Helping educators find joy in the journey of not only teaching and learning but their lives is an integral message he offers throughout his sessions. Creating immersive learning environments that center around relationships, risk-taking, and reviling in the joy that comes from it all are core components of his message. His keynotes and sessions can be tailored to deliver the unique message that your district or event needs. From tech to teaching tips Michael has you covered. Learn more and connect with Michael to come to your school or event on mrmatera.com. 

Twitter: @mrmatera

Instagram: mvmatera

YouTube: youtube.com/mrmatera

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Like a PIRATE™ Speaking Series

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Keynote: Gamification / Explore Like a Pirate

Join classroom game designer and author Michael Matera on a journey into the new world of education… a world that flourishes on collaboration and creativity. Inspire and empower your students to take control of their learning and leave a lasting legacy.

Matera will serve as your experienced guide to help you apply the most motivational techniques of gameplay to your classroom using strategies that work with and enhance (rather than replace) your current curriculum.

Ready yourself for learners who will request MORE of these game-inspired earning opportunities that highlight their talents, ignite their passions, and fuel their desire to leave a legacy. Then brace yourself, matey, for the thrill it will spark in YOU as you follow the call to imagine, design, and grow within a content-filled, experience-rich “New World” classroom.

What will your story be?

Keynote: Intentionally Driven: Creating the Identities We Want Through Goal-setting.

What is your I.D.? We all have certain labels by which we are identified: parent, teacher, administrator. What I.D.’s do you dream about: innovator, artist, athlete, adventurer? Are you carrying a fake I.D. that is preventing you from moving forward: “not creative,” “too busy”? We all hear goal-setting and roll our eyes. Yet, when seeking to be intentionally driven in our lives, our goals become the fuel that powers lasting transformation. However, one size doesn’t fit all. Come explore diverse techniques to become more intentional in living into your current I.D.’s and the excitement that comes from taking on new ones. A great life doesn’t happen on cruise control. Accelerate yourself, your staff, and your students by taking control, shifting into a higher gear, and exceeding all limits.  

Keynote: Immersive Learning: Building gamified experiences that captivate, inspire and engage students

Unlock your creativity and inspire the whole child as you discover how game inspired course design can transform the landscape of learning in your classroom and beyond. Learn how to create a classroom model where students dive deep into content, develop real-world skills, and collaborate to tackle challenges and reach their full potential.  This make-and-take ideas session provides a treasure trove of tools, examples, and takeaways you can implement immediately. Push play, level up, and your course will never be the same…

Keynote: Playful Planning - What Games Can Teach Us About Learning

Everyone is born knowing how to play. Teachers, through playful planning, can harness the power of games. Games allow us to learn from our failures, explore the world around us, as well as unlock talents in ourselves through leveled challenges. Together we can bring these elements into our schools. Educators who effectively use game theory, thinking and practice in their course design will see their students in a new light. Learn how to start crafting your gamified classroom to help build your student creativity, courage, and clarity of content. 

YouTube - a platform to reflect, share, and grow as a professional through relevant reflection.

Workshop - 60 mins

Reflection allows us to come up with a plan: a plan for growth, a plan for change, a plan to take action! Take a moment today to learn how YouTube might be the perfect space to create and share your relevant reflection. YouTube is the second largest search engine (behind only Google). It can help you learn a new skill. It can be a platform for which you share out your ideas. It could be the best move you make.

We’re Better Together - How Social Media Saves Teachers!

Workshop - 60 mins

We have all been to and heard of the connected educator and the power that can have on your life. This session goes beyond the twitter stories and truly dives into ways to use social media to extend learning, grow as an educator and make lasting connections that will change you forever! Come and join us and learn how social media can change save your professional life!

Purpose Driven Learning

Workshop - 60 mins

What is the PURPOSE of school? Hint… it’s not good grades! We are in the life-

changing business, so our lessons must have a greater purpose than just

grades. Are we teaching kids how to memorize facts for a test, or how to be

resilient when struggling with a new concept? Are we accepting mediocre work

because it meets the standard, or are we challenging students to put forth their best effort on every project? In group work, are our students more concerned with “getting an A” , or demonstrating that they are dependable team members?

Purpose Driven Learning can be developed in every subject area to help students reach their fullest potential. Together, we will explore the possibilities that allow our classrooms to have a mightier purpose than just the“letters”.

Engagement / Gamification SessionsImmersive Learning: Building gamified experiences that captivate, inspire and engage students

Workshop - 60 mins

Unlock your creativity and inspire the whole child as you discover how game inspired course design can transform the landscape of learning in your classroom and beyond. Learn how to create a classroom model where students dive deep into content, develop real-world skills, and collaborate to tackle challenges and reach their full potential.  This make-and-take ideas session provides a treasure trove of tools, examples, and takeaways you can implement immediately. Push play, level up, and your course will never be the same…

Engage: Low tech, no tech, and high tech strategies to connect and empower student success.

Workshop - 60 mins

Together we will explore how to build engagement through creative play in low-tech to no-tech classrooms as well as in digitally-rich environments. This session will have plenty of takeaways that teachers can use in their classrooms immediately. By building capacity to connect and overcome challenges through a risk-rich environment, we will build lasting change in our students and set their course for success. 

Itemize - Building up your toolbox with items and power-ups for your gamified classroom.

Workshop - 60 mins

At one time we all had dreams of having superpowers, the ability to bend the rules, and a way to personalize an experience. Itemize session will help you add powerups and items to your game that will help your students create a personalized experience that will unlock engagement and student potential. Come join in the fun of itemizing your gamified classroom. You will learn tips to creating your own, gain plenty of ideas, and leave ready to discover your gamified class that awaits you. 

Pass Go! - Getting Started with Gamification micro workshop

Workshop - 60 mins

This session is for those teachers who have no idea of what gamification is or already know but have yet to truly “pass go” and start it in their classes. Together, we will build equity in these ideas and start to monopolize the best parts of gamification for your classroom. No matter if you play as the top hat, the car, or the iron… we are going to get your class rolling.

Mini Games: Unlocking The Potential Of Play

Workshop - 60 mins

Together we will explore how to build engagement through creative play. Whether your classroom is a low-tech or digitally rich environment, mini-games give units and lessons the extra pop and sizzle that drives home your content and builds collaboration. So let’s roll up our sleeves and apply a creative twist to our old standbys for review days and class challenges.

Game-Based Learning: Putting the Game Pieces Together

Workshop - 60 mins

n this workshop, we will explore the possibilities for using games in education. We will explore a variety of ways to bring playful learning into your classroom. This session will include many examples of games you can use immediately to teach both content and long lasting life skills. With playful learning you can allow your students to have their cake and eat it too.

Level up Learning - game inspired course design to enrich, engage, and elevate your learners.

Workshop - 60 mins

Imagine students engaged in a multiplayer world, with XP, quests, mobs, dungeons, and guilds. A massive online game? No. Make this happen in your classroom, where students learn by playing; where they teach each other and themselves. Come play along and learn how.

This session will demonstrate the power of using gamification in your classroom. Using game-inspired learning for a unit or an entire course, it will improve student learning, increase engagement and excitement in and out of class, and unlock your students’ potential.

In this session, attendees will leave with ideas of how to run their own multiplayer classroom and time to generate some ideas of their own. Presenter Michael Matera will share his successful integration of this method of instruction. Come to listen, learn, share, and even play.

Plugin Play–Workshop To Design Your Gamified Lesson, Unit, Or Course

1/2 Day or Full Day Workshop 

Plugin Play is all about functionality and ease. This workshop builds your plugin play gamification model. Working through the core components of theme, points, badges, and game mechanics, you will leave with a blueprint for success. Additionally, you will learn how to use the game inspired design process to construct rich experiences for your students. Come ready to learn and earn your way through this workshop as you unlock your creative ideas to help your students reach their fullest potential.