Join us for a Twitter Chat Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week!

#ArtofTeachingChat on May 6, 2020 at 8 p.m. EST

McGraw Hill
Inspired Ideas
7 min readApr 30, 2020

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May 4th through 8th, we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, and this year, the event is more important than ever. The role of a teacher has evolved tremendously in the past few months, encompassing not only traditional educators, but parents, grandparents, and caretakers of all kinds, as well. This Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to honor all those who are serving as teachers, who are instructing, guiding, molding, and changing the future of learners.

To celebrate and thank teachers, we’re hosting a Twitter Chat on May 6 at 8 p.m. EST. This chat will focus specifically on supportive resources and strategies that can help teachers and caretakers during periods of home learning. You will hear from educator experts about how the role of a teacher has changed since COVID-19, learn effective methods of engaging learners at home, and understand how to stay connected to your students and colleagues from a distance. Please join us as we celebrate teachers, and feel free to offer your own advice, strategies, wisdom, and stories to this important conversation.

We’re happy to introduce our featured panelists for this chat, all talented educators and guest blog contributors for the Art of Teaching Project. In the chat, you’ll connect with:

Dr. Steve Kucinski, @specialkdchs

Dr. Steve Kucinski is a Nationally Board Certified teacher who has taught middle and high school English for 27 years. This is his 18th year teaching at Dublin Coffman High School. Steve has served as department chair and district lead teacher in past years. He has a Master’s in Educational Administration and a Ph.D. in Adolescent Development from The Ohio State University, and is an adjunct lecturer there. Steve has a young adult novel published, Between Friends, and he delivered a TEDx Talk in Worthington in 2016 entitled, “Resolve to enjoy the goodness and beauty in each other and in life.” Currently, he is passionate about innovation and creativity in teaching and learning as well as integrating technology into the classroom. His wife, Gretchen, has taught music for 26 years, and he has three amazing sons — Austin, an Electrical Engineer in Cincinnati; Grant, a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati studying Sports Management; and Chase, an 8th grader.

Read Steve’s latest contribution to the Art of Teaching:

Tim Needles, @timneedles

Tim Needles is an artist, educator and author of STEAM Power: Infusing Art Into Your STEM Curriculum. He has been teaching art and media at Smithtown School District in NY for over 20 years as well as working as an National Geographic Certified Teacher, a TEDx speaker, Adobe Education Leader, an ISTE Arts & Technology PLN leader, NAEA interest group leader, a Quizlet and Morphi ambassador, and a PBS Digital Innovator,. He is also the recipient of the ISTE Creativity and Technology in Action Award, the National Art Educators Association AET Outstanding Teaching Award and Robert Rauschenberg Power of Art Award at The National Gallery of Art. His work has been featured on NPR as well as in The New York Times, The Columbus Museum of Art, the Norman Rockwell Museum, Alexandria Museum of Art, Katonah Museum of Art, and Cape Cod Museum of Art.

Read Tim’s latest contribution to the Art of Teaching:

Dean Deaver, @DeaverDean

Dean Deaver is a third grade teacher at Twain Elementary in Riverside, California. He was also an Instructor for Riverside County of Education and California Baptist University. He can be followed on social media @DeaverDean on Twitter and @deaverscholars on Instagram.

Read Dean’s latest contribution to the Art of Teaching:

Mary Beth Hertz, @mbteach

Mary Beth Hertz has been teaching young people in Philadelphia for over 15 years. She has been on the forefront of technology integration in the classroom through local, national and global connections with other educators and leaders in the educational technology field for the last decade. She holds a Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology and is the Art and Technology teacher and Technology Coordinator at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber, a 1:1, inquiry-based public high school. Mary Beth was named an ISTE Emerging Leader in 2010, PAECT Teacher of the Year in 2013, and was named an ASCD Emerging Leader that same year. Her book, Digital and Media Literacy in the Age of the Internet: Practical Classroom Applications comes out in November 2019. You can learn more athttp://marybethhertz.me. Outside of educational technology, Mary Beth enjoys playing with her two children and eating her husband’s delicious meals.

Read Mary Beth’s latest contribution to the Art of Teaching:

Errica Dotson-Hooper @ErricaDH

Errica Dotson-Hooper is the Manager of Teaching & Learning for Harris County Department of Education. A native of Los Angeles, California, she is a graduate of Howard University (BA), Stephen F. Austin State University (MEd) and Dallas Theological Seminary (CGS-Christian Education). The Teach for America alum (Houston ’02) has worked in education for over 17 years in a variety of capacities serving staff and students in HISD, CEP, KIPP New Orleans and KIPP Houston. She is also church and organizational leadership strategist. She is a loving wife and a mother to a 5-year-old daughter.

Read Errica’s latest contribution to the Art of Teaching:

Dr. Paula Kluth @PaulaKluth

Dr. Paula Kluth is a consultant, author, advocate, and independent scholar who works with teachers and families to provide inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities and to create more responsive and engaging schooling experiences for all learners. Paula is a former special educator who has served as a classroom teacher and inclusion facilitator. Her professional interests include UDL, co-teaching, and inclusive schooling. She is the author or co-author of fourteen books on teaching diverse learners including “You’re Going to Love This Kid”: Teaching Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms; 30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom; and Universal Design Daily.

Read Paula’s latest contribution to the Art of Teaching:

https://medium.com/inspired-ideas-prek-12/supporting-students-with-significant-disabilities-fives-ideas-for-virtual-education-8ffab310968d

Marine Freibrun, @mrsfreibrun

Marine Freibrun is currently a fifth grade teacher who has previously taught second, third, and sixth grade. She also serves as an instructional coach, English Language Development coach, and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports coach for her district. Marine enjoys working with teachers through professional development and mentorship, all while still being able to improve upon her own practice in her classroom. She is the author of the blog “Tales from a Very Busy Teacher,” and a mom to two amazing boys.

Read Marine’s latest contribution to the Art of Teaching:

Kerrie LaRosa @RosaParentCoach

Kerrie LaRosa is a parent coach, clinical social worker, and mother helping parents connect with their children, enhance their relationships, and improve their parenting skills. You can connect with Kerrie at www.larosaparentcoach.com and facebook.com/LaRosaParentCoach.

Read Kerrie’s latest contribution to the Art of Teaching:

We look forward to hearing from you at the Chat!

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McGraw Hill
Inspired Ideas

Helping educators and students find their path to what’s possible. No matter where the starting point may be.