Available courses

This is the age of epic political turbulence from the fracturing of major political parties, to the speed of bottom-up student movements. Young people across the country have recently advocated against the criminalization of youth in schools, tracking, and punitive discipline policies; and in favor of gun control, LGBTQ rights, and a National Bill of Student Rights. In early February, youth across the country took part in a national Black Lives Matter Week of Action in Our Schools, where they demanded an end to zero tolerance and the implementation of restorative justice practices; the hiring of more black teachers; and a mandate for black history/ethnic studies in K-12 schools. The incredible young people who are leading the fight in Parkland are building on a deep history of youth activism in this country and organizing marches and a strong political presence for change.

How do educators today help strengthen the knowledge and skill base for our student to understand power structures, how to make change in the world, and how they can be more powerful in public life. This course focuses on the work of Eric Liu and the understanding of sources of power and the change mechanisms. Educators will develop lesson plans to be shared and discuss relevant topics to this issue.


The number of children with Autism continues to rise. This course will examine trends in identification, but more importantly, how to effectively support the diverse needs presented by children with Autism, and challenges to families. Discussions around medical and behavioral, fad and evidence based, and interventions based on strategies or analysis, will help participants better understand Autism.

This course will provide a rationale for the use of Applied Behavioral Analysis within the classroom and its application to the school setting.  We will examine basic principles which include functions of behavior, antecedents, and consequences of behavior and how to apply to teacher practices.  After learning basic concepts, we will focus our learning on evidence-based interventions.   

What are appropriate professional and ethical practices related to special education? How can we assure that our students with disabilities receive an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment? How can we help parents be meaningfully involved in their child's education? What are the court cases and other legal foundations for professional and ethical behavior?This self-paced course will investigate these questions about professional and ethical practices and more. The course begins by examining the legal and ethical foundations for the delivery of special education programs and services.Then, participants will explore collaborative practices, and Individualized Education Program (IEP) development and implementation. Finally, participants will examine instructional and assessment practices."

Educators hold in their hands the power to literally shape students' brains. New insights into how the brain functions are now allowing educators to more fully understand the mechanisms that stimulate and grow the brain and drive learning. This new understanding not only provides explanations as to why those tried and true strategies seem to work so well, but it also allows educators to capitalize on new approaches and strategies that will maximize student learning by accessing the brain's innate learning pathways. In this course, participants will take an in-depth look at 3 areas of brain-based teaching, specially selected for their positive outcomes and ease of assimilation into any classroom.

Educators hold in their hands the power to literally shape students' brains. New insights into how the brain functions are now allowing educators to more fully understand the mechanisms that stimulate and grow the brain and drive learning. This new understanding not only provides explanations as to why those tried and true strategies seem to work so well, but it also allows educators to capitalize on new approaches and strategies that will maximize student learning by accessing the brain's innate learning pathways. In this course, participants will take an in-depth look at 3 areas of brain-based teaching, specially selected for their positive outcomes and ease of assimilation into any classroom.

Innovation! Imagination! Originality! Invention! Students who are creative thinkers and problem solvers are students who are well prepared for the 21st century, but is our current educational model killing their creativity? In this 3 credit hour course, participants will learn about the importance of fostering creativity in today’s students, how students can’t be standardized, and what’s necessary to build school cultures that promote creativity. Participants will also have the opportunity to investigate topics such as, creativity in the job market, the school “pipeline,” the academic/vocational caste system, as well as topics that challenge current practices and give practical strategies for developing creative thinkers ready to take on the 21st century world!

Learning and implementing strategies that integrate good character into all aspects of your students’ day supports 21st Century Skills and improves students’ educational, behavioral and life-long success. This course begins with an investigation into what good character is, why it is important, and how the components of effective school-wide character programs translate into creating classrooms of virtue. Next, it looks at ways to integrate the positive character traits of a shared moral heritage into the curriculum. Finally, participants will examine the roles parents & teachers play in developing students of character and factors that can help students take command of their own moral development. Make your classroom a classroom of character.


 

Learning and implementing strategies that integrate good character into all aspects of your students’ day supports 21st Century Skills and improves students’ educational, behavioral and life-long success. This course begins with an investigation into what good character is, why it is important, and how the components of effective school-wide character programs translate into creating classrooms of virtue. Next, it looks at ways to integrate the positive character traits of a shared moral heritage into the curriculum. Finally, participants will examine the roles parents & teachers play in developing students of character and factors that can help students take command of their own moral development. Make your classroom a classroom of character.


 

Grades are tools that should reflect student achievement and support student learning. In this 2 credit hour course, participants will learn how to implement a consistent, accurate and meaningful grading system that reflects district standards and supports student learning by avoiding common pitfalls that distort outcomes.  Grading for the Benefit of the Student builds on the 15 “fixes” recommended by Ken O’Connor in his text A Repair Kit for Grading and addresses common grading errors that distort achievement, reflect low-quality/organization rather than aptitude, make incorrect calculations and reflect behavior, attendance and other extant factors.  Participants will investigate what to do with extra credit, poor attendance, late work, incomplete work, academic dishonesty, and more, in order to maintain an effective grading system that benefits students and more clearly represents academic achievement.

How to Survive and Thrive in the Classroom is a 3 credit hour course that builds on the 7 principles employed by master teachers presented by Robyn R. Jackson in her book Never Work Harder than Your Students 2nd ed. The course begins by teaching participants how to assess students’ cultural and intellectual currency to determine where they are, what they value and where they are going academically. Next, participants will investigate how to use supports and feedback to get students where they need to be.  The culminating principle, never work harder than your students, will be discovered as teachers move through the guiding tenets for making students successful.

The course is organized into 6 modules and lessons will be taught and goals will be met using a combination of text readings, external resources, activities, assignments, reflections and discussion forums. It is presented in a modified, self-paced format. Participants are expected to access the course regularly and make reasonable progress, but there are no due dates attached to individual assignments. Instead there are 2 absolute due dates (mid-term and the last day of class) to provide flexibility and to better accommodate participants' busy schedules.

The research is clear and it’s time for educators to rethink the body-brain connection! Sure, exercise and fitness build strong bodies, but they are also crucial to building strong brains and developing better learners. Examining: Ignite the Brain: Boosting Learning through Exercise & Fitness is a 3 credit hour course in which participants will explore exercise’s power to improve student learning and grades; help fight addiction; boost mood, and reduce symptoms associated with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and stress. Whether you’re a P.E. or classroom teacher, this course is for you.

How do we make homework relevant and effective for all students? How do we get more students to complete homework? Should we even be assigning homework? This 2 credit hour, self-paced course will investigate these questions about homework and more. Making Homework a Win/Win! begins by investigating the theories, purposes and myths about homework, how they compare to the research and how they apply to a new culture of diverse families, students and lifestyles. Then participants will learn how to make homework an effective tool, how to differentiate assignments and how to apply alternative grading methods. Finally, participants will examine ways to increase homework completion and effectiveness by implementing student and family supports.

A well-oiled teacher-paraeducator machine is good for students and good for morale. But school days are jam-packed, classroom environments can vary, and student needs can change. It can seem nearly impossible to find the time to get to know our teacher/paraeducator, let alone find the time to collaborate, communicate about students, and get on the same page with scheduling, lessons, and strategies.  Still, our students count on us to find ways to get it done. Examining: Making It Work! is a 2 credit hour, Self-Study/Instructor-Guided course that gives paraeducators and teachers tools and resources to help them communicate and collaborate more effectively.   Participants will learn to assess and compare work styles, preferences, and task confidence levels; develop clear classroom job descriptions; create working lists of academic and behavioral strategies and resources; identify areas of personal development; investigate a variety of collaboration and communication tools and ideas, and more! 

A well-oiled teacher-paraeducator machine is good for students and good for morale. But school days are jam-packed, classroom environments can vary, and student needs can change. It can seem nearly impossible to find the time to get to know our teacher/paraeducator, let alone find the time to collaborate, communicate about students, and get on the same page with scheduling, lessons, and strategies.  Still, our students count on us to find ways to get it done. Examining: Making It Work! is a 2 credit hour, Self-Study/Instructor-Guided course that gives paraeducators and teachers tools and resources to help them communicate and collaborate more effectively.   Participants will learn to assess and compare work styles, preferences, and task confidence levels; develop clear classroom job descriptions; create working lists of academic and behavioral strategies and resources; identify areas of personal development; investigate a variety of collaboration and communication tools and ideas, and more! 

Examining: Poverty in Our Backyard is a 1 credit hour, Self-Study/Instructor-Guided Course (SS/IG) that examines the cumulative effects of poverty related stress on students and what educators can do about it.  As poverty continues to increase in our communities and more and more students in our classrooms come from low SES homes, it is important for educators to understand the effects poverty can have on their students and their students’ school success. Participants will first learn about stress-based factors that cause very real physiological changes in both the brains and bodies of low SES students causing them to lag behind same-age peers.  Next, participants will examine strategies, activities, and programs that provide the behavioral and cognitive supports low SES students need for success, as well as models for providing family support. Finally participants will have a chance to develop a plan for their classroom or school that  implements and/or integrates changes that will positively support low SES students and families.

Examining: Poverty in Our Backyard is a 1 credit hour, Self-Study/Instructor-Guided Course (SS/IG) that examines the cumulative effects of poverty related stress on students and what educators can do about it.  As poverty continues to increase in our communities and more and more students in our classrooms come from low SES homes, it is important for educators to understand the effects poverty can have on their students and their students’ school success. Participants will first learn about stress-based factors that cause very real physiological changes in both the brains and bodies of low SES students causing them to lag behind same-age peers.  Next, participants will examine strategies, activities, and programs that provide the behavioral and cognitive supports low SES students need for success, as well as models for providing family support. Finally participants will have a chance to develop a plan for their classroom or school that  implements and/or integrates changes that will positively support low SES students and families.

Students from poverty can be one of the most difficult populations to motivate and inspire. The consequences of living in poverty often result in increased transience, absenteeism, and high drop-out rates. The conditions and daily stress of living in poverty can leave students hopeless and disaffected. While engaging any student can improve academic achievement, students from poverty are some of the most vulnerable among us and engaging them will not only improve their academic achievement, but may very well change their futures. In this 3 credit hour course, participants will learn exactly how to motivate, energize and focus their students from poverty to improve engagement, cognitive skills and achievement.

Students from poverty can be one of the most difficult populations to motivate and inspire. The consequences of living in poverty often result in increased transience, absenteeism, and high drop-out rates. The conditions and daily stress of living in poverty can leave students hopeless and disaffected. While engaging any student can improve academic achievement, students from poverty are some of the most vulnerable among us and engaging them will not only improve their academic achievement, but may very well change their futures. In this 3 credit hour course, participants will learn exactly how to motivate, energize and focus their students from poverty to improve engagement, cognitive skills and achievement.

All of us suffer. In our walk through life, we face tragedy, destruction, devastation. We face loss and failed hopes and dreams and we ask ourselves, “What if?” What if we hadn’t taken that road, would our journey be easier or better? Are we to blame, or does the universe hate us? For most people, the worst thing to experience is the death of a loved one. As adults we question ourselves and ask, “Why are we here?” The complexities of death can overwhelm us as grown-ups. They can annihilate children and cause trauma that lasts a lifetime.

This class covers the process of grief and how it impacts children. We cannot discuss children without discussing adults as we explore the relationship between death and us. Topics such as how to help ourselves cope with death and how to help children cope with death will be explored by age groups. Information will be shared on how one might approach and support a child, perhaps a student, who has lost someone significant in their lives. We will discuss violence and its ever growing role in the lives of our children. The benefits of therapy dogs will be explored. We will also look at how our belief systems can help us through grief and what to say and not say to a grieving person.

Innovation! Imagination! Originality! Invention! Students who are creative thinkers and problem solvers are students who are well prepared for the 21st century, but is our current educational model killing their creativity? In this 3 credit hour course, participants will learn about the importance of fostering creativity in today’s students, how students can’t be standardized, and what’s necessary to build school cultures that promote creativity. Participants will also have the opportunity to investigate topics such as, creativity in the job market, the school “pipeline,” the academic/vocational caste system, as well as topics that challenge current practices and give practical strategies for developing creative thinkers ready to take on the 21st century world!

Grades are tools that should reflect student achievement and support student learning. In this 2 credit hour course, participants will learn how to implement a consistent, accurate and meaningful grading system that reflects district standards and supports student learning by avoiding common pitfalls that distort outcomes.  Grading for the Benefit of the Student builds on the 15 “fixes” recommended by Ken O’Connor in his text A Repair Kit for Grading and addresses common grading errors that distort achievement, reflect low-quality/organization rather than aptitude, make incorrect calculations and reflect behavior, attendance and other extant factors.  Participants will investigate what to do with extra credit, poor attendance, late work, incomplete work, academic dishonesty, and more, in order to maintain an effective grading system that benefits students and more clearly represents academic achievement.

This is 3 credit hour course based on Helping Traumatized Children Learn – A Report and Policy Agenda from the Massachusetts Advocates for Children: Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative.

Helping Traumatized Children Learn is the result of an extraordinary collaboration among educators, parents, mental health professionals, community groups, and attorneys determined to help children experiencing the traumatic effects of exposure to family violence succeed in school. Participants will have the opportunity to investigate the many aspects of trauma, including physical/mental health consequences, how trauma affects learning, how to help students suffering from trauma, current legislation, and numerous resources.

How to Survive and Thrive in the Classroom is a 3 credit hour course that builds on the 7 principles employed by master teachers presented by Robyn R. Jackson in her book Never Work Harder than Your Students 2nd ed. The course begins by teaching participants how to assess students’ cultural and intellectual currency to determine where they are, what they value and where they are going academically. Next, participants will investigate how to use supports and feedback to get students where they need to be.  The culminating principle, never work harder than your students, will be discovered as teachers move through the guiding tenets for making students successful.

The course is organized into 6 modules and lessons will be taught and goals will be met using a combination of text readings, external resources, activities, assignments, reflections and discussion forums. It is presented in a modified, self-paced format. Participants are expected to access the course regularly and make reasonable progress, but there are no due dates attached to individual assignments. Instead there are 2 absolute due dates (mid-term and the last day of class) to provide flexibility and to better accommodate participants' busy schedules.

The research is clear and it’s time for educators to rethink the body-brain connection! Sure, exercise and fitness build strong bodies, but they are also crucial to building strong brains and developing better learners. Examining: Ignite the Brain: Boosting Learning through Exercise & Fitness is a 3 credit hour course in which participants will explore exercise’s power to improve student learning and grades; help fight addiction; boost mood, and reduce symptoms associated with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and stress. Whether you’re a P.E. or classroom teacher, this course is for you.

How do we make homework relevant and effective for all students? How do we get more students to complete homework? Should we even be assigning homework? This 2 credit hour, self-paced course will investigate these questions about homework and more. Making Homework a Win/Win! begins by investigating the theories, purposes and myths about homework, how they compare to the research and how they apply to a new culture of diverse families, students and lifestyles. Then participants will learn how to make homework an effective tool, how to differentiate assignments and how to apply alternative grading methods. Finally, participants will examine ways to increase homework completion and effectiveness by implementing student and family supports.

All of us suffer. In our walk through life, we face tragedy, destruction, devastation. We face loss and failed hopes and dreams and we ask ourselves, “What if?” What if we hadn’t taken that road, would our journey be easier or better? Are we to blame, or does the universe hate us? For most people, the worst thing to experience is the death of a loved one. As adults we question ourselves and ask, “Why are we here?” The complexities of death can overwhelm us as grown-ups. They can annihilate children and cause trauma that lasts a lifetime.

This class covers the process of grief and how it impacts children. We cannot discuss children without discussing adults as we explore the relationship between death and us. Topics such as how to help ourselves cope with death and how to help children cope with death will be explored by age groups. Information will be shared on how one might approach and support a child, perhaps a student, who has lost someone significant in their lives. We will discuss violence and its ever growing role in the lives of our children. The benefits of therapy dogs will be explored. We will also look at how our belief systems can help us through grief and what to say and not say to a grieving person.

The research is clear and it’s time for educators to rethink the body-brain connection! Sure, exercise and fitness build strong bodies, but they are also crucial to building strong brains and developing better learners. Examining: Ignite the Brain: Boosting Learning through Exercise & Fitness is a 3 credit hour course in which participants will explore exercise’s power to improve student learning and grades; help fight addiction; boost mood, and reduce symptoms associated with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and stress. Whether you’re a P.E. or classroom teacher, this course is for you.