Professional Development
Professional Development
OCLRE provides a variety of Professional Development (PD) opportunities throughout the year including program specific trainings, conferences, workshops on civic education, and authentic instruction methods across curricula! Updates about our offerings can be found on this page, or on our individual program pages.
Looking for a more customized PD experience for your PD day? OCLRE can provide customized PD sessions at your location on topics of your choosing as a benefit of membership or as a service to districts and curriculum partners. Past offerings have included how to discuss controversy in the classroom, creating C3 inquiry lesson plans, literacy and the law, and more! OCLRE members can book a custom PD session for free provided that at least five teachers will be present for the training. Nonmembers can book custom PD for a $150 honorarium. Pricing is also flexible. If you are interested in creating a PD session, contact Ryan Suskey at rsuskey@oclre.org.
Mock Trial Conference
2025 Mock Trial Conference
Dates: Monday, Sept. 15th and Tuesday, Sept. 16th
Location: Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center (Supreme Court Building)
Save the dates! The 2025 Mock Trial Conference will take place on September 15th - 16th at the Moyer Ohio Judicial Center (Supreme Court Building; Subject to change) in Columbus! The conference gives attendees the opportunity to learn the basics of Mock Trial, what judging entails & be among the first to view next year's Case Topic. Registration will be available on August 1st, and more details will be announced after the start of the program season.
Deep Dive: The Deep Dive option for this year's conference is on Monday, September 15th ONLY.
Introduction Track: The Intro Track option will be available on Monday, September 15th and Tuesday, September 16th, though attendees do not have to attend both days. However, attendees must attend Day 1 in order to attend Day 2.
Registration available on August 1st.
Mock Trial Conference Cost
| Conference Topics: | One Day: | Two Days*: |
| Introduction to Mock Trial: | $50.00 | $75.00 |
| Deep Dive into Mock Trial: | $50.00 | N/A |
| Recordings-only (Day 1 Intro + Deep Dive): | Available for $25.00 | |
*Day 2 is only available to Introduction to Mock Trial Attendees who also attended Day 1.
If you are interested in learning more about Ohio Mock Trial, please contact Jenna Lewis at jlewis@oclre.org.
Ohio Government in Action
Ohio Government in Action (OGIA) is a two-day interactive program that provides educators with effective teaching tools and a renewed enthusiasm they can take back to the classroom. Go behind the scenes of our government in Ohio’s state capital where educators will interact with the movers and shakers in the executive, judicial and legislative branches!
See the Ohio Constitution come to life
This annual workshop gives teachers an insider’s view of state government via the following:
- Meet with Supreme Court justices, state legislators, and citizen groups
- Tour the award-winning Supreme Court Visitor Education Center and the Ohio Statehouse
- Observe legislative and courtroom simulations
- And more!
Practical classroom application
After you experience first-hand how individuals and groups work together to make, interpret and enforce the Ohio Constitution, head back to the classroom with ready-to-use lesson plans, classroom activities and resources.
Conference Schedule
The goal of the OGIA conference is to bring teachers up front with state and local government. Because of the nature of public events, and elected officials’ schedules, the agenda is always subject to change and develops throughout the planning process. The agenda below represents the 2025 Conference schedule.
Conference Pricing
| Member Rate: | Non-Member Rate: | |
| 2 Days: | $130.00 | $260.00 |
Hotel Accommodations
Testimonials
Teachers share their feedback about OGIA:
“High energy, exciting, and engaging! Valuable data and content for the classroom!”
“Inspiring and pragmatic -- ideas to implement immediately!”
“Speakers were engaging, subject matters were relevant, and sessions were interesting!”
“I networked, learned a great deal, and left with solid material I can use. Quite the trifecta!”
“[OGIA]definitely inspired some new teaching strategies and further knowledge in the content area.”
“I was totally impressed with the conference. I have raved about it all day with both my students and my colleagues.”
“…a great time and very rewarding professional development opportunity…”
For more information about OGIA contact Ryan Suskey, rsuskey@oclre.org, 614-485-3506.
We the People Institute
Teacher Grant Opportunity: Civics That Empowers All Students (CEAS)
About CEAS
This project is funded by a Supporting Effective Educator Development Grant from the USDOE with the following goals:
- To increase undeserved grades 4-8 students' attainment of state civics standards, related literacy standards, and social and emotional learning competencies,
- to create inclusive and identity-safe learning environments for underserved students in grades 4-8,
- to support high-quality development for diverse teachers, and
- to study the effectiveness of the updated and enhanced We the People blended-learning professional development program at improving teacher and student outcomes.
Benefits
- Free professional development! A total of 52 hours of professional development in a learning community with mentors and other teachers from Ohio and neighboring states, including a 36-hour in-person summer institute and 16 hours of online academic-year follow up.
- Engaging pedagogy and academic content, centered on the highly effective We the People curriculum
- A network of support and resources for engaging diverse student populations in the history, principles, and current application of the U.S. Constitution
- Scholar guest speakers
- Access to a library of professional development videos with noted scholars and practitioners cued to the curriculum
- Free set of We the People textbooks and teacher's guide
- A stipend for completing program requirements
Program Requirements
For Ohio's participation in this grant, this program is for teachers in grades 7 or 8 who work with 30% or more underserved students, including:
- Students living in poverty (Title I Schools)
- Students of color
- Students with disabilities
- English learners
- Migrant students
- Students in foster care
- Students performing below grade level
- Other
*The Federal definition of high-need students includes qualifiers such as: students in poverty counted in the most recent census date; students eligible for free or reduced-price school lunch; students in families receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act; students eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program
Commitments
- Participate in 52 hours of professional development
- 36-hour summer institute; 16 hours of in-service professional development
- A total of 40 hours of classroom instruction using the We the People curriculum
- Involve students in the simulated congressional hearing instructional activity
- Participate in a teacher pre- and post-test
- Administer student pre- and post-tests
Questions? Please contact Danny Rains at drains@oclre.org or call (614) 485-3514.
Constitution Camp
2024 Constitution Camp
On November 19th, OCLRE hosted the 2024 Constitution Camp at the Ohio State Bar Association building in Columbus. During the conference, experts discussed the legal landscape surrounding public education and the power of the executive branch. Specifically, sessions at the camp delved into the way the right to education has evolved over time and is reflected differently in the United States & Ohio Constitutions and the separation of powers doctrine, the power of the Executive, and the balance of power between the president and Congress, along with a workshop on how to support students in writing evidence-based arguments. OCLRE would like to thank all those that attended the camp, and a special thanks to Professor A. Christopher Bryant from the University of Cincinnati College of Law for leading our second session!
Missed the camp? Sign up for a recordings-only registration to receive access to recordings of the sessions.
Constitution Camp Cost
| Cost (Member & Non-Member Rate): | |
| In-Person (1-Day): | $50.00 |
| Recordings-only: | $25.00 |
If you have any questions, please contact Danny Rains at drains@oclre.org or call (614) 485-3514.
