Jack C. Berckemeyer
A nationally-recognized presenter, author, and humorist, Jack Berckemeyer, began his career as a middle school teacher in Denver, Colorado. After two years of teaching he was named as an outstanding educator at his school, and shortly thereafter he was identified as one of the outstanding educators in the district. Jack brings his energy, humor, and expertise to all staff development as he helps teachers and administrators remember why this job makes a difference. Jack has presented in conference and school district settings both nationally and internationally.
Areas of expertise
- Teaming and PLC – Curriculum
- Classroom Management
- Student Motivation
- Middle Level Concepts
- School Climate and Culture
- Parent Talks
- School Wide Reform and Evaluations
- Student-Led Conferences
- Vocabulary and Assessment
- Mini Courses
Workshops
- Taming of the Team: Being on a middle school team can be filled with great joys, struggles, and frustrations. It can also be a trying time for those involved in the meeting. This practical session focuses on the real life issues surrounding teaming. We will provide informative examples to help with effective use of team time and how teams can work together to deal with kids, curriculum, and professional development. You might even laugh at Jack’s descriptions of the characteristics of a team member.
- Classroom Management: Based on the book, Managing the Madness, A Practical Guide for Middle Grades Classrooms, this is a perfect session for administrators and educators. Jack provides real-life examples and solutions that help with classroom disruptions and management issues. This funny, informative, and entertaining session is designed to explain just why students interrupt our classroom and cause havoc within the school. See how you can develop useable action plans for students, and come discover not-so-typical ideas to manage a classroom.
- Language Arts Strategies: Looking for fun and motivating ideas for your middle level classroom? This is a hands-on session that provides real, quality strategies in the areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, listening, and speaking skills. No philosophy here, just creative ideas to motivate the middle level learner.
- Student Engagement: Looking for great ways to motivate students? These hands-on ideas are perfect for all subjects. Easy to use and implement in any classroom or school.
- This We Believe: Based on the National Middle School Association’s book This We Believe, we will present an overview of the 16 major characteristics of a quality middle school. The session is a lecture and hands on experience, and allows middle level educators to explore the true nature of a middle school.
- Understanding Adolescents: Being able to figure out the inner workings of adolescents is key to being a great middle school teacher. Come discover helpful teacher tips on how to relate to young adolescents. Share and apply teaching ideas that meet the needs of middle school students. This session will also provide practical ideas to help with classroom management and behavioral issues from structuring your room to methods for getting a class to simmer down. Connect with your students and discover new ways to relate to them that will surely improve learning
- Creating an Honors Program: Discover new ways to increase achievement and student success via a program that allows students to explore their true gifts and talents. This exploration of a subject matter helps students become an expert in a content area or topic.