Kayla Delzer Dornfeld

Featured Keynote Programs

In this passionate talk, kindergarten teacher Kayla Dornfeld speaks about her mission to revitalize learning, relationships, and the classroom environment. Kayla explains how to release the power in the classroom by giving students ownership of their learning and making it relevant to them. Her students conquer amazing tasks by embracing purposeful technology. Published on Oct 13, 2015 via TEDx - This keynote is an expanded version of her popular TEDx talk.

Participants will leave this session with:
• Ideas to build meaningful relationships with students and connect with a Professional Learning Network (PLN)
• Strategies to embrace purposeful technology
• Actions to make every school year epic
• Practical ideas to implement to improve and build strong relationships between teachers and students and teachers and parents

If we take a look at classrooms over the past 100 years, we are seeing the same type of learning environments, year after year. The world is changing, yet our classrooms are being designed much the same. Revitalizing space and incorporating flexible seating is a straightforward way to let students exercise choice in the learning environment and find academic success on their own terms.

Participants will leave this session with:

• Practical tips, strategies, research, pedagogy, and ideas to implement flexible seating in your classroom or school

• Management strategies to turn your classroom into flexible seating, student-led "Starbucks for Kids" learning space

Learn to take your students -- no matter how young -- anywhere from outer space, to the Minnesota Zoo, to classrooms in other states and countries. Discuss ways to safely encourage virtual exploration and student led classroom social media accounts. Leave this session ready to empower students to virtually “Share Their Story” and bring the world to your classroom.

Kayla is a firm believer in making school a place where all kids want to be, not somewhere they have to be. Through high engagement activities, a creative classroom design approach, and placing relationships at the top of her priority list, Kayla is able to make her classroom inviting, exciting, and full of love. Join her in her mission to put relationships first, and everything else second.

Teaching is hard work, there's no doubt about it. Each and every day, we pour our whole selves into the children in our classrooms, the staff we work alongside, the families we serve, and the schools we work in. Kayla presents multiple strategies to employ in order for educators to thrive and not simply survive. The most important relationship we have is the one we have with ourselves. We must take care of our own hearts before we can care for so many others.

Technology can give even the quietest students a voice and a chance to shine. This session will target different apps that help students demonstrate what they have learned using both their voice and work. Often students can show that they understand something, but have difficulty explaining how they know they have mastered a concept. Several student examples will be shown, and ample time will be provided to explore the apps.

Have you been hearing about Genius Hour, passion projects, or Google’s 20% time in classrooms? Are you unsure how to justify this type of student-led learning—or implement it with fidelity? Kayla presents the research behind allowing students one hour of their week to study what they are passionate about. From brainstorming topics to creating meaningful, student-driven presentations, learn how to create a classroom where student passions come alive.

If you've signed up for Twitter or Instagram and are wondering how to get started, this class is for you. Both of these social media tools are now wildly popular. Come see why millions of users have flocked to these sites. You will leave with a good start of a PLN in each network.

Sending home only a weekly newsletter is no longer an option in our 21st century schools. During this session, you will learn how I utilize Remind 101 text messages daily, blogging, Twitter, Homeroom app, and emails to communicate classroom happenings with families.