NEW BACK TO BASICS: BEST PRACTICES FOR NEW & SEASONED TEACHERS

Instructors:  Debbie Weinstein & Heather Catron                  45 CTLE Hrs./3 Inservice Credits

Grades K-12                                                                                        Fee: $150

Dates:  May 30 - June 25, 2024

TWO Mandatory Synchronous Google Meets - May 30, 2024   6:30 - 8:30 p.m. and

                                                                                                 June 25, 2024  6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Remaining 42 hrs - Asynchronous learning and assignments

Whether teachers are new to the profession or have decades of experience, we are all lifelong learners. Education strategies are constantly evolving, and we would all benefit from exposure to both traditional and new innovative ideas. 

This course is designed to remind us of all of the resourceful approaches that have always worked and introduce us to the new approaches that we can incorporate into our classroom

practices. We will provide you with resources to help you succeed in our ever-changing world of education while reminding you of the effective ones that have always been there since day one.

The course is comprised of the following units:

- Fostering an Optimal Learning Environment

- Organization for Teachers and Students

- Classroom Management

- Lesson Planning to Cater to All Diverse Learners

- Applications for Learning

- Accommodations, Modifications, and Life Skills

- Communication with Parents

Exploring Language Acquisition: Cracking the Code

Instructor:  Amy Koutsakos                   45 CTLE  hrs / 3 inservice credits                                                    Grades 3-12

Dates: Mar 25 - May 20, 2024           Time: Asynchronous                                                                                Fee:$150          

Course Materials:  Copies of text and videos will be included in the course modules.  

A personal Google account is required.

            Embark on a journey into the heart of the English Language Learner (ELL) acquisition with our course, "Language Exploration: Cracking the Code." This delightful and insightful experience is designed to equip educators with the keys to understanding and supporting the linguistic development of their diverse learners.  This course is appropriate for anyone working with 3rd-12th grade students. 

            In this course, you will gain an understanding of the language acquisition of an ELL student.  Participants will discuss ways to adapt and implement learning strategies to support ELL students.  You will leave this course with resources and tools that can be used immediately in your classroom.

Participants will:

• Navigate through the linguistic terrains of ELL students.

• Gain insights into the unique challenges and triumphs they face on their language acquisition journey.

• Analyze the process by which ELLs learn English.

• Access a variety of resources available for teaching ELL students.

• Learn about the importance of creating an environment that is welcoming to all students.

• Utilize effective teaching strategies and new knowledge to differentiate lessons to ensure inclusiveness.

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Fostering a Safe and Inclusive Classroom

Instructor:  Mildred Mirabile         3 Inservice credits; 45 CTLE Hours             Grades: K-12 

Dates:  April 1-May 31, 2024 Time: Asynchronous                                                  Fee: $150

Study after study confirms what veteran teachers already know: When students don’t feel safe or included in the classroom, the resulting anxiety has a negative impact on engagement and learning. But on the flip side, when students and their families feel welcomed, valued, and secure, they are more involved in their school community and perform better academically. Teachers are on the front lines of creating safe learning environments, and they need the right strategies to ensure their efforts succeed.

In this course, you will take stock of your current classroom culture and see how it measures up against the components of a safe learning environment. After exploring the many benefits of a safe environment, you’ll take a deep dive into two crucial methodologies for creating one: social–emotional learning and culturally–responsive teaching. You’ll develop a playbook of actionable strategies that will foster a positive culture and meet your students’ social and emotional needs, plus a plan for overcoming potential challenges and roadblocks.

By the end of this course, you will be equipped with the knowledge and skills you need to establish and maintain a safe learning environment throughout the school year.

Connections to Practice

• This course provides the following classroom connections:

• Strategies for building positive relationships with students

• Techniques for preventing or addressing difficult behaviors in the classroom

• Methods to use the PBIS continuum to support students, no matter their needs

• Tips for fostering a positive learning environment that supports positive behavior management

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The Outdoor Classroom: A Breath of Fresh Air

Instructor: Denise Baldini                              15 CTLE Hours; 1 in-service credit                                            Grades K-8

Dates:  April 2 - May 14, 2024                                                                                                                       Fee: $50

Mandatory Synchronous Meeting Dates: Tuesdays, April 2,16 & 30; Time 6-7:30 p.m.

*Personal Google accounts will be required to access this course. *

This class will provide quick and easy ideas for bringing students outside to experience nature with a breath of fresh air! Some topics we will cover include the nature walk and journal, weather, gardening, the environment, and national parks. We will also use the inspiration of nature to improve reading, writing, and vocabulary skills. Participants will have access to a variety of nature resources and teaching materials through Google Classroom. 

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Create a Nature Journal

• Teach about weather, gardens and the environment

• Teach about National Parks

• Understand the social-emotional benefits of learning outside

• Develop a list of quick and easy ideas for bringing a class outside

• Create a list of resources and inspiration for outdoor education

• Create a list of nature-inspired read alouds

• Teach about the Wonders of the World

• Teach students about outdoor and environmental careers

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CANCELED-Get in Touch with your Clear Touch Panel

Instructors:  Jennifer Kelly, Darlene Metz, Shaina Fischer & Sarah Feder       15 CTLE hrs./ 1 inservice credits        Grades K-12          Dates: April  2, April 9, April 16, April 30, 2024               Synchronous - IN PERSON - 4:30-7:30 pm

Final Project due: May 7, 2024                                                                                 Fee: $50

Location to be announced.                                             

This course will focus on familiarizing teachers with the features and usage of the Clear Touch Panel. Teachers will review the basics of using the Clear Touch Panel in every course, but each live, in-person session will focus on a different - more advanced usage of the panel.  Teachers will watch demonstrations and be given time to manipulate the panel.

Participants will:

• Gain comfortability with the basics of using the Clear Touch Panel.

• Locate and access all of your materials including your use of Google Drive

• Master use of Chorus, Zones, Collage, and NUITEQ Chorus

• Develop lessons incorporating the Clear Touch technology to demonstrate your competence with the panel. 

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 Cultures of Thinking

Instructor: Kim Turri                           45 CTLE hrs./ 3 inservice credits                                                             Grades K-12

Dates: April 3 - May 29, 2024                    Asynchronous                                                                                        Fee: $150

Join this engaging course to unlock the power of a "culture of thinking" in your classroom! Discover how this concept can revolutionize your students' learning experiences. You'll be guided through the 10 Guiding Principles of the Cultures of Thinking framework, equipping you to create an environment that encourages and amplifies thinking in your class.

Through hands-on strategies, you'll learn to cultivate a vibrant thinking culture within your school and classroom. Explore a variety of thinking routines that will make your students' thought processes visible and captivating. Plus, you'll learn how to harness technology tools for student collaboration and implement thinking routines with ease.

Best of all, this course is flexible and conducted asynchronously through Google Classroom. So, dive in and watch your students' brilliant ideas and insights shine!

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define a culture of thinking and explain its benefits for student learning

• Identify and leverage the 10 Guiding Principles of the Cultures of Thinking framework to create a

    culture of thinking.

• Foster effective classroom discussions through the use of language, questioning, and discourse

• Utilize thinking routines to support students' learning, foster thinking dispositions, and make thinking

visible

• Apply the Cultures of Thinking framework to their own teaching practice

• Design a plan to incorporate core, advanced, and teacher-developed thinking routines.

• Create integrations with technology tools and thinking routines to enhance student collaboration.

• Implement thinking routines to support, scaffold, and make students’ thinking visible.

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Flexible Teaching for Diverse Learners

Instructor: Debbie Fitzpatrick        45 CTLE Hours; 3 Inservice credits                                     Grades: K-12

Dates:   April 5-May 24, 2024                              Time: Asynchronous                                                              Fee: $150

Why does understanding the differences between your students matter? Perhaps it matters because teachers and parents need to know how to raise and support happier, healthier kids by understanding their differences to create environments that support and celebrate differences instead of limiting them.

Through this course, you will find that the above reasons matter, and understanding differences is important to breaking damaging stereotypes and limitations. The focus, instead, should be on the best interest of the child and how to help them reach their full potential. Teachers will learn how to change

their approaches to topics such as gender differences, risks, school, drugs, and alcohol,

social media, video games, and a variety of other topics.

Course Objectives:

• How to teach with the best interest of the child in mind.

• Acquire basic knowledge of gender differences in cognition.

• Understand how children's brains differ.

• Develop materials for teaching based on differences among your students.

• Learn how to recognize and change stereotypes in teaching.

• Understand the differences between boys and girls and how this relates to a variety of

topics.

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Managing Stress for Students and Staff after a Traumatic Event

Instructor: Debbie Salitsky, LCSW     15 CTLE hrs./ 1 inservice credits.                                                       Grades K-12

Dates: April 8 – May 6, 2024                                                                                                                                          Fee: $50

Mandatory 1.5-hour Synchronous Participation Date: April 8, 2024, 7:00-8:30 

13.5 Hour Asynchronous Participation to be completed by May 6, 2024

Significant challenges occur after students and staff face trauma. As traumatic events seem to be on the increase, students, staff, and parents often feel ill-equipped to deal with the aftermath. Unprocessed trauma can have an everlasting effect on the brain and social development stunting learning. Increased anxiety and depression are common results of trauma. This course will increase awareness and arm educators with tools to rely on when tragedy or crisis occurs. This preparedness will help to mitigate future emotional distress. 

This course will assist educators with:

• Greater awareness of how trauma negatively affects learning.

• Discussion of how trauma interferes with healthy social-emotional development.

• Review of uncontrollable triggers.

• Learn techniques to ascertain traumatic history and methods to prevent triggers.

• Collaborate on ideas for teachers/support staff to support students and themselves.

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Creating Digital Citizens in a Digital World   

Instructor: Christine Sanfratello        15 CTLE hrs./ 1 inservice credit                                                          Grades K-12

Dates: April 8 - May 17, 2024                 Asynchronous                                                                                          Fee: $50

In a digital age full of advancing technology, social media, and a vast world of online

information it is more important than ever to help students develop the skills they need to become

digital learners and leaders. Digital citizenship is defined as the ability to effectively navigate the

digital world in safe and responsible ways. These skills must be taught to not only safeguard our

young learners but also help create a digital environment that is respectful and welcoming to all. In

today's world is it important that our students are able to make smart choices, fully participate in a

digital world, and contribute in positive socially responsible ways.

This course will examine the importance of digital citizenship, 6 core topics of digital

citizenship, simple strategies to incorporate digital citizenship learning into every classroom, and the

resources available to easily get started. Whether you teach computer science or a content subject,

or are an elementary school or high school instructor, the influence of digital technology is undeniable

and students need to navigate this ever-changing world. This course will help you take the actions

needed to get started in your classroom (and families) today!    

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the importance of digital citizenship and the 6 core concepts of digital citizenship

• Examine simple to use strategies to promote digital citizenship in every classroom

• Develop a plan to incorporate digital citizenship learning into classroom curriculum 

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CANCELEDCreating Expert Learners: Turning Googlers into Researchers 

 Instructor: Jennifer Kelly                     45 hours, 3 in-service credits Grades 6-12

Dates:  April 11 - May 23, 2024             Asynchronous                                                               Fee: $150

Conducting research is a vital skill for young people to acquire.  Whether or not a student is college-bound, it is an important critical thinking skill that requires active engagement.  This course will demonstrate how inquiry-based learning can be a very effective modality for devising research projects. Participants will learn the functionality of modern research databases, as well as explore creative options for projects that embrace the option of student choice for students to showcase what they have learned.  

Participants will:

• Explore how research is conducted as a by-product of student inquiry, and discover how it can support and enhance curriculum.

• Develop research projects that increase creativity and meet the standards for computer literacy.

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

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CANCELEDGetting to the Root of Writing Difficulties

Instructor: Dr. Karen Buechner           15 CTLE hours: 1 in-service credit                           Grades 6-12

Dates:    April 11 - May 9, 2024                                 Asynchronous                                                         Fee:  $50

This course takes a look at the teaching of writing and some of the issues that interfere with student progress. Building on the understanding that writing is a recursive process(a cycle of planning, drafting, revising, and editing), teachers learn to analyze and problem-solve the issues that occur throughout this process and become barriers for effective writing and communication. A central goal of the course is to gain a deeper

understanding of the debates that exist surrounding various approaches to teaching writing, so participants can make informed decisions in their classrooms. Participants will gain an increased awareness of how to differentiate the rhetorical, ethical, social justice, and political issues surrounding the mentoring of young writers.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• continue to build knowledge regarding individualized and differentiated learning;

• design a real-world (authentic) writing project that teaches students to analyze

• the rhetorical situation: audience, purpose, genre, etc.; (NCTE II.1)

• be conversant in contemporary research on writing: what works, what doesn’t

• work, and how to design instructional strategies. (NCTE IV.2)

• recognize society’s linguistic biases that can impede students’ thinking, writing,

•      and communicating skills;

• assess their current writing programs to determine alignment with the basic

•      tenets of the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework