The Shift to Student-Led Instruction- Book Study

Instructor: Kim Turri   

45 CTLE Hrs; 3 inservice credits                                                                                          K-12         

Dates: April 11 - May 30, 2023                                                                                                Fee: $150 

Time: Asynchronous

Required Materials: The Shift to Student-Led: Reimagining Classroom Workflows with UDL and Blended Learning by Katie Novak and Catlin

Do you want better academic results, higher levels of student engagement, and more balance in your life? If the answer is yes, this book study is for you! The shift to student-led instruction is a teaching approach that puts students in charge of their own learning. In a student-led classroom, the teacher's role is to facilitate and support learning rather than being the primary source of information. Each chapter in The Shift to Student-Led takes apart one traditional teacher-led workflow, examining the problems it presents to teachers and students. This course will examine what traditional research says versus the reality in the classroom and how UDL and blended learning can free teachers from the "sage on the stage" role and place students at the center of their learning. 

 Participants will:

• Discover how student-led inquiry can effectively provide structure and clarity to the learning process while increasing student motivation and engagement.

• Explore strategies to empower students to listen actively, ask good questions, and engage in respectful dialogue with their peers.

• Build effective facilitation routines to shift from a whole-group teacher-led discussions to a small-group student-led discussions to engage students and promote active learning.

• Create lessons that develop students' metacognitive muscles, the ability to assess their work, provide substantive peer feedback, and communicate their progress with the people in their lives.

• Create opportunities for students to develop self-awareness and self-regulation skills.

This course will be conducted in an asynchronous online setting utilizing Google Classroom as the delivery platform. Participants meet virtually via online communities to discuss and share lessons and strategies. Personal Google accounts will be required to access the course.

************************************************************************************

Difference vs. Disorder: Speech & Language Development in ELLs

Instructor: Allison Biancamano                                                                                    Grades K-12                                                                                15 CTLE Hours: 1 in-service credit.                                                                               Fee: $50 

Dates: MANDATORY- Tuesday, April 18, 2023 from 6pm-9pm via Google Meet.                

            Remaining 12 hours online and asynchronous 

            Course ends on May 19, 2023 at noon.            

Personal Google accounts will be required to access this course.

This course is designed for general educators, special educators, teacher assistants and support staff who wish to develop a better understanding of the special education evaluation process.

Educators will be able to identify and differentiate between language differences and language disorders. They will acquire strategies to assist ELLs become more proficient with the English language. 

12 hours of this course will be conducted in an asynchronous, online setting, utilizing Google Meet and Google Classroom as the delivery platforms. Participants meet virtually for direct, live instruction and then complete the remainder of the course independently via posted material and assignments.            

Participants will learn: 

• to compare language differences and language disorders in ELLs

• the difference between speech and language

• speech sound differences between English and Spanish speakers

• simple classroom strategies to pair with fun and functional, pre-made materials

************************************************************************************

Media Literacy in the 21st Century Classroom

Instructor: Erik Eve                                                                                                                    Fee: $150

45 CTLE Hrs; 3 inservice credits                                                                                          Grades 6-12

Dates and Time: MANDATORY March 29th- First Course Meeting Online- 7:00-8:00pm                   

The rest of the course is online and ends  on June 8, 2023

Teaching our students to utilize 21st Century media has become a challenging task for teachers.  Learning about it can be just as challenging for our students. Phrases like “fake news”, “alternative facts”, fact-checking, the 24 hour news cycle, media bias, social media outlets are now part of the vernacular.  

Our students must be carefully taught to think critically and make important decisions based upon what they learn from the media.  This course is the first of its kind being offered at the OWL Center, and if you teach current events, social studies, or any subject in which the media is used to obtain information, then this is an important course for you to consider.

Participants will:

• Discuss the motives and intentions along with the  audiences  and stakeholders at play in the world of digital journalism, and identify tools, tips and tricks for verifying the legitimacy of online content that is being used in our classrooms.

• Look at the beginning of “propaganda” and transform that into Identifying historical trends in media platforms, and evaluate how those trends have shaped the role of citizenship.

• Explore the various ways restrictive media environments can both decrease digital literacy, decrease critical thinking  and serve as a catalyst for community action.

• Analyze and interpret  the benefits and tensions of teaching digital literacy in a contemporary classroom and generate and share ideas for teaching digital literacy in their own classrooms.

• Create a digital cache of resources, ideas, and inspirations for bringing digital literacy to life in the classroom.

***********************************************************************************

  Canva for Education                                                                                                  

Instructor: Christine Sanfratello                                                               Fee:  $50 

15 CTLE hours; 1 inservice credit.                                                              Grades PreK -12

Dates: April 24 - May 26, 2023.                                                  Fully Online and asynchronous

Canva is an easy to use and fun graphic design platform for teachers and students alike. Bring life to worksheets, posters,  presentations, and so much more as you incorporate Canva into your classroom. Can’t find that perfect worksheet for your lesson? Look no further. Use Canva as the platform to effortlessly create exactly what you are looking for. Let the creativity of your students come to life, as well, by incorporating Canva as a media for Project Based Learning. Learn how to assign Canva templates to students and allow them to illustrate their understanding through digital designs of their own. 

Throughout this course, participants will learn how to use the many templates, designs, and tools to create fantastic resources for your classroom and beyond. Participants will create resources that can be immediately distributed and used. Design expectations will be set by each teacher’s individual preference and classroom needs so that the course outcomes are personal and meaningful. 

************************************************************************************

Recognizing Red Flags and How to Handle Them

Instructor: Debbie Salitsky, LCSW                                                                    Fee: $50

15 CLTE Hours, 1 In-Service Credit                                   Grades K – 12

Dates: April 17 – May 8, 2023.                                                                                 

MANDATORY-3.0 Hour Synchronous Participation Dates: April 17 & 24, 2023       7:00-8:30PM

12.0 Hour Asynchronous Participation to be completed by May 8, 2023

Educators may detect social emotional red flags during their careers and feel ill equipped to handle them.  This course will take a preventative look at a myriad of red flags: bullying, anxiety, grief, homelessness, self-harm, eating disorders, drug-use, truancy, depression and abuse. Educators will be provided with valuable and reliable information on how to recognize these social emotional red flags and the necessary steps to take thereafter.

This course will assist educators with:

• Greater awareness about detection of a myriad of social emotional issues.

• Learn who are the appropriate staff resources and responsibilities.

• Review ways in which educators can assist students in the classroom/professional office.

• Collaborate on ideas and techniques.

Asynchronous schedule:

• Readings, videos, and self-reflection assignments during asynchronous hours.

• Assignments will supplement educators with greater awareness and confidence during crisis.

• This course will allow educators to feel better equipped as to how to handle red flag behaviors.

************************************************************************************

The Outdoor Classroom 

Instructor: Denise Baldini                                                                    Fee: $50

15 CTLE Hours; 1 in-service credit                                                   Grades K-12

Dates: MANDATORY Synchronous Learning via Google Meet                              

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 from 6pm-8pm 

Tuesday, May 9, 2023 from 6:30pm-8pm 

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 from 6:30pm-8pm 

 Remaining 10 hours online and asynchronous  

  Personal Google accounts will be required to access this course. 

This course is designed for general educators, special educators, teacher assistants and support staff who wish to develop a better understanding of how to transition to an ‘outdoor classroom’ using fun, functional, and engaging activities for students of all grade levels. 

Participants will learn: 

• What nature journaling is, and how to use it 

• Why outdoor learning is a valuable approach 

• Explore ways to incorporate academic content through use of the outdoors 

• Fun and functional, pre-made materials 

This course will be conducted in utilizing Google Meet and Google Classroom as the delivery platforms. No Participants meet virtually for direct, live instruction, and then complete the remainder of the course independently via posted material and assignments.             

************************************************************************************    The Science of Reading: Bridging Research and Classroom Practice K-12

Instructor: Jeannette Walsh                                                                               Fee: $150

45 CTLE hours; 3 Inservice Credits.                                                              Grades K-12

Dates: March 27-June 5, 2023                                                                        

Delivery Method: Hybrid 

MANDATORY Synchronous Google Meet: March 27th and June 5th - Time 7:00pm-8:30pm

Personal Google accounts will be required to access this course.

This hybrid course is your ultimate guide to understanding the science behind successful reading instruction, empowering you to design engaging, research-based lessons for your students.. Explore the theoretical models and components of reading acquisition, and gain practical skills to address common challenges in areas such as phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. With expert guidance, observation, and application you'll emerge from this course with a deep understanding of reading and the tools to make a real difference in the lives of your students. Get ready to see an immediate impact in your students' reading performance through effective and evidence-based instructional practices. 

Course Objectives: 

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the science behind reading acquisition.

• Learn how to design and implement effective, research-based reading lessons, interventions, and assessments for students in grades K-12.

• Identify and address student deficiencies in phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

• Collaborate with peers to share lessons, insights, perspectives, and best practices in reading instruction.

************************************************************************************NGSS - Getting Started Implementing Change K-12

Instructor: Christine Sanfratello                                      Grades PreK-12 Teachers of Science 

15 CTLE hours; 1 inservice credit.                                       Fee: $50

Dates: April 12 - May 17, 2023.                                           

Fully online and asynchronous.

Out with the old and in with the new! The new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are replacing the Common Core Science Standards that we all know. Change is fastly approaching and it is time to start implementing meaningful changes into our classrooms. The goal of NGSS is to reinvigorate science education at all levels, promote greater exploration, and better prepare students for careers in the 21st century. This course is meant to take the daunting and overwhelming tasks of this transition and turn them into possible and inspiring opportunities for our students and ourselves!

Throughout this course, participants will take a closer look at the 3-dimensions of NGSS and examine how to “transform” science learning in their classrooms. Participants will leave this course with the working knowledge needed to clearly implement specific change in a meaningful and manageable way. By the end of the course, teachers will be able to re-envision their science practices and productively redesign science lessons to meet the rigorous demands of NGSS. 

************************************************************************************Creating Expert Learners: Turning Googlers into Researchers 

Instructor: Jennifer Kelly                                                               Teachers Gr. 6-12

45 CTLE Hrs.; 3 Inservice Credit.                                                 Fee: $150             

Dates:  4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19, 5/26, 2023                                                      

Time: Asynchronous (Course will be posted in segments on a weekly basis on dates shown above).

Conducting research is such a vital skill for young people to learn.  Whether or not a student is college bound, it is an important critical thinking skill.  Research is far more productive when students are actively engaged. This course will demonstrate how Inquiry-based learning can be a very effective modality for devising research projects. Participants will learn the functionality of the modern research databases, as well as explore creative options for projects for students to showcase what they have learned which embrace the option of student choice.

Participants will:

• be able to explore the ways research conducted as a by-product of student inquiry can enhance and support classroom curriculum.

• be able to develop research projects that increase creativity as well as meet the standards for computer literacy.

• be able to incorporate technology through the advanced features of contemporary research databases which aid in the development of more organized and efficient research skills. 

************************************************************************************The Power of Student Engagement K-12 

Instructor: Jennifer Stamatiades                                                                       Grades K-12 

45 CTLE Hours;  3 Inservice Credits                                                                   Fee: $150  

Course Dates and Times:  March 28 - May 9, 2023                                             

MANDATORY-March 28: Google Meet from 4 -6pm (Synchronous) Course expectations & Unit Overview 

Weeks of participants are expected to log in for 6 hours per week for asynchronous learning and assignments. 

MANDATORY-May 9: Google Meet from 4-6 pm (Synchronous)--Sharing Unit Plan & Reflection 

What makes a lesson truly,¨great¨? What does that look like in YOUR classroom? When you feel successful, it is usually due to the students ¨getting it¨ and smiling as they depart your room? When students are truly engaged in learning, then we have succeeded as educators. Yet, the realistic question remains: How can we plan for every lesson to foster student engagement for every studentś ability and level? 

This course is designed to explore the components of effective and engaging lessons based on current research, online videos, and professional collaboration among participants. Opportunities for professional collaboration will only promote the sharing of highly effective lessons and the success behind such. 

Participants will explore the following topics: 

• Successful practices in getting to know your students interest and abilities -Establishing trust and a safe space for all students 

• Increasing social/academic interaction 

• Fostering true student engagement through various outlets, activities and units -Exposure to award winning teacher´s success across the country in student engagement and lesson planning 

• Increasing student achievement across all levels 

• Creative ways in getting students ¨hooked¨ 

• Planning and collaboration for participants individual classrooms

************************************************************************************

NYSUT and the Many Threads, One Fabric series 

presents:

Sticks & Stones: Understanding Implicit Bias & Stereotypes

Instructor: Selina Durio                                                                                                    Grades K-12

4 CTLE hours                                                   No Fee

Dates & Times: April 12 & 19, 2023  4-6 p.m.                                                           

Online and Synchronous                      MUST ATTEND BOTH SESSIONS TO RECEIVE CREDIT

Learn how to promote social unity and increase cultural awareness in your school and community by attending this new NYSUT workshop for members and local affiliates. The goal is to bridge cultural divides and make our schools and communities more welcoming and inclusive places for people of all abilities and backgrounds, by helping participants see beyond their own personal worldview.

Upon the completion of this 4 hour program, participants will be able to:

• Define implicit bias and identify key characteristics,

• Define microaggressions and identify key characteristics,

• Define stereotypes and identify key characteristics, and

• Identify specific steps and strategies to challenge implicit bias, microaggressions, and

• stereotypes.

The free, four-hour workshop strengthens team unity by teaching participants to look at the

world from a unique perspective. One that takes in consideration how someone’s ethnicity, race,

ability, and socio-economic background can impact how they experience our society