International Children's Media Center (ICMC)

Date/Time TBD Duration: 2-3 hours

Location: On-site or Virtual 

Facilitator: Nicole Dreiske, Executive Director of the ICMC 

Audience: Educators Arts 

Disciplines: Film/Media, Literature, Poetry Performance, Movement

Our youngest children are exposed to more screen time than ever. The results? Problems with behavior, focus, and lagging literacy skills. 

So how can we help our youngest students develop a healthy relationship with screens to support learning? 

The ICMC uses a proven brain-boosting strategy focused on digital storytelling. You’ll learn how to accelerate student learning and elevate empathy by helping children connect the “stories on screens” to the stories in books. 

Competencies to be gained:

•  Fun self-regulation and focusing exercises that support confidence & engagement. 
• Simple step-by-step lessons for using digital media to improve literacy and higher order thinking. 
• Enquiry-based approaches to strengthening SEL & empathy. 
• Creative poetry and arts activities aligned with ELA Common Core Frameworks.

Date/Time TBD Duration: 1.5-2 hours
Location: On-site or Virtual
Facilitator: Nicole Dreiske, Executive Director of the ICMC
Audience: Educators Whether “wiggling and drifting” come from fatigue, stress, or desire for attention, the “wiggles” can wreck a day of real or remote learning. Teachers learn a fast, fun series of physical and vocal techniques together with concentration and creativity exercises that boost classroom energy and focus.

Competencies to be gained:

• Background on the techniques & how movement and exercise improve learning.
• Priming and brain-body exercises
• Hand-play & micro-movements – Short energy- boosting activities that promote self-regulation.
• Game-based exercises that improve creativity, sequencing and leadership skills.
• Articulation activities – Inner mouth calisthenics for strong consonant production.
• Instant RECESS helps educators regain control on chaotic or unpredictable days.
• Remember: regular exercise strengthens neural pathways & improves cognitive skills.

Date/Time TBD

Duration: 2-3 hours 

Location: On-site or Virtual
Facilitator: Nicole Dreiske, Executive Director of the ICMC 

Audience: Educators 

Children are visual learners and media is a powerful learning tool. Make sure your faculty has access to these cutting-edge strategies for accelerated learning. Help them learn how to integrate media into impactful lesson plans that will boost student participation, social emotional learning (SEL), and educational outcomes. 

Competencies to be gained: 

• How a student-centered approach to 21st century skills can improve learning. 
• Rubrics for using values-based short films to improve empathy and text-to-self connections. 
• How digital storytelling can strengthen reading and ELA common core frameworks 
• Achieve multiple learning outcomes from showing a digital media. 

These dynamic techniques support academic success, promote thinking and cognitive skills and increase proficiency in using technology. The result: experiential learning and happy students. 

Date/Time: TBD 

Duration: 2-3 hours 

Location: On-site or Virtual 

Facilitator: Nicole Dreiske, Executive Director of the ICMC

Audience: Educators, Parents Students of all backgrounds 

1000+ hours with screens and technology each year. How can educators leverage those hours to enhance the academic success of students who speak little English? 

This high-energy workshop shows educators how to use screen time to strengthen ELL students’ work in the classroom.

You’ll learn essential techniques for using media to stimulate student engagement, prompt critical thinking and improve students’ ability in many common core frameworks. 

Competencies to be gained: 

• An introduction to the basics of media literacy.
• Strategies for engaging your students in dialog that supports classroom learning. 
• Learning-rich activities to get students thinking critically after they’ve watched TV or movies. 
• High energy pronunciation exercises.