Search Results

Lead with Sunshine Magazine As I started writing Lead with Sunshine , I wanted to offer encouragement. I wanted to spread kindness and positivity. Over the last nineteen years as a 6-12 educator, instructional coach, assistant principal, and district leader, I have compiled ideas and resources from students, families, colleagues, leaders, authors, and national speakers. I have always tried to find a way to share what I learn. My first year as an Instructional Coach, I made 101+ Tech Tools thinking it would be helpful. I have spent years creating resources, presentations, anything and everything with the intent to help. I have learned a few important nuggets about creating and sharing along the way: 1. Keep. It. Simple. 2. Be clear. 3. Don't push content at someone that is not ready. 4. Follow up with support. I used these nuggets to create this magazine. I wanted it to include quick reads, questions to make you reflect, and tools to support you. My hope is that you will walk away feeling inspired and ready to conquer the week by leading with sunshine. Click to read this week's Lead with Sunshine magazine. Sign-up to receive the weekly magazine in your inbox. Email Thank you for subscribing!

Consulting Andrea Paulakovich is an enthusiastic leader, educator, speaker, and writer who thrives on innovation and refuses to settle for the status quo. She has served as an educator for 19 years. For 18 years, she worked in the second-largest district in the state of Kansas. Rated as Forbes Top Five districts, her servant leadership spanned K-12 educators, students, families, administrators, and district leadership. Her passion for education includes working with community members, colleagues from her professional learning network from California to North Carolina, and co-designing professional learning with associates from Solution Tree, Kagan Cooperative Learning, Nearpod, Microsoft, and Dave Burgess Consulting, to name a few. Her experience in K-12 education has spanned district leadership in teaching and learning, professional development, instructional technology, curriculum design, instructional coaching, summer programming, being an Assistant Principal at a Middle School, and teaching English Language Arts at the middle and high school level. Andrea is passionate about: Leadership Instructional Coaching Innovative Teaching Engagement Strategies Instructional Technology School Improvement Differentiated Professional Learning Explore topics below and then use the book a consultation button to set up a free 30 minute consultation. We will identify your goals and customize a package to meet your needs. Leadership Click here to explore topics. Pictured above: Andrea collaborated with high school students to build their leadership capacity and introduce the keynote speaker, Hamish Brewer, at a symposium for 2,700+ educators. School Improvement Click here to explore topics. Pictured above: Andrea consulted with Michael Maffoni, with Solution Tree, to provide research-based training for K-12 educators and administrators. Link to Solution Tree: https://www.solutiontree.com Instructional Technology Click here to explore topics. Engagement Strategies Click here to explore topics. Pictured above: Andrea collaborated with content coordinators, students, families, and district leadership to design a game-based website for students to review key skills in math, ELA, science, social studies, library, physical education, fine arts, and music. Pictured above: Andrea designed a speed dating game for staff of 130 to learn more about each other while having fun. Click here to explore topics. Click here to explore topics. Innovation in Teaching Professional Learning Pictured above: Andrea attended Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia and learned from Ron Clark and Kim Bearden, among many other amazing educators. She returned to her district and implemented ideas into the Summer Programming for grades K-7. Pictured above: Andrea collaborated with Dave Burgess and Tara Martin to coordinate a #tlap Teach Like a Pirate Twitter chat that included educators from her school district.

Innovation in Teaching Innovative teaching is about looking at curriculum and instruction from a different lens. It is how you combine the art and science of teaching. It allows you to meet all learner needs. 1 Innovator's Mindset This interactive session will open your eyes to an innovators mindset. ​ How can you take the day-to-day and turn it into magical learning experiences? ​ Audience: Administrators; Educators PK-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 2 Back to School Challenge Are you excited about the beginning of the year? Looking for a new way to spice up the first day? This session will provide you with ideas for a back to school challenge. Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Online Self-Paced Learning 3 End-of-year Student Reflection Final exams. Projects. Students sitting quietly in rows. Are you looking for a way to spice up the end-of-the-year? Want your students to end the year with as much excitement as the first day? Look no further. This session will provide ideas to help you see the end-of-the-year in a different light. ​ ​ Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Online Self-Paced Learning 4 Design Thinking in the 6-12 Classroom Are students still sitting in rows in your classroom? Reading textbooks? Completing exams provided by textbook providers? Do you need a different lens to ensure students are prepared for their future? Attend this session to learn about design thinking. Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 5 Layered Curriculum: HyperDocs Need a way to differentiate learning so you can spend more one-on-one time with students? Look no further. The answer is a Layered Curriculum. Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 6 Daily Lesson Essentials Have you ever wondered what should be included in Tier 1 Effective Instruction? This session will help you develop your districts literacy of effective teaching. Audience: Curriculum Coordinator; Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Workshop 7 Understanding by Design: Using design thinking to shift our thinking about teaching and learning Are you looking to overhaul curriculum? Need to shift mindsets? Ensure students are prepared for their future? This session will use design thinking to design a new mindset about curriculum and instruction. Audience: Curriculum Leaders; Administrators; Staff Length: 60 minutes Style of Presentation: Workshop 11 Authentic Audience Challenge Have you ever wished your students could have an authentic audience? This self-paced HyperDoc will allow you to explore resources and reflective questions to learn how to engage your students beyond the walls of your classroom. ​ Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 12 The Art of Feedforward Do you spend hours and hours grading? Wonder if students even read your feedback? This session will explore the idea of Feedforward. Spend more time at home with your family, friends, or with hobbies, while student gain independence and understanding of the importance of self-reflection. ​ Audience: Educators 9-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On Please email to set up a free consultation. We will discuss your needs to ensure the professional learning opportunity will meet your needs, your staff, your school, your district, or your corporation. Let's Work Together Book a consultation

Professional Learning Professional learning is not just four times a year at district Professional Development. It is the goals you set for yourself. It is professional conversations you have over an article or Twitter post. It is the book you read given to you by a fellow colleague. A conversation during PLC (Professional Learning Communities) when you learn more about a standard that seems complex. Each and every day there are professional learning opportunities at your fingertips. Check out sessions to help you get started learning or explore different ideas for designing professional learning sessions. 1 Growth through Deliberate Practice This self-paced course walks you though developing personalized bite-sized goals using a coaching mindset. ​ Audience: PK-12 Educators; Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Online Self-Paced 2 Individual Plan of Action This self-paced course allows you to self-reflect on your professional learning goals and develop an individual plan of action. ​ Audience: PK-12 Educators; Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Online Self-Paced 3 Professional learning Idea Smackdown This hands-on training will teach you how to take ideas from the every day parts of your life and use them in your classroom. This session is hands-on and requires participation from the audience. ​ Audience: PK-12 Educators; Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-on learning 4 Professional Learning Speed Geeking Are you looking for new ideas for professional learning formats? During this speed dating session, you will learn new ideas and discuss with colleagues how you could implement with students. Audience: Can be altered to work for educators or administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On; Movement 5 Host your first Twitter Chat Have you always been intrigued by Twitter chats? Want to create your own? This session will teach you from start to finish how to develop your very own Twitter Chat. Audience: Educators; Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 6 Design Lunch and Learn Are you looking for different ways to reach educators? Provide differentiated professional learning? Keep learning bite-sized and easily implemented? This session will teach you different ways to design bite-sized sessions. Audience: Educators; Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 7 Expanding Professional Learning to Voxer What is Voxer? This session will introduce you to Voxer and its ability to expand your Professional Learning. Audience: Educators, Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 8 The Power of Twitterverse Have you ever wondered what all the rave is about Twitter? This session will teach you how Twitter can change your professional learning mindset. Audience: Educators; Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 8 Layered Professional Development Have you ever wanted to learn a new strategy for personalizing professional learning for staff? A layered curriculum will allow you to meet your outcomes while differentiating to meet the various learners in your district. Audience: Administrators; Professional Development Directors Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 8 Choice Boards Are you looking for different ways to meet the professional learning needs of your staff? This session will teach you how to design Choice Boards that are differentiated. What's most important about this session? You can teach staff how to use with students. That's a Win! Win! Audience: Administrators; Professional Development Directors Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On Please email to set up a free consultation. We will discuss your needs to ensure the professional learning opportunity will meet your needs, your staff, your school, your district, or your corporation. Let's Work Together Book a consultation

HyperDoc Are you looking to learn new skills? Want to ensure your learning goes deeper? Look no further...each HyperDoc offers personalized professional learning on topics that range from learning about technology tools that can enhance pedagogy to learning about Button

School Improvement What makes school improvement successful? Does your district have a clear focus? Is it based on data? Do schools have the training and resources to make data-based decisions? 1 Collect, Sort, and Review Data The building administrator and the leadership team will have a 30 minute consultation to discuss how to lead a data dig with staff and why this is a necessary step to begin each school year. ​ Audience: Administrators; Building Leadership Team Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Discussion; Resources Provided 2 Clarify root causes and prioritize needs The building administrator and the leadership team will have a 30 minute consultation to review data and learn how to lead staff through the identification of root causes and how to prioritize needs. ​ Audience: Administrators; Building Leadership Team Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Discussion; Resources Provided 2 Creating a Toolbox that aligns with your school improvement goals The building administrator and the leadership team will have a 30 minute consultation to discuss how to create a toolbox that is focused and aligns with school improvement goals. ​ Audience: Administrators; Building Leadership Team Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Discussion; Resources Provided 3 How PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) Do Data Right This hands-on training will walk a Professional Learning Community through a data dig where we will see how to use data right. ​ ​ Audience: Administrators; Professional Learning Community (PLC) Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-on learning Let's Work Together Please email to set up a free consultation. We will discuss your needs to ensure the professional learning opportunity will meet your needs, your staff, your school, your district, or your corporation. Book a consultation

Instructional Technology Technology is not something separate. It is an amazing resource that can be integrated into any grade level or course content to significantly improve a student's engagement with the content. It can personalize learning to meet varied learner needs. It can open doors to people and places that would have never been possible. Expand your toolbox and learn the endless possibilities. 1 Social Media in the High School Classroom Twitter, Voxer, and Instagram --- Oh! My! This hands-on session will show you how to create clear expectations for Social Media in the classroom while also incorporating into day-to-day instruction. ​ Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 2 Remix your lesson SAMR style Bring a lesson that feels Ho-Hum! We will remix your lesson SAMR style. A brief overview of the SAMR model will be included. ​ Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 3 Flipped Learning 101 Flipped Learning isn't new. Wondering how to get started? How does Flipped Learning help increase engagement? Free up class time for one-on-one support? This session will provide a foundational training and share ideas for how to use the time you are given back. ​ ​ Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: 4 HyperDoc Challenge What is a HyperDoc? How can it help me differentiate instruction or Flip Instruction? This session will provide an overview of a HyperDoc and share ideas for differentiating or flipping instruction with a HyperDoc. Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 5 Differentiation via Thinglink This session will introduce you to Thinglink and explore different ways you can differentiate instruction using Thinglink. ​ Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 6 Presentation Tools Are you looking for new presentation tools for yourself? Your students? This session will explore different presentation tools and how they can actively engage your audience. Audience: Administrators; Educators; Students Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 7 Designing a Google Site from Scratch Have you seen a Google Site before? Wondered how to use this FREE tool to design a website? A student portfolio? A staff self-reflection tool? This session can be geared towards the audience and will allow you to begin drafting your own website. Audience: Educators; Administrators; Students Length: 60 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 8 PLC Guiding Questions: Design Learning Experiences This self-paced session will take you through a HyperDoc of resources and reflective questions so your PLC can design engaging learning experiences. Audience: Intended for a Professional learning Community Length: 60 minutes Style of Presentation: Self-Paced Learning 9 Learning Beyond the Classroom Have you heard of project-based learning or ensuring students have the skills for their future? This self-paced HyperDoc will allow you to explore how students can learn beyond the classroom. ​ Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 10 Digital Portfolio in the 6-12 Classroom This session will focus on how students in grades 6-12 can use a digital portfolio to show their mastery of grade level/course outcomes. In lieu of a traditional test, students will write and create to show their mastery. You will be amazed by the students products. ​ Audience: 6-12 Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 11 Student Academic Conversations Are you looking for ideas on how engage students in academic conversations. This self-paced HyperDoc will allow you to explore ideas and resources as you learn how to get started. ​ Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Self-Paced Course 12 Getting started with Google Tools Would you like to get started with how to use Google Tools in the classroom? This hands-on training will teach you how to use Google Tools to actively engage students. ​ Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 13 Getting started with Microsoft Tools Would you like to get started with how to use Microsoft Tools in the classroom? This hands-on training will teach you how to use Microsoft Tools to actively engage students. ​ Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On Let's Work Together Please email to set up a free consultation. We will discuss your needs to ensure the professional learning opportunity will meet your needs, your staff, your school, your district, or your corporation. Book a consultation

Leadership I am passionate about educational leadership and believe that high expectations are your hope and belief in others. We can inspire each other through our daily interactions. We can look for the sunshine in the storm. We can also change the trajectory of someone's life based on our interactions. Don't forget to lead with sunshine. 1 How can you lead with sunshine amidst the daily storms? This inspirational Ted talk will provide tips and tricks to keep seeing the positive during the most difficult situations, days, or times in your life. ​ Audience: Administrators; Educators; Students Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Ted Talk 2 Focus: How are you simplifying the process so staff can focus on students? Have you ever heard of initiative fatigue? Staff are working harder than ever. It is our job as an instructional leader to focus our efforts and simplify processes, so staff can focus on what matters most - students. ​ ​ Audience: Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Ted Talk 3 Communication: How to differentiate communication to meet different learning styles. How are you taking the time to differentiate your communication methods? Need ideas to streamline communication? Look no further. This hands-on session will provide quick tips and tricks to maximize communication. ​ ​ Audience: Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-on learning session 4 Designing a weekly newsletter for staff using Canva for Education Are you looking for a simple way to communicate with staff on a weekly basis? Need to be able to quickly alter communication for Social Media or to email to staff? Look no further. Canva for Education offers a variety of templates to save you time. ​ ​ Audience: Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-on learning session 5 Designing Professional Learning On-Demand This hands-on training will teach you how to design professional learning on-demand. You will walk away with resources you can share with staff. ​ ​ Audience: Administrators; Professional Development Staff Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-on learning ​ 6 Strategic Vision for Professional Learning Are you struggling with how to develop a strategic vision for Professional Learning? Need a review of your current model? Let's meet and discuss how to streamline professional learning to ensure it is meeting your district's strategic vision. ​ ​ Audience: Administrators; Professional Development Staff Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-on learning Let's Work Together Please email to set up a free consultation. We will discuss your needs to ensure the professional learning opportunity will meet your needs, your staff, your school, your district, or your corporation. Book a consultation Book Me

Engagement Strategies Engagement can be behavioral, cognitive, or emotional. Are you looking for ideas to improve relationships with students? Need ideas to teach social-emotional skills and content at the same time? Want to deepen students interaction with your course content? Take a moment to check out sessions to get you started. 1 Engagement Strategies for Any Classroom This interactive session will engage you with various engagement strategies you can use tomorrow. Be prepared to move, dance, laugh, and have fun while learning. Audience: Administrators, Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 2 Cooperative Learning: Combine Content and Social-Emotional Learning for maximum impact Have you ever wondered how you are supposed to embed social-emotional learning into your daily lessons? This session will model how to incorporate social-emotional learning and your course/grade-level content. ​ Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 3 Scaffold Learning to Meet Student Needs Do you ever wonder how teachers meet the needs of all students in their classroom? Have you wondered if it's possible? This session will provide a variety of scaffolding strategies to ensure all learner needs are met. ​ ​ Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: 4 Who is doing the talking in your classroom? Did you know that whoever is doing the talking is doing the learning? Learn engagement strategies to ensure students are doing the talking. Learn engagement strategies that encourage students to talk about their learning. Research tells us that whoever is doing the talking is doing the learning. Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 5 Differentiate Instruction with HyperDocs How can you use a Google Doc to differentiate instruction? This session will model how to take any lesson and differentiate to meet student needs. Audience: Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 6 Inspiring Purpose, Passion, and Play Do you need to be inspired? Need new ideas? This hands-on session will inspire you to revisit your purpose, identify your passion, and have a little fun with play. Audience: Administrators, Educators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On Please email to set up a free consultation. We will discuss your needs to ensure the professional learning opportunity will meet your needs, your staff, your school, your district, or your corporation. Let's Work Together Book a consultation

Lead with sunshine . Let's connect and design professional learning that will not only improve teaching and learning but inspire. Andrea Paulakovich consults with educators and leaders on all things teaching and learning. Are you looking to inspire staff while also improving teaching and learning? During a FREE consultation, we will: discuss your current reality identify your goal and design professional learning that will not only inspire but also positively impact staff and students. Get in Touch

Coaching Coaching is about a partnership. It's about being present. Listening. Asking questions. A coaching cycle places the participant in the driver seat. What is your current reality? Your goals? Let's work together to develop a Coaching Cycle to meet your goal(s). This 30 minute session will focus on reflective questioning to identify your current reality, set goals, and develop a Coaching Cycle to meet your goals. ​ Audience: Anyone interested in setting a goal and monitoring improvement. Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Consultation Let's Work Together Please email to set up a free consultation. We will discuss your needs to ensure the professional learning opportunity will meet your needs, your staff, your school, your district, or your corporation. Book a consultation

There’s Nothing Here... We can’t find the page you’re looking for. Check the URL, or head back home. Go Home