HELPING STUDENTS WHO START SCHOOL BEHIND: Proven Strategies to Close the Readiness Gap and Accelerate Academic Success (Preschool-Kindergarten) Presented by Linda Klotz Outstanding Early Childhood Educator and National Presenter

Specifically Designed for Preschool, Pre-K and Kindergarten Teachers, Instructional Aides, Special Education Staff, Title I Staff, Literacy Specialists, and Administrators

• Practical strategies to accelerate academic success for students who come to Pre-K and Kindergarten lacking language and readiness skills
• Classroom-proven, use tomorrow strategies for building growth mindset and stronger relationships with your students who lack critical readiness skills
• Highly effective strategies to boost vocabulary and incorporate it within reading and writing activities
• Proven ways to break the cycle of failure BEFORE it begins

Practical Ideas and Strategies

The school readiness gap is real. Every educator with Pre-K and K students sees children on the first day of school who are ready to learn and children who are facing challenges. What can we as teachers do about it?

In this information-packed, fast-paced seminar, LINDA KLOTZ will share powerful strategies you can use to accelerate the academic success of students who start school behind. You will learn practical, teacher-friendly strategies you can implement the very next day to help your students increase and accelerate their learning and academic success.
You will leave this seminar with renewed energy and feeling empowered to work with students in your class who start school without the tools necessary for optimal learning. You will also receive an extensive digital resource handbook and solid understanding of the research-based strategies you can utilize to help close the readiness gap.

In addition, you will be equipped to successfully help those children who, through no fault of their own, start school already behind.

Ten Key Benefits of Attending

1. The Readiness Gap – How You Can Close It
   Learn powerful strategies you can use to promote and accelerate the academic success of your students who start school behind… Discover what research says about which children are most at risk, why they struggle and how you can help
2. What Works – Powerful, Developmentally Appropriate Literacy Activities
   Discover crucial reading and writing strategies and activities you can use to help close the readiness gap … Receive tips, strategies, management ideas and clear approaches for accelerating learning for all your students
3. Motivating and Engaging Hands-On Math and Science
   Receive outstanding math and science activities designed to help close the readiness gap … Ideas for increasing motivation, engaging students in discussion and providing rich opportunities for increased language development
4. Utilize Growth Mindset and Increased Teacher Clarity
   The power of the word "yet" … Instead of "I can't do this," the use of "I can't do this yet, but I am learning to" will help students develop a positive growth mindset with the precise use of teacher clarity to unlock their learning potential
5. Create a Trauma-Sensitive Learning Environment
   Discover strategies to teach students to help them self-regulate … Build healthy relationships and a classroom environment that offers flexible seating to boost higher achievement
6. Build an Enriched Vocabulary
   Discover effective strategies to boost the vocabulary and close the readiness gap … Children who start school behind need to discover word play and develop tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary
7. Conferring that Makes a Difference
   Learn practical strategies to increase the effectiveness of your conferring and conferencing with students … Powerful ways to help close the readiness gap and develop rich language and thinking skills in your students
8. Create an Optimal Environment for Accelerated Learning
   Discover the keys to creating an optimal learning environment … Research-based, classroom-tested ways that you can foster a learning environment where students' readiness gaps can close
9. Build Greater Number Sense Through Number Talks
   Provide daily opportunities for students to engage and collaborate in what numbers mean and how lesser numbers make up greater ones
10. Receive an Extensive Digital Resource Handbook
    You will receive a comprehensive digital handbook specifically designed for this seminar and packed with practical strategies, techniques and activities

Outstanding Strategies You Can Use Immediately

• Proven teaching strategies to close the school readiness gap in preschool and kindergarten
• Effective classroom environments optimal for learning
• Ways to develop rich language and increase vocabulary
• How to help students learn the power of YETto create a growth mindset
• Provide teacher clarity and intention to make learning more successful
• The essential keys to successful conferencing and building relationships
• Build number sense with hands-on activities and the use of number talks
• Proven ways to provide opportunities for collaboration to build vocabulary and ideas
• Create a love for books and the desire to read
• Help students replace a fixed mindset with a growth mindset
• How to schedule highly effective literacy and math blocks with intentional teaching
• Strategies to help your students who start school behind to close their readiness gaps and participate with enthusiasm for learning

A Message From Your Seminar Leader

Dear Colleague:

As an experienced teacher, I know firsthand the challenges of students that start school behind. I truly believe all children want to learn and succeed but some are not equipped with the skills and knowledge to accomplish that. Why does learning seem so easy for some and so difficult for others? I decided to look further into this and I learned what research tells us about why some children come to school ready to learn and others do not. I tried out many ideas with my own students. I saw success. And now, I am excited to share with you what I have learned.

Why is there a discrepancy with readiness to learn? More importantly, what can we do about it? Knowing the research will help you understand those children in your classroom who experience great difficulty learning, and who may interfere with the learning of others because of poor impulse control. Knowing the research will help you teach with clarity and purpose. Knowing the research will help you catch these students early … before they fall behind. Pre-K and Kindergarten educators play the MOST IMPORTANT role in the education of young children – we are the FIRST to respond to their early learning needs.

Though this seminar is based on research, the emphasis will be on practical strategies, ideas and activities that you can use the very next day with your students. All these have been classroom tested, are teacher friendly, and they work! They will help you stimulate a growth mindset necessary for all your students to learn. They will help you close your students' readiness gap and set them on the road to success!

If you are searching for a collection of useful strategies, new ideas or validation for what you are already doing, I invite you to join me for a fabulous day of learning. You will leave understanding the reasons for the readiness gap and equipped with powerful strategies to close it. At the end of our day, my goal is for you to feel empowered, motivated and more excited about teaching.

Sincerely,
Linda Klotz

P.S. If you could make a difference for just one student this year, your time will have been well spent. Spend the day with me and learn research-based, practical strategies that can make a difference for your students.

Who Should Attend

Preschool, Pre-K and Kindergarten Teachers, Instructional Aides, Special Education Staff, Title I Staff, Literacy Specialists, and Administrators

Special Benefits of Attending

Extensive Digital Resource Handbook
You will receive an extensive digital resource handbook giving you access to countless strategies. The handbook includes:

• Dozens of ready to use strategies designed to help catch your students before they fail
• Engaging activities that will spark a love for literacy
• Hands-on, easy-to-implement number sense and math activities
• Opportunities to build collaboration and vocabulary into your day
• Ways to make the most of your classroom space and create an environment for optimal learning

Consultation Available
Linda Klotz will be available to answer your specific questions regarding the unique needs of your own program.

Semester Credit Option
Up to four graduate level professional development credits are available with an additional fee and completion of follow-up practicum activities. Details for direct enrollment with University of Massachusetts Global, a nonprofit affiliate, will be available at this program.

Meet Inservice Requirements
Participants of both the Live Online Seminar and those completing the Recorded Version online can receive a certificate of participation that may be used to verify five continuing education hours. State CEUs are available for both versions of the course. For specific details, visit www.ber.org/ceus.