Mandy Froehlich

Featured Books

New initiatives, a focus on compliance, and sheer exhaustion can lead to a disengagement with the education profession. This is where I was several years ago. Using storytelling as the vehicle to guide the audience through this experience, this keynote addresses the journey I took from a disengaged teacher to a passionate professional, the core beliefs I developed along the way, and how educators at all levels can re-engage themselves to be the rockstars they strive to be for their learners.

Learn how to leverage Twitter for professional learning and to create global opportunities for students. I will go over the "Why" behind it's use, how it can provide you with just in time PD, resources and connections, and the basics of starting an account and Tweeting. Finally, there will be multiple resources shared to get you started in being the next big EduTweep!

We know how powerful reflecting and portfolios are for students to show their growth, but it’s just as powerful for educator and leadership development as well. We will go through the “why” behind this kind of learning, setup and logistics of developing and maintaining a blog portfolio, how to get your message out to the world, and developing your voice. Leave this session ready to go on your learning journey through professional self-reflection!

Come and join me on a journey through ways we have created connected PD in a GSuite Track and how we have leveraged our data through BrightBytes to drive our instruction. I will also explain how we have increased capacity in teachers by creating comprehensive PD opportunities, customized to their needs, or by a broader curricular topic. By completing these comprehensive PD opportunities, we are creating teacher leaders who take their knowledge back to their schools to pass their learning onto others.

Join me on this voyage as we discover web-based technologies that enhance your instruction with the 4Cs as well as lesson ideas for integration. Discover how to leverage creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication to create a personalized digital learning environment. Use technology and the 4 C’s in creating assessments, project-based learning, and global communication to foster student choice in their learning and enhance your innovative classroom environment.

What happens when you have pockets of innovative teachers, but they long for guidance? Learn about our implementation of Innovation Teams - teams of teachers moving toward personalizing learning and innovations in their classrooms. From recruiting our rockstar teachers to our plans in the future, I will describe the successes and challenges of the Innovation Team inception, and how we plan on turning these pockets of innovation and personalization learning into school-wide change.

Allowing for student choice in assessments creates ownership and empowers students in their learning. Learn how creating rubrics based on standards allows for a broader range of assessment options, and how providing students with choice can allow students to utilize creativity and critical thinking skills as they design their own assessments.

It's time we destigmatize educator mental health. Supporting educators is one of the most effective ways we can support students.

This workshop covers topics related to:
Building Resilience
Educator Mental Health Issues Engagement Versus Disengagement District Support for Mental Health Strategies for Self-Care
Our Brains and Mindfulness Destigmatization
The Neurological Changes from Trauma Coping with Stress Demoralization
Secondary Traumatic Stress
One and Two Day Options

Divergent EDU (1-2 days)
Session Guide Description: What is necessary for a district to really grow together into a climate and culture of innovation and support of divergent thinking? That is the million dollar question. In this session, we will discuss the Hierarchy of Needs for Innovation and Divergent Thinking - an organizational structure meant to support teachers in their innovative journey, and what all educators can do to establish these necessary components including changing mindset, climate and culture, creating a common language, and effective support and leadership. Innovation is more than handing out devices. The Divergent EDU workshop includes diving into each level of the Hierarchy of Needs for Innovation and Divergent Thinking and applying the organizational structure to their own situations, practical guides for looking for holes, and opportunity for collaboration and reflection. Attendees will leave with concrete ideas on how to fill any gaps in the foundational levels and changes that they themselves can make to be more innovative educators, leaders, and thinkers. Let’s talk about how we can create the conditions to support teachers and students as they think of new and different ways to learn and grow!

Teacher Engagement and Mental Health (1-2 days)
Session Guide Description: New initiatives, a focus on compliance, and sheer exhaustion can lead to a disengagement with the education profession. This is where I was several years ago. Using storytelling as the vehicle to guide the audience through this experience, this keynote addresses the journey I took from a disengaged teacher to a passionate professional, the core beliefs I developed along the way, and how educators at all levels can re-engage themselves to be the rockstars they strive to be for their learners. This workshop focuses on the importance of engagement in the climate and culture of a school, how engagement affects us personally, and how we can support disengaged teachers around us. It also dives into teacher mental health and burnout, secondary traumatic stress, demoralization, and what we can do to educate ourselves on combating these common teacher mental health issues. Leave with ideas on how to support yourself and others, and also start the conversations in your own districts to begin to destigmatize these issues for educators.