July 9, 2026

Title: Shaking Up Special Education: Increasing Success for Students with
Disabilities with Effective Literacy Instruction

Description: During this interactive session special education teachers will
dive deeper into Specially Designed Instruction and build on knowledge of providing students with meaningful access to the curriculum. Special Education teachers will analyze instructional strategies and engage in collaborative discussions to build a toolkit of specially designed instruction. Teachers will gather ready-to-use strategies to increase student achievement and leave feeling inspired to begin the journey with SDI.

Register here! 

October 15, 2024

During this interactive workshop teachers will dive deeper into Specially
Designed Instruction and build on knowledge of providing students with meaningful access to the curriculum. Teachers will analyze instructional strategies and engage in collaborative discussions to build a toolkit of specially designed instructional practices to increase student achievement in Co-taught Classrooms. Teachers will gather ready-to-use strategies to accelerate student success and leave feeling inspired to begin the journey with SDI!

Registration link to sign-up!

October 30 & 31, 2024

Specifically Designed for Grades 1-12: General Education Teachers, Special Education Staff, Department Teams, Literacy and Math Coaches, Reading Specialists, and Other Specialists Who Currently Co Teach or Plan to Co-Teach as Part of Their Schools' Inclusive Practices

• Practical strategies for incorporating specially designed instruction into your co-taught lessons without adding hours of extra planning time
• Learn how two teachers can ensure that the specially designed instruction your special education students need can be integrated into co-taught lessons
• Acquire dozens of instantly usable strategies, innovative resources and techniques to engage and maintain students in active learning
• Dozens of ideas to strengthen your co-teaching partnership and instruction, plus an extensive digital resource handbook filled with classroom ready materials and resources

Registration link to sign up!

December 2 & 9, 2024

Workshop Overview
During this workshop series teachers will dive deeper into Specially Designed Instruction and build on knowledge of providing students with meaningful access to the curriculum. Teachers will analyze SDI practices and engage in collaborative discussions to build a toolkit of specially designed instructional practices to increase student achievement in our Inclusive Classrooms. Teachers will gather ready-to-use strategies and SDI planning tools to accelerate student success and leave inspired to begin the journey with SDI!

Registration Link coming soon!

January 24, 2025

Everything is “Possible” with Inclusion! Savanna provides a road map on why inclusive practitioners are really superheroes in disguise. Inclusive teachers use evidence-based strategies, collaborate with intentionality to increase access to the curriculum, and differentiate instruction to increase social and academic achievement for ALL students. This interactive plenary will answer two fundamental questions – How can we remove barriers to increase access to academic content? How can we add more differentiation to engage learners? Providing meaningful learning experiences that support and challenge ALL students is truly our super strength!

Registration link to sign-up. 

January 8 & 15, 2025

Co-teachers have the power to substantially increase access to the curriculum and accelerate the achievement for ALL students in inclusive classrooms. In Part I of this workshop, participants will learn the latest brain research on engagement and proven strategies to increase engagement at the beginning, middle, and end of instruction. Participants will have time to explore a variety of effective techniques to fully engage students and reflect on next steps for implementation.

Providing instruction to small groups of students is a tried-and-true way to differentiate instruction in our Co-taught Classrooms and better meet the individual needs of students.  In Part II of this workshop, participants will review Savanna’s F.L.E.X. approach (F - figure out goals, L - look at data, E - engage in reflection, and X - execute routines) to grouping students and how it can support teachers in differentiating instruction to provide effective small group learning opportunities.

REGISTER HERE !

March 5 & 6, 2025

Using co-teaching to reach our diverse student population, including students with disabilities and other special needs, can be a powerful and highly effective way to help students access the general education curriculum and make progress toward reaching the increasingly high academic standards. However, as we co-teach to both general education and special needs students, we want to be sure to include in our lessons the specially designed instruction students with disabilities are required to receive. Throughout the 2 Day Conference, with a strategy-packed Keynote and sessions on co-teaching led by Savanna Flakes, you will discover practical ways to engage students with specially designed instruction to help every student meet and exceed rigorous curriculum.

You will learn the most effective, cutting-edge, research-based co-teaching practices to increase student achievement. If you are searching for practical ways to maximize the instructional knowledge of the general educator and learning specialist, this unique one-day seminar will provide best practices for successful co-teaching and specially designed instructional strategies to increase student achievement. By the end of the day, you will leave with dozens of highly practical, effective strategies and an extensive digital resource handbook to help you reach your goal of reaching and teaching every student.

REGISTER HERE!

October 24, 2023

The Power of Two! Co-teachers have the power to substantially increase access to the curriculum and accelerate the achievement for ALL students in inclusive classrooms. This interactive workshop will provide: (1) roles and strategies to maximize the power that two teachers with varying strengths and backgrounds can have on student learning and achievement; (2) an overview of effective co-teaching models and strategies to add flexible grouping in inclusive classrooms;  (3) differentiation strategies to meet the needs of all learners. With embedded time to collaborate, co-teachers will have opportunities to engage and analyze best practices throughout the workshop day. Co-teachers will gather dozens of practical resources to implement high impact co-teaching practices.  

Register here. 

November 14, 2023

Savanna provides a road map on why teachers are really superheroes in disguise. Teachers use evidence-based strategies, collaborate with intentionality to increase access to the curriculum, and differentiate instruction to increase social and academic achievement for ALL students. This plenary will answer two fundamental questions – How can we remove barriers to increase access to academic content? How can we add more differentiation to engage learners? Providing meaningful learning experiences that support and challenge ALL students is truly our super strength!

Register here. 

November 20, 2023

Savanna provides a road map on why special educators are paramount to providing ALL students with keys to the kingdom!  Special education teachers are primed to use evidence-based strategies, collaborate with intentionality, differentiate a multitude of resources, and create a variety of materials to increase social and academic achievement for students with disabilities. Specifically, their expertise in specially designed instruction prepares all students for a fulfilling and prosperous future. This plenary will answer two fundamental questions – How can we remove barriers? How can we add more differentiation? Providing access to the general education curriculum is truly our super strength!

Additional Session: Designing Instruction for ALL with an Equity-Based
Mindset

Register here. 

November 28 & 29, 2023 (Columbus Ohio)

December 4 & 5, 2023 (New Albany, NY)

“What’s Your Co-Teaching Mindset? Moving from Surviving
to Thriving as We Work Together to Help Students Catch Up”

Let’s explore best practices and tips from successful Co-Teachers and how they work together to make a significant impact on student performance. Join Savanna as she shares Co-Teaching strategies and instructional resources to A.C.T. – Apply innovative ideas, Collaborate with intentionality, Teach using Specially Designed Instruction – in order to help ALL learners in our Co-Taught classrooms catch up and experience greater success.

Additional Sessions: SDI, Co-teaching, & Executive Functioning Supports

Register here. 

January 25, 2024

In this introduction to Specially Designed Instruction (SDI), special education teachers will gather evidence-based practices for aligning specially designed instruction with academic areas of impact for students with disabilities. During this interactive workshop special education teachers will develop a common understanding of Specially Designed Instruction and build on knowledge of providing students with meaningful access to the curriculum. Special Education teachers will use information learned to begin critical examination of their current practice across the content areas. Teachers will have the opportunity to plan for implementation of SDI for a specific student using a guided Specially Designed Instruction framework.

Register here. 

February 1, 2024

Creating Access, Creating Opportunity Annual Education Conference

In this motivating keynote session, nationally-renowned educational expert Savanna Flakes will provide a road map on why teachers are really superheroes in disguise. Inclusive teachers use evidence-based strategies, collaborate with intentionality to increase access to the curriculum, and differentiate instruction to increase social and academic achievement for ALL students. This interactive plenary will answer two fundamental questions – How can we remove barriers to increase access to academic content? How can we add more differentiation to engage learners? Providing meaningful learning experiences that support and challenge ALL students is truly our super strength!

NYC Public Charter School Teachers register here. 

February 15-16 2024

March 13, 2024

It’s A Matter of Equity! Access to Powerful Literacy Instruction (Grades 3-12)

Access to powerful literacy instruction levels the playing field for every student and unlocks the door to limitless opportunity. In addition to reading paperback and hardcover books, students are using digital devices more than ever before. Before, during and after reading strategies support all learners, but these equitable instructional practices are even more important for struggling readers. Using effective literacy strategies and technology resources is imperative in helping struggling readers access complex text. During this session, participants will gather instructional strategies and resources to lift students to higher levels of language proficiency and help them access grade-level texts.

March 21, 2024

Helping Struggling Students Increase Academic Achievement and Social Emotional Skills

Everyone who works in the field of education will teach students who need support with executive functioning skills. These students may struggle to make plans, keep track of time, work meaningfully in a group, finish work on time, and seek more information when they need it. Good executive functioning skills enable positive social relations, academic success, and adaptive skills. This workshop series will equip you with proven interventions and strategies to help students succeed academically, manage their emotions, and demonstrate perseverance to attain goals and healthy behaviors.

Register here !

April 9, 2024

Register here! 

April 10 & 11, 2024

“What’s Your Co-Teaching Mindset? Moving from Surviving
to Thriving as We Work Together to Help Students Catch Up”

Let’s explore best practices and tips from successful Co-Teachers and how they work together to make a significant impact on student performance. Join Savanna as she shares Co-Teaching strategies and instructional resources to A.C.T. – Apply innovative ideas, Collaborate with intentionality, Teach using Specially Designed Instruction – in order to help ALL learners in our Co-Taught classrooms catch up and experience greater success.

Additional Sessions: SDI, Co-teaching, & Executive Functioning Supports

Register HERE! 

June 17, 2024

Keynote

I'm a Teacher! What's YOUR Superpower?

Breakout Session

Shaking Up Special Education: Adding “MORE” SDI in our Co-taught Classrooms

Register here! 

Literacy Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities (3rd-12th Grade).

This workshop will review the basics of learning disabilities and teachers will gather effective interventions to shake-up direct and strategy instruction to improve students’ reading comprehension skills.

Best Math Strategies for Working with Students with Learning Disabilities (3rd-12th Grade).

This workshop will provide an overview of learning disabilities specifically related to math. Participants will learn strategies to increase motivation, support computation skills, and add access to problem solving which often impact a student’s math performance.

Participants will be provided a signed copy of my book, Shaking Up Special Education: Instructional Moves to Increase Student Achievement!

Register here. 

October 13

By effectively co-teaching and utilizing differentiated instructional strategies that promote student engagement, co- teachers will have a substantial impact on achievement for all learners.  This workshop will provide evidenced-based instructional strategies and best practices to support high outcomes co-teaching.  With embedded co-planning time throughout the workshop day, co-teachers will have opportunities to engage and practice the effective co-planning frameworks shared.  Co-teachers will gather useful techniques to maximize co-planning time to reach ALL learners in co-taught classrooms. 

Register here. 

December 1 & 2

KEYNOTE:  “What’s Your Co-Teaching Mindset? Moving from Surviving to Thriving as We Work Together to Help Students Catch Up” 

Let’s explore best practices and tips from successful Co-Teachers and how they work together to make a significant impact on student performance. Join Savanna as she shares Co-Teaching strategies and instructional resources to A.C.T. – Apply innovative ideas, collaborate with intentionality, Teach using Specially Designed Instruction – in order to help ALL learners in our Co-Taught classrooms catch up and experience greater success.

Register here. 

January 31

Every student has something to learn and something to teach. This interactive workshop will focus on high-leverage inclusive practices to engage ALL learners in our inclusive classrooms. Inclusive Principles such as creating a positive classroom community, increasing equitable brain-based instructional opportunities, utilizing differentiated instruction, and planning using a strength-based approach are a few of the principles we explore.  Teachers will discover Savanna’s TOP Inclusion principles over the two-part series and gather practical strategies to engage and accelerate student achievement.

Register here. 

March 2

All learning is social and emotional learning! To remove barriers that limit access and prevent some students from developing social and emotional competencies, we must apply an equity lens to SEL across the curriculum to increase access for every student. Our academic standards give us a golden opportunity to teach social-emotional skills and academic skills together. Participants will explore a three-step guided process to include Social Emotional Learning into academic instruction for ALL students.

March 15

Workshop 1: Solving Word Problems with Perseverance and Success (K- 8th Grade)

Workshop 2: Using Discourse and Collaborative Structures to Improve Learning Outcomes (K-8th Grade)

Workshop 3: Amplifying Mathematical Vocabulary Acquisition (Secondary)

 March 6-10

Keynote

“What’s Your Co-Teaching Mindset? Moving from Surviving to Thriving as We Work Together to Help Students Catch Up” – Savanna Flakes Let’s explore best practices and tips from successful Co-Teachers and how they work together to make a significant impact on student performance. Join Savanna as she shares Co-Teaching strategies and instructional resources to A.C.T. – Apply innovative ideas, collaborate with intentionality, Teach using Specially Designed Instruction – in order to help ALL learners in our Co-Taught classrooms catch up and experience greater success. 

Register here. 

May 20 & 21

Educators everywhere are invited to our next ASCD Emerging Leaders Meetup May 20 & 21 in central Ohio!

I'll be presenting a learning session on SEL & Equity!

Register here!

May 25 & May 31

In this workshop teachers will gather instructional practices to differentiate instruction so ALL learners can access the curriculum and achieve rigorous content standards. This workshop will provide evidenced-based practices to support three common learning barriers: vocabulary, comprehension, and concept attainment. Teachers will have the opportunity to collaborate and differentiate instruction for an upcoming objective.

Registration Coming Soon!

July 26 & 27

Keynote

“What’s Your Co-Teaching Mindset? Moving from Surviving to Thriving as We Work Together to Help Students Catch Up” – Savanna Flakes Let’s explore best practices and tips from successful Co-Teachers and how they work together to make a significant impact on student performance. Join Savanna as she shares Co-Teaching strategies and instructional resources to A.C.T. – Apply innovative ideas, collaborate with intentionality, Teach using Specially Designed Instruction – in order to help ALL learners in our Co-Taught classrooms catch up and experience greater success. 

Register here. 

Massachusetts Charter Public School Teachers register here. 

Caribbean Institute of Social and Emotional Learning

April 21, 2022

Register here. 

Courses start June 1, 2022. 

Register for the Trauma -Invested Institute here. 

Savanna Flakes is an engaging and enthusiastic international presenter, special education teacher, teacher-leader, and special education consultant with a passion for working with students with special needs and their teachers. She has extensive experience in special education including Co-Teaching, differentiation, classroom management, and serving students with special needs in inclusive classrooms. Savanna is known for her passion and dedication to reaching diverse learners and is the author of Shaking Up Special Education.

Presenting Workshops on: Universal Design for Learning and Co-teaching, Specially Designed Instruction, and Social Emotional Learning

Register for the 2 Day Co-teaching Conference here. 

Shaking Up Social Emotional Learning!

Courses Start August 22

Register here!

March 24, 2021

March 31, 2021

Register for this two-part workshop here. 

MDSC 38th Annual Virtual Conference

Register here!

Keynote Presentation: 

“What’s Your Co-Teaching Mindset? Moving from Surviving to Thriving as We Work Together to Help Students Catch Up”

Let’s explore best practices and tips from successful Co-Teachers and how they work together to make a significant impact on student performance. Join Savanna as she shares Co-Teaching strategies and instructional resources to A.C.T. – Apply innovative ideas, Collaborate with intentionality, Teach using Specially Designed Instruction – in order to help ALL learners in our Co-Taught classrooms catch up and experience greater success.

Register here. 

Register for the 21CLHK virtual conference here. 

Workshop: Leveling the Literacy Playing Field

To register for ASCD's October 20 Symposium register here. 

The POWER of UDL: Providing Meaningful Access for ALL Students

October 21, 2021

MFA teachers register here. 

"REVing Up our Co-teaching": Moving from DI to SDI

October 27, 2021

NY Charter School Teachers register here. 

Empowering ALL Students With Universal Design for Learning: Engage, Access, and Express in the Post-Pandemic Classroom

The Universal Design for Learning framework is based on a notion of an intentional and systematic process to flexibly design instruction to allow for options, engagement, and access. How can the UDL framework help us design learning experiences that empower students and increase student access to the curriculum in the post-pandemic classroom? In this workshop, teachers will gather resources to engage and empower our students with intellectual disabilities, instructional strategies to provide every student access to the curriculum, and the opportunity to align current best practices with Universal Design for Learning.

Register Here! 

Workshop Title: It's Imperative! Add Access to Complex Text

Register here !

Registration for July 19 & 20: Register here. 

Registration for July 21 & 22: Register here. 

Expect lively keynote addresses and interactive, informative breakout sessions led by seasoned, expert practitioners highlighting childhood trauma, adult self-care, race and equity, relationship-building, leadership and implementation approaches, communication structures, managing hybrid/online/in-person structures, and a plethora of strategies you can use in your classroom, department, school, or district immediately.

Register here for access to the virtual conference. 

June 21, 1-3 pm est.

Register with St. Mary’s County Health Department.

Let's Shake Up Special Education !

Register here for the Education Summit and On-Demand Viewing.  

Join Savanna as she shakes us special education with her Public Service Announcement for including Social Emotional Learning into academic instruction for ALL students, and specifically students with exceptionalities.

P: Purpose

S: Self-Management

A: Awareness

It’s sure to be a fun and interactive time!

Book: Shaking up Special Education: Instructional Moves to Increase Student Achievement

Register for this event here. 

Register here for live seminar. 

To register for my live program register here!

Technology Tools: Access to Literacy Across the Curriculum

NYC Members register here!

Course Registration here. 

Register Here!

Workshop Series 1: Inclusive Practices to Engage Every Student

Workshop Series 2 Remote Learning: Specializing Online Instruction for Students with Disabilities

NYC Collaborative Members register here!

Register here for a free hour webinar on the topic of Social Emotional Learning!

Four Dates: January 26, 27, 28, 29

Register Here!

Course begins October 1. 

In partnership with English Language Portal. 

Visit the English Language Portal to register today!

September 3, 2020

Register for the course here. 

Digital webinar available here. 

Hosted by Kristen Souers and Pete Hall of Fostering Resilient Learners. 

Lots of great speakers and sessions on Trauma Invested Practices!

Join me for "Social Emotional Learning and Equity."

Register for in person or virtual options here. 

Disruptive Behaviors in the Classroom

Quick "On the Spot" Social-Emotional Learning and Behavior Interventions That Get Big Results!

Register here. 

Math For America is devoted to building a community of accomplished mathematics and science teachers who make a lasting impact in their schools, their communities, and the profession at large. 

Join Savanna for a virtually interactive day of learning and sharing.  Register here. 

By effectively co-planning and utilizing differentiated instructional strategies that promote student engagement, co- teachers will have a substantial impact on achievement for all learners. This workshop will provide evidenced-based instructional strategies and best practices to support effective co-planning. With embedded co-planning time throughout the workshop day, co-teachers will have opportunities to engage and practice the effective co-planning frameworks shared. Co-teachers will gather useful techniques to maximize co-planning time in order to reach ALL learners in co-taught classrooms.

This virtual session is a district-wide event. 

Practical Strategies to Incorporate Specially Designed Instruction into Your Co-Teaching

Register here. 

In this unprecedented time, parents, teachers, and children are provided the opportunity to adjust to a new rhythm of school and work at home. Join us for a supportive virtual learning experience, open for all caring adults who would like to increase academic learning at home. Through an interactive learning experience, adults will acquire dozens of practical strategies to increase learning throughout the day. Working, parenting, and teaching from home can be very stressful juggling act and so employing a variety of wellness practices can help us sustain learning activities for children. You will leave this outstanding webinar inspired with a wealth of highly effective strategies, websites, and tools to support literacy, numeracy and social emotional learning. We are in this together!

To purchase the recorded webinar click here.