1. East Asia Regional Council of Schools
Weekend Workshop
Thai-Chinese International School
101/177 Moo 7, Prasertsin Road, Bangplee, Samutprakarn 10540, Thailand
Phone: (662) 751-1201; Fax: (662) 751-1210
TCIS is pleased to host the 2 day East Asia Regional Council of Schools institute:
Best Practices in Elementary Schools:
Math Units of Inquiry and Balanced Literacy Workshops
Presenters:
ISM’s Travis O’Neel & Adam Winton and
SAS’ Sarah Toa & Elaine Voge
Saturday & Sunday, Jan. 26th – 27th, 2013
Targeted audience: Elementary School Teachers
WORKSHOP Introduction:
Essential Outcomes for Student Learning:
Creating opportunities for real student choice in Math Units of Inquiry and facilitating leveled math groups
are two best practices in education at the International School of Manila that the participants will learn.
Enhancing opportunities for student literacy growth in Balanced Literacy Workshops is a best practice in
education at the Shanghai American School that the participants will learn.
Enduring Outcomes for Professional Growth:
The maze of current practice options will be decoded, modeled, and tried, so confidence to make good
choices that are best for student learning will increase. Thorough participants because of the presenters’
articulation could finish the day competent enough to go back to their school and help with a curriculum
review and/or be more effective level or dept. leaders as their schools makes best practice agreements.
PRESENTERS:
Travis O’Neel & Adam Winton Sarah Toa & Elaine Voge

2. Travis and Adam are Elementary School teachers plain and simple. (Well, only a little bit simple sometimes) Basically we are
you, on the shop floor where the action is! If you are looking for useful strategies that will improve student learning in
mathematics and science then this workshop is for you. We believe in methods that foster inquiry which naturally leads to
differentiation and a student-centered classroom environment. With a leaning towards best practice in Elementary Math and
Science, our goal during our presentation is to provide you with teaching methods that you can put into place immediately and
with confidence on Monday morning! All practical, useful and hopefully inspiring!
Adam Winton began his teaching career in England teaching pre-school through fifth grade before moving to International School
Manila. He has worked at ISM for the last 8 years and as Program Leader for 5 of those years in grade levels 2 and 3. He has
recently completed a Master’s of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies for International Educators. Adam is focused on improving
student achievement through inquiry methodology. His mantra is ‘Every student can learn, just not on the same day or the same
way.’ George Evans
Travis O’Neel has been an Elementary School teacher for the past 11 years internationally. He has spent time working in
international schools in Costa Rica, Thailand and the Philippines. He is currently the Program Leader of Grade Two at
International School Manila. Making mathematics fun, inquiry based and differentiated are important pieces to Travis’s teaching
tool-kit. Travis received his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Dakota and his Master’s in
International Education from Framingham State College.
Sarah and Elaine have worked together for the past 7 years. They piloted the writer’s workshop together as first grade teachers
before introducing it to the teachers around them. They took on the task of teaching reading through the workshop model a few
years later and have attended Asia Coaching Institutes together. Shanghai American School has since become a school dedicated
to teaching both reading and writing in the workshop model as part of a balanced literacy program.
Sarah Toa trained as an Elementary Teacher in New Zealand, teaching from Kindergarten through grade five. Sarah’s passion and
commitment to literacy began early in her teaching career as she trained as a Reading Recovery teacher. Sarah came to Shanghai
American School in 2001 and taught grades one, three, and four before taking on the position of Literacy Coach in 2011.
Elaine Voge is from Scotland where she trained as an Elementary School teacher. She has been an Early Childhood educator for
28 years in 6 different countries She is committed to promoting a love of reading and writing in her young students. She has been
a 1st grade teacher at Shanghai American School since 2005.
Schedule:
Saturday
OPENING 8 am
1. Overview of Current Smart/Best Practices in Math.
BREAK TIME 10 am
2. Demonstration of making and co-teaching a collaborative Math Units of Inquiry.
LUNCH BREAK 12 noon
3. Participant trials and feedback.
CLOSE & DISMISS at 3:30
Sunday
OPENING 8 am
1. Overview of Current Smart/Best Practices in Balanced Literacy and Coaching.
BREAK TIME 10 am
2. Demonstration of Launching Coached Readers Writers Workshops.
LUNCH BREAK 12 noon
3. Conferring + Note-taking and Participant trials and feedback.
CLOSE & DISMISS at 3:30

3. OPTIONAL COURSE CREDIT
San Diego State University will be asked to approve this workshop for graduate credits. If you are
interested in earning university credits, please note that in your registration.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Book directly through the following hotels ask for the “TCIS price”.
Pick up and drop off will be offered for guests of the Best Western.
If you book reservations at Imm Fusion and note this in your reg. or notify Paul, pick-up and drop-off will
be @ the OnNut BTS/sky train station.
Please reg. with TCIS for this transport in advance.
· Best Western Premier Amaranth Hotel (recommended)
www.amranthhotel.com
starting @ 2500THB, near TCIS
· Imm Fusion Sukhumvit Hotel
www.immhotel.com
starting @ 1200THB, downtown, near OnNut
Ground Transportation (from Bangkok International Airport): Taxi transportation is found as you exit the
airport after luggage pick-up. Follow the signs that direct you to lines for Public Taxis. Do not accept taxi
rides from people approaching you when exiting luggage pick-up and customs, as you may be misled and
over charged. Average rate to your hotel at OnNut would be around 500 THB. An additional 50THB airport
charge and a tip will also be included. The Amaranth Hotel is closer.
Registration: First-come first served.
Please email the following information to Paul Henderson at paul@tcis.ac.th
First Name:
Last Name:
School:
Grade Level you teach
and/or Position:
Email Address:
Grad. credit: Yes or No:
Payment Method: USD cash, THB
cash, or transfer:
Hotel choice; Transp. (yes/no)
Fees: 50 USD for EARCOS members
• Preferred: bring USD cash or THB cash (50 USD = 1500THB) as payment to the workshop,
• OR Please contact me if you wish to transfer the fee.
• The fee includes coffee breaks and lunch on both days;
• Transportation will be provided to and from Best Western Hotel: BangNa
and OnNut BTS Station: Sukhumvit;
• 1 graduate credit from SDSU will be available upon request for an additional fee.