23 Must-Attend Education Conferences for Teachers in New Jersey

 
As many teachers know, learning extends beyond the classroom. Teachers are constantly seeking ways to develop their knowledge and add new skills to better serve their students. In response, education organizations offer diverse and engaging opportunities to support that drive. 

As done in previous years, to help teachers and leaders save time finding these organizations, Rutgers Alternate Route has formulated a list of exciting PD opportunities for the fall. These events are hosted by state-based professional associations, local universities and grassroots education groups. These conferences and trainings include many free opportunities and, for those who missed in-person events, there are plenty of options within New Jersey. And, for those educators that enjoy a fun road trip here and there, we’ve incorporated a few national options. 
Find something that suits your budget, schedule and professional interests below. 

All events are in Eastern Standard Time. 

 
STEM Education Lighthouse Series: Collaborating Across Disciplines
Location: Virtual 
Dates: September 14 and 28, October 12
Pricing: Free

Throughout three conversations, educators from the School of Industrial Design, Engineering and Art will go over how to plan engaging, project-based student experiences. You will learn how to create a more collaborative experience in the STEM discipline and see what it looks like when a school breaks out of departmental silos to fully serve their students. Session one will feature engineering and physics, session two will go over math and electronics and session three touches on art and design. 

 
Back to School Not Basics: Our Secrets to Successful Education Branding
Location: Virtual 
Date: September 15
Pricing: Free
 
Education has gone through some major transformations over the past decade. Just think of the past two years - with distance learning and incorporating new technological tools - and how drastically the sector has shifted. This virtual event will address this evolution and provide tips on how to seek reinvention, enhance communication and stay relevant. 

NJEA Members of Color Empowerment Conference
Location: Hyatt Regency Princeton
Date: September 16-17
Pricing: $140 - $240

How would you respond if someone asked you ‘What are you going to do about microaggressions and racism in education?’ The NJEA wants to help you formulate your answer. The premier teacher advocacy organization in New Jersey is hosting its first-ever Members of Color Empowerment Conference, which plans to tackle tough questions related to Critical Race Theory and social justice. This is a two-day event, with an optional overnight stay, offering eight exciting workshops presented by NJEA members and staff. Session 1 begins Friday evening and Sessions 2 and 3 take place on Saturday. 

Social Emotional Learning & Whole Child Education 
Location: Virtual 
Date: September 21
Pricing: Free

Students’ social-emotional needs are just as important as any other part of their education. But do you really know what social-emotional learning is and consists of? For educators wanting to make their classroom a more enriching place for students, this upcoming webinar covers the scope of SEL and offers various strategies to incorporate into practice. 

Social Emotional Character Development Workshop
Location: New Brunswick, NJ
Date: September 29
Pricing: Free

Being a teacher means continuously offering students support with decision-making, understanding their emotions, getting along with others or setting goals. In fact, that's just why many teachers join the profession - to make a difference. At this training, learn to explicitly teach social-emotional competence skills to students. Sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, this workshop will leave educators with ideas for lessons, journaling and habits that will help ensure the SEL development of students. Participants will be able to order the Social Emotional Character Development guide and relevant posters offered by the NJSBF. Although this event is free, only serious participants should register since no shows will be barred from future events.

3rd Annual TCNJ Environmental Sustainability Education Teacher Summit
Location: The College of New Jersey, Education Building 
Date: October 1
Pricing: $20

This New Jersey-based event is for early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school educators and administrators. Spend a half day attending workshops that enhance sustainability education in the classroom. Discuss gardening for wildlife in a school setting, raising Monarch butterflies, teaching climate change and more. Dr. Kathleen L. Grant, Assistant Professor at The College of New Jersey in the Department of Counselor Education is the featured keynote speaker. 

Fifth Annual New Jersey Convening on Diversifying the Teacher Workforce Virtual Conference 
Location: Virtual & Rutgers University-Newark
Date: October 4, 11& 18
Pricing:  Free 

The  New Jersey Department of Education and New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education are collaborating on the 5th Annual New Jersey Diversifying the Teacher Workforce Virtual Convening. Join principals, district leaders, policymakers and the higher education community to examine practices for increasing the number of Black and Latinx candidates in New Jersey's teacher pipeline, while also addressing the importance of community-building and radical empathy for all educators. The co-sponsors invite the education community as a part of this free professional learning experience as participants or presenters.

 
Foreign Language Educators of NJ
Location: NJPSA, 12 Centre Drive, Monroe Twp, NJ 08831
Date:  October 6
Pricing: $40 - $199

Tapping into a learning community that aligns with your teaching interest can be fulfilling personally and professionally. It helps teachers expand their range of strategies for serving every student well. For teachers of World Languages, the Foreign Language Educators of NJ is that community. This fall, they are kicking off the year with an in-person conference challenging participants to Teach for Acquisition. Leading this challenge is featured speaker Martina Bex, who will share ideas for transitioning away language course designs that focus heavily on grammar. She will help attendees consider ways to incoporate proficiency-focused practices into their courses. 

 
Art Educators of New Jersey Annual Fall Conference
Location: Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch, NJ
Date: October 12-14
Pricing: $150 - $300

Say goodbye to virtual supplies because this year's Art Educators of New Jersey Annual Fall Conference will be held in-person where you can fist bump, trade handshakes and hug after two long years of limited Zoom greetings. Gather at the lovely Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch for professional learning addressing the conference theme, TOGETHER IN ART, which will highlight diversity in visual arts and the importance of harnessing our individual experiences and those of our students to fuel creativity, engagement, the artistic learning process and academic success. This is a hands-on and highly engaging event that will ensure you're ready to sculpt a wonderful learning experience for your teachers. 

Building Accessibility in Sex Education Training 
Location: Virtual 
Date: October 13
Pricing: Free

This interactive presentation helps educators understand stigma, barriers and history affects how people with disabilities receive sex education. Attendees walk away with a deeper understanding, thanks to the presentation’s focus on intersectionality and lived experiences. This will help educators incorporate more accessible sex education into their schools by identifying barriers, understanding the ways to overcome those barriers, implementing strategies to addressing stigma and identifying tools to enhance accessibility. 

NJPSA/FEA/NJASCD Fall Conference  
Location: Borgata Hotel & Resort
Date: October 13 & 14
Pricing: $160 - $320

Join NJPSA/FEA/NJASCD and hundreds of principals and supervisors from across the state for this premier gathering of school leaders. This year's conference resumes its in-person roll out at the Borgata Hotel & Resort. Prepare to see and shake hands again with colleagues across New Jersey, while indulging in numerous training sessions and embracing this year's theme: Honoring Courageous Leadership. The conference will feature keynote speakers Heather Younger, author of The Art of Caring Leadership: How Leading with Heart Uplifts Teams and Organizations, and comedian Michael Jr.  

Open Education Conference 
Location: Virtual 
Date: October 17-20
Pricing: $25 - $100

This conference is an example of how virtual events have opened our world. From your computer, network with education professionals from all over. The conference was established to share ideas, resources, research and more. By coming together this way, educators are enhancing students’ learning experience on a grand scale. 

New Jersey Science Convention 
Location: Princeton Marriott Forrestal 
Date: October 18 - 19
Pricing: $195 - $315 

New Jersey Science Teachers Association and New Jersey Science Education Leadership Association have planned a safe, in-person 45th Annual Convention this October. This year’s theme is ‘Helping All Students Find Their Voice’ and the two-day learning adventure offers a wide variety of sessions of interest for educators in all levels and disciplines of science. A modest number of vendors of science books, supplies, and equipment will also be in attendance. ​Rutgers Professor of Marine Sciences Dr. John Wilkin is this year's banquet speaker, so prepare to be amazed and engaged by what he'll share about robots, radars, satellites, trawlers, computers, calculus and more.

Association of Math Teachers in NJ Teaching Matters Conference
Location: Crowne Plaza Princeton - Conference Center, Plainsboro
Date: October 20
Pricing: $179.00 (members) $209.00 (non-members)

Are you ready for some hands-on and face-to-face interactive math fun? Then grab your seat at the annual Teaching Matters Conference sponsored by New Jersey's chapter of the Association of Math Teachers. Math educators across the state gather for this one-day learning experience where they discuss “Lessons Learned from the Pandemic” with Dr. Eric Milou. Additionally, discussions on "5 Practices for Facilitation Math Discussions using Desmos” with Nick Corley and “Leveraging Technology to Open Doors for Students” with Gail Burrill, are featured. Not a member? Your conference costs cover a full year's membership.

Asian Critical Race Theory and Young Children 
Location: Virtual 
Date: October 22
Pricing: $0-$25

To truly support Asian and Asian-Americans, we must know the historical and current politics associated with Asian identities in a local US context, while acknowledging the global interconnections. This session examines the theoretical, historical, and practical foundation, while simultaneously strategizing about our personal roles and responsibilities within social justice and solidarity work that strives toward liberation for our own and other communities. This workshop is designed to examine the formation of Asianness, how Asians are racialized, and the self-determination of Asian folx. 

Workshop 2022
Location: Atlantic City Convention Center
Date: October 24- 26
Pricing: $550  

NJSBA, NJASA and NJASBO are hosting their annual workshop conference this coming October. And you guessed it - back in person! The conference is returning to its Atlantic City location where, in addition to slot machines or blackjack tables, you can bet on an amazing professional learning and networking experience. The conference targets New Jersey’s school officials in the area of district leadership, school technology, school facilities management, curriculum professionals and more.   

NJCSS Annual Conference for K-12 Social Studies Teachers
Location: Rutgers-Busch Campus Center, Rutgers University
Date:  October 25
Pricing: $90

Members of the New Jersey Council for Social Studies will comes together to discuss this year’s theme: "Time to Talk about Educating for Democracy in a Challenging World.” Join them as they return for an in-person gathering of social studies educators.  The conference will feature 30+ workshops on civics, economics, climate education, Vietnam, instructional strategies, Academic literacy, the Cold War, Weimar Republic, judicial review, poverty, the American Revolution, and lots more! The conference fee comes with a one-year membership to the council.

Courage Conversation for Education Sector: Preparing for a Diverse Society  
Location: Virtual 
Date: October 27
Pricing: Free

How do you help your students understand diversity and equity? Are you helping them put diverse and equitable practices in place in their own lives? This panel session will focus on the role of basic and post-secondary educators to educate our youth and young adults for real-life interactions (living, working, playing, and learning) within our diverse society. Providing a curriculum and extra-curriculum which ensures equal opportunity for all students to excel in a positive environment, will be examined.

Rutgers Center for Literacy Development Speaker Series: Cornelius Minor and Dr. Kenneth Kunz
Location: Busch Student Center 
Date: October 20
Pricing: $175

This speaker series highlights two great voices in education: Cornelius Minor and Dr. Kenneth Kunz. During this half-day event, both speakers will tackle diversity, equity and inclusion in teaching. Minor’s speech is titled “We Got This: Literacy Instruction that Promotes Equity, Access and Being Who Our Students Need Us to Be.” During the talk, he will discuss what we are missing in literacy instruction to promote equity. Dr. Kunz’s discussion is titled “Planning Literacy Instruction with New Jersey’s Diversity and Inclusion Cirriculum Mandate” and he will provide practical strategies for how K-8 teachers can differentiate instruction that is inclusive of diverse experiences. 

2022 NAfME National Conference 
Location: Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center National-Harbor, MD
Date: November 2-6
Pricing:$95 - $325

Music educators tune in and take note! The 2022 NAfME National Conference is back, and it's been redesigned. It now combines the best of three traditional signature NAfME events: the NAfME Biennial Music Research and Teacher Education Conference, the NAfME National PreK-12 Conference, and the NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles. You can still expect the conferencer to foster and facilitate collaboration between music education practitioners, researchers, and program leaders across the spectrum of PreK-12 and higher education. There just may be much more to experience since the entire music education community can now meet in a single professional setting.  We're sure that's music to many teachers' ears!

2022 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
Location: Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Boston
Dates: November 18 - 20
Pricing: $210+ 

The ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo would like to invite you to engage in the world’s most comprehensive language education meeting. Participate in numerous educational sessions that focus on innovative programs, emerging trends that impact the language profession, and research-informed practices. Here you will find exhibitor sponsored workshops, the ACTFL Collab Zone, the Social Media Lounge, a Career Café, the ACTFL Confer-station Corner, and much more. Take your skills to the next level and join colleagues from around the world during this online gathering for language learning professionals.

2022 Annual Learning Forward Conference
Location: Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center Nashville, TN
Dates: December 4-7
Pricing: $264 - $429 

Learning Forward’s 2022 Annual Conference invites all educators to join colleagues, inspiring practitioners, and thought leaders online to learn new strategies and methods. Learn from well-known educators, Principal Baruti Kafele, Jessyca Mathews, and Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa on how to address the most pressing issues for education leaders including cultivating an equity mindset among all educators, advancing social justice advocacy, and embracing the post-pandemic education landscape and more. This year’s conference, held in Nashville, is an opportunity to both reimagine professional learning and recharge your educator battery for the important work of pushing learning forward for students.   

Rutgers Center for Literacy Development Speaker Series: Doug Fisher
Location: Busch Student Center, Rutgers University  
Date: December 8, 9:30 a.m. 
Pricing: $175
In this series event, Doug Fisher discusses what it takes to ensure the vast majority of children learn to read. The discussion, titled “Reading Reimagined: Weaving Word Recognition and Language Comprehension for Effective Literacy Instruction” shows what this looks like. Explore early literacy learning and the foundational skills for readers, as well as verbal reasoning and the theory of mind required to produce amazing readers. 

If you’re considering following your dream of teaching, Rutgers Alternate Route can offer you the support and training you need to succeed. Be sure to follow Rutgers Alternate Route on Twitter and sign up for Alternate Route’s monthly newsletter for more information and stories from the field of education.