SENIA 2026 Masterclass Facilitator Guide
The Path Forward
Thank you for serving as a Masterclass Facilitator for SENIA 2026. Your role is to help transform recorded presentations into meaningful conversations where educators can reflect, connect, and consider how ideas apply within their own schools and regional contexts.
The Institute combines on-demand presentations with live discussion sessions so participants can engage deeply with the content and with one another.
Schedule in your local time zone while helping participants finish by 4:00 PM their time.
Useful Links
Helpful resources to keep open
Contact Lists / Attendance
Find your tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
Open Contact Lists / AttendanceWorld Time Zone Buddy
Compare time zones before sending meeting invitations.
Open World Time Zone BuddyDoodle Poll
Use Doodle if you want a fast way to collect availability.
Open Doodle PollWorkshop Descriptions by Theme
Review Leadership, MTSS & Data-Driven Practices, and LCE.
Open Workshop DescriptionsWhat Is a Masterclass?
A live discussion connected to a strand
A Masterclass is a live, facilitated discussion session connected to a thematic learning strand. Participants will watch selected presentations from their strand ahead of time and then join a live session to:
- Reflect on key ideas
- Discuss real challenges in their schools
- Share strategies with colleagues
- Ask questions and explore implementation
Your role is to guide the conversation and help participants make connections across the presentations and within their own contexts.
Masterclass Structure
What facilitators are leading
Live sessions
One session on Saturday, April 11 and one session on Sunday, April 12.
Minutes each
Each session is 45-60 minutes long.
Attendance expected
Participants are expected to attend both sessions.
Facilitator To-Do Checklist
The Main Checklist
Review the conference format and expectations
Learn about logistics, communication, and attendance tracking.
Review your Masterclass strand
Look through the presentations included in your assigned strand. Videos may not be ready until April 6, so use titles and descriptions to decide.
- Identify 3 videos for Saturday
- Identify 3 videos for Sunday
- Become familiar with the key themes across the selected presentations
These videos will serve as anchors for the two live discussions. You do not need to review every presentation in depth, but you should be familiar with the main ideas in your strand.
Contact participants in your group
Email the participants in your Masterclass group. Introduce yourself as their facilitator, share the meeting times and link once finalized, and tell them which 3 videos to watch before Saturday and before Sunday.
Your message should help participants feel clear about:
- Who their facilitator is
- When the group will meet
- Which videos they should watch in advance
- The purpose of the live discussions
Choose meeting times
Select a meeting time for Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12. Choose times that work as well as possible for your group.
You can choose the time on your own or through a polling system. Doodle Poll is a useful option. Aim for early to late afternoon while making sure it ends by 4:00 PM for each attendee.
Prepare your discussion questions
Create a few discussion questions for Saturday's and Sunday's videos, and please share the questions in advance so participants come prepared.
Your discussion should help participants think about:
- How the ideas connect to their own school setting
- How local systems, culture, and resources shape implementation
- What inclusion looks like in their particular region
- What challenges and opportunities are most relevant in their context
Facilitate two live Masterclass sessions
This structure is offered as a guide only. You do not need to follow it exactly. Adapt the format in ways that best fit your group, discussion style, and regional context.
- Opening: 5 minutes
- 3-5 discussion questions: 30-35 minutes
- Closing: 5 minutes
Track participant attendance
Use the Attendance Record Sheet .
- Record attendance for the Saturday session
- Record attendance for the Sunday session
- 📸 Take a picture of your group so we can post it to social media
Sample Discussion Questions
Prompts to help participants come prepared
- What idea from the videos resonated most strongly in the context of your school or region?
- Which ideas feel most relevant to the schools represented in this group?
- What challenges in your region might affect how these ideas are implemented?
- What strengths or supports already exist in your schools that could help move this work forward?
- How do culture, family expectations, local systems, or school structures shape this work in your context?
- What would meaningful progress look like in your school, given your current reality?
- What is one practical takeaway you could adapt for your setting?
Tips for Successful Masterclasses
What the strongest sessions feel like
Encourage participants to share their experiences rather than listen passively.
Focus discussion on real classroom or school situations.
Ground the conversation in the realities of the schools and region represented in the group.
Invite voices from different roles, settings, and levels of experience.
Allow the conversation to evolve naturally rather than strictly following prepared questions.