Be The Best You™: Kindness, Empathy & Inclusion Disability Awareness & Inclusive Classroom Practices for Every Ability 3-hour *IN PERSON* Workshop facilitated by Nicole Johnson – 8:30-11:30am

Creating an inclusive classroom begins with creating a culture of kindness, empathy, and belonging. In this interactive professional development workshop, educators will explore practical strategies for supporting students of all abilities while fostering a classroom environment where every child feels welcomed, valued, and included. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience working with children and adults with disabilities, presenter Nikki Johnson combines real-life experiences, evidence-informed inclusive practices, hands-on activities, and children’s literature to help educators confidently discuss disabilities, respond to students’ questions, and build meaningful opportunities for inclusion. Participants will engage in empathy-building experiences, explore classroom accessibility strategies, learn practical approaches for supporting students with diverse learning and communication needs, and practice using children’s literature to encourage thoughtful classroom conversations about disabilities and belonging. This workshop is appropriate for classroom teachers, special education teachers, teaching assistants, school counselors, administrators, literacy specialists, and pre-service educators. Participants will be able to: -Explain the role of kindness, empathy, and inclusion, in creating positive classroom communities. -Identify practical strategies for supporting students with a variety of disabilities, including, behavioral challenges, mobility disabilities, deaf and hard of hearing students, and students who are blind or have low vision. -Techniques to create classrooms that are physically and instructionally accessible for all learners. -Respond confidently and respectfully to children’s questions about disabilities using developmentally appropriate language. Eligible for 3 hours CTLE credit. Can use ½ consortium seat. If district pays, district approval must be confirmed prior to start of session.
Flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qn0baiLcAII6DWX3uztkqwyE_ai418JJ/view?usp=sharing
Registration: https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=13208&I=5448197