input from experienced professionals who are working in the field of education. Utilizing the mantra, “Reaching Students, Empowering Teachers, Transforming Instruction”, the center’s mission is to develop teacher and school leaders committed to making a positive impact on student learning and fostering high student academic achievement for diverse student populations. The BSCET Board of Directors and Advisory Council provide relevant insight to the needs of public and private educators from across the state and beyond to fuel the work of the center.
Spring 2024 Sessions
Professional development activities are always free of charge for attendees and will use a variety of innovative methods, including coaching, mentoring, seminars, workshops, diversity sensitivity training and many others. Building on partnerships already established with Chester County Schools, Columbia Academy and Middle Tennessee Christian School, the center seeks to develop additional partnerships throughout West Tennessee and eventually in other regions of the state and beyond.
Please see below for upcoming professional development opportunities.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
In order to receive a certificate of completion, we kindly request that for virtual sessions your camera is enabled and that you are present for the duration of the session.
Upon completion of each session a personalized certificate is emailed to you with the session title, name of presenter(s), date, and number of professional development hours noted.
January Sessions
CREATING AN EQUITABLE CULTURE OF LEARNING
PRESENTED BY:
MRS. AERIAL MOSLEY
ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
MURFREESBORO CITY SCHOOLS
MURFREESBORO, TN
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
3:15-4:15 pm CT
In this session, we will define equity and determine what it looks like, feels like, and sounds like. We will also explore how we can create an equitable culture within our classrooms and schools. Finally, we will plan next steps to make change in our classrooms and schools.
FOSTERING PRODUCTIVE STRUGGLE IN MATH - PART 1
PRESENTED BY:
MRS. MELANIE PEEL
DISTRICT MATH COACH, CHESTER COUNTY SCHOOLS
HENDERSON, TN
MRS. SARAH HIBBETT
DIRECTOR, BOBBIE SOLLEY CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY
JANUARY 25, 2024
3:15-4:15 PM CT
Should all students struggle in their path of learning? ABSOLUTELY! Struggle is how we learn and grow. The role of a teacher is not to eliminate struggle but to use it to equip students to develop habits that lead to productive struggle. The missing component for many educators is preparing and planning for how to evoke productive struggle, especially when it comes to math. When students’ struggles are left unsupported, those moments can become disheartening and discouraging. When students’ struggles are highly supported, the path is cleared for thinking, growing, and living both inside and outside the walls of the classroom. Join us for this 3-part series on Productive Struggle in Math to gain insight of actionable steps to take in supporting students in embracing productive struggle.
VOCABULARY LOGS AND WORD WALLS
PRESENTED BY:
- CATHY PRESSNELL
READING COORDINATOR – GRADES 3-6
MURFREESBORO CITY SCHOOLS
MURFREESBORO, TN
JANUARY 30, 2024
3:15 – 4:15 PM CT
Vocabulary logs and word walls are two common resources teachers implement in their classrooms for acquiring and using vocabulary. Many of us start the year strong, but then consistent use of these tools tends to wane as the year goes on; too many things compete for our time and attention, and using vocabulary logs and word walls falls by the wayside. In this session, participants will gain a deep understanding of what makes these tools so powerful for vocabulary instruction, learn to implement routines for using them efficiently in the classroom, and leave prepared to start – or restart – using them during the second semester of the school year. This session is ideal for teachers in grades 2-8 in any subject area.
February Sessions
FOSTERING PRODUCTIVE STRUGGLE - PART 2
ATTENDANCE FOR PART 1 IS NOT NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE IN PART 2.
PRESENTED BY:
MRS. MELANIE PEEL
DISTRICT MATH COACH, CHESTER COUNTY SCHOOLS
HENDERSON, TN
MRS. SARAH HIBBETT
DIRECTOR, BOBBIE SOLLEY CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY
FEBRUARY 8, 2024
3:15-4:15 PM CT
Should all students struggle in their path of learning? ABSOLUTELY! Struggle is how we learn and grow. The role of a teacher is not to eliminate struggle but to use it to equip students to develop habits that lead to productive struggle. The missing component for many educators is preparing and planning for how to evoke productive struggle, especially when it comes to math. When students’ struggles are left unsupported, those moments can become disheartening and discouraging. When students’ struggles are highly supported, the path is cleared for thinking, growing, and living both inside and outside the walls of the classroom. Join us for this 3-part series on Productive Struggle in Math to gain insight of actionable steps to take in supporting students in embracing productive struggle.
Student-Teacher Relationships and Their Impact on Student Mental Health
PRESENTED BY:
JAMES COOK, MS, CAT
Co-Occurring Disorders Specialist
Region IV Mental Health Services
FEBRUARY 13, 2024
3:15 – 4:15 pm CT
NURTURING HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH POETRY
PRESENTED BY:
MERIDETH MYERS
IGNITE LITERACY SERVICES
JACKSON, TN
FEBRUARY 20, 2024
3:15-4:15 pm CT
SESSION SUMMARY:
For ELA teachers in grades 2-12
Consistently and authentically review RL standards 1-6 while connecting to social and emotional learning.
NURTURING PRODUCTIVE STRUGGLE - PART 3
ATTENDANCE FOR PART 1 & 2 IS NOT NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE IN PART 3.
PRESENTED BY:
MRS. MELANIE PEEL
DISTRICT MATH COACH, CHESTER COUNTY SCHOOLS
HENDERSON, TN
MRS. SARAH HIBBETT
DIRECTOR, BOBBIE SOLLEY CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY
FEBRUARY 22, 2024
3:15-4:15 PM CT
Should all students struggle in their path of learning? ABSOLUTELY! Struggle is how we learn and grow. The role of a teacher is not to eliminate struggle but to use it to equip students to develop habits that lead to productive struggle. The missing component for many educators is preparing and planning for how to evoke productive struggle, especially when it comes to math. When students’ struggles are left unsupported, those moments can become disheartening and discouraging. When students’ struggles are highly supported, the path is cleared for thinking, growing, and living both inside and outside the walls of the classroom. Join us for this 3-part series on Productive Struggle in Math to gain insight of actionable steps to take in supporting students in embracing productive struggle.
ANALYZING STUDENT WRITING
PRESENTED BY:
- CATHY PRESSNELL
READING COORDINATOR – GRADES 3-6
MURFREESBORO CITY SCHOOLS
MURFREESBORO, TN
FEBRUARY 27, 2024
3:15 – 4:15 PM CT
Writing is challenging work, and the teaching of writing is especially challenging. Even when we have a solid writing curriculum, perhaps the most critical time in writing instruction is when we have a sample of student writing in our hand and think, “Now what?” In this session, teachers will deepen their understanding of the writing expectations in our standards, norm around high quality student writing, and then practice analyzing writing from an entire class of students to determine instructional next steps. This session is ideal for ELA teachers in grades 2-6.
March Sessions
BUILDING CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS
PRESENTED BY:
MERIDETH MYERS
IGNITE LITERACY SERVICES
JACKSON, TN
MARCH 5, 2024
3:15-4:15 pm CT
For ELA teachers in grades K-12
Leverage the power of an interactive read-aloud for trauma-informed teaching. Teachers will participate in two mini-lessons that teach both literacy and social-emotional skills.
How to elicit and use student thinking in math
(This is a repeated session for those who missed it in January.)
PRESENTED BY:
MRS. MELANIE PEEL
DISTRICT MATH COACH, CHESTER COUNTY SCHOOLS
HENDERSON, TN
Thursday, March 7, 2024
3:15-4:15 pm CT
This session will explore the NCTM Effective Mathematics Teaching Practice: Elicit and use evidence of student thinking. We will discuss how effective teaching of math uses evidence of student thinking to assess progress toward mathematical understanding and how we adjust instruction continually in ways that support and extend student learning.
READING PORTRAITURE: MERGING SOCIAL STUDIES AND ELA
PRESENTED BY:
- CATHY PRESSNELL
READING COORDINATOR – GRADES 3-6
MURFREESBORO CITY SCHOOLS
MURFREESBORO, TN
MARCH 12, 2024
3:15 – 4:15 PM CT
We all know what it means to read a text, but did you know there’s a very specific process to reading a portrait … and that these two practices are actually very similar? In this session, teachers will learn to use resources from the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian to read famous American portraits and learn how to take the practice back to the classroom to strengthen both social studies content and ELA instruction. This session is ideal for ELA and social studies teachers in grades 2-12.
Meet Our Program Coordinator
