Professional Learning Schedule

Celebrating Rural Maine Community Civics & Place-Based Inquiry

This three-part professional learning series aims to engage rural teachers in a deep examination of Maine’s history. Using history as a foundation, the profession development takes an interdisciplinary approach as it connects teachers with the Library of Congress’s rural interdisciplinary collections and other supporting organizations and supports teachers in designing and implementing works of public value that connect rural students to their community.

Click here to learn more and register

Maine Solutionaries Project Winter Cohorts

• Design Inquiry to Action Projects.
• Network with teachers around the state
• $1000 stipend
• 30 Contact Hours
• Solutionary Microcredintial
• Mileage reimbursement and overnight lodging are available.

Cohort A (Climate Change) and B (Human Rights and Equity) January 21 Kickoff at the Bangor Grande Hotel

Cohort C (Mixed Topics) and D (Food Waste) February 5 Kickoff at the Brunswick Hotel

Literacy Integration Cohort E (Grades 4-8) and F (grade 8 and up) March 5th and 27th Kickoffs at the Doubletree in South Portland. 

Numeracy Integration Cohort G March 27th.  Kickoff at the Doubletree in South Portland.

Learn more and register here

Integrated Literacy Office Hour: Writing to Read

Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Join in on the conversation as we explore ways to embed Literacy in all aspects of learning. This week's topic of focus will be how to use maps in literacy instruction.

Register via Zoom here

Integrated Literacy Office Hour:  Grades 6-8

Thursday, February 23, 2025 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Join the Interdisciplinary Instruction team's Integrated Literacy Specialist, Heather Martin, for a discussion on promoting literacy in all classrooms through evidence-based research and pedagogy. 

Register via Zoom here

Asynchronous Question Formulation Technique January Course

• The Question Formulation Technique (QFT), from the Right Question Institute, is a questioning strategy that:

• Facilitates student curiosity and engagement
• Helps students build confidence to ask questions and become empowered to seek answers
• Improves student questions that support deeper learning
• Improves the skills and strategies students need beyond the classroom

To learn more and register, visit the QFT webpage.

Celebrating Rural Maine Afterhours Session

January 21rst, 2025, from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM

To support the Celebrating Rural Maine project, the Maine DOE is hosting three after-hours sessions open to all educators. Participation in the project is not required.

This webinar will focus on learning about rural representation in primary sources.

Click here to learn more and register

Celebrating Rural Maine Afterhours Session

February 6th, 2025, from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM

To support the Celebrating Rural Maine project, the Maine DOE is hosting three after-hours sessions open to all educators. Participation in the project is not required.

This webinar will explore how primary sources can be used in a variety of content areas.

Click here to learn more and register

Integrating Literacy through Background Knowledge

February 13, 2025, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Wells Conference Center at the University of Maine at Orono

A 2020 study published in Reading Psychology found that preexisting knowledge is “foundational to increasing competency in reading” and that teaching from a foundation of what students already know is key to advancing their learning.

In this workshop, participants will explore, discuss, and engage with:

• The role of preexisting or background knowledge in literacy development.
• How background knowledge supports comprehension and meaning-making.
• How background knowledge facilitates the transfer of new information.
• Practical strategies for incorporating background knowledge into classroom instruction

Use this registration link to spend the day learning with Josie Cameron.