Application: All subjects/grade levels While none of us could have predicted the circumstances of the Coronavirus, we, as educators are forced into the unchartered waters of distance learning. With that, comes the challenges of staying connected to our students, not only to continue their education, but to let them know they’re not alone. Our students depend on us. And no matter the situation, we can’t let them down. Teachers enrolled in this course will explore tactics and strategies for providing optimum educational opportunities and, more importantly, facilitated methods of staying connected with students for as long as distance learning is reality. (3 credits/45 hours) In-Service Credit only

Adapt and Overcome. It’s the mantra of the Marines, and the life of teachers. In this new day and age, educators must be flexible, willing to change and modify their instruction to meet the needs of their students. The hybrid teaching model presents new challenges we must rise to meet. Teachers enrolled in this course will explore various methods and practices aimed at making the most of a hybrid schedule and providing the best possible instruction for students. Applicable to teachers of all subjects/grade levels. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) In-Service Credit only

As seniors enter school in September, their hopes of a breezy year are quickly squashed by the overwhelming college application process. Among the many boxes that await checking is the need for teacher letters of recommendation. This can lead to teachers being bombarded with student requests and taunted with lingering deadlines. What do I write? What does a college want to see? Is it ever okay to say “no” to a student? Teachers enrolled in this course will explore the world of college recommendation letters and examine tangible tools and effective strategies to writing efficient, purposeful letters on behalf of deserving students. Applicable to high school teachers of any subject/level. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) In-Service Credit only

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a research based intervention that has been proven to improve the mental health of children, adolescents and adults. Mental health is increasingly becoming a crucial component of school systems, as children who are suffering emotionally are not available to learn. Additionally, teachers who are overly stressed, anxious and unhappy will not be effective educators. It is therefore extremely important for educators, therapists, administrators, and all school employees to become better advocates of mental health and to learn some basic techniques. In this course, we will learn about some of those techniques. These important concepts will prove not only relevant for your work with your students but also your general mindset and functioning as an educator. This course is relevant to all who work in schools and with children of all ages in all settings. This course was developed for school administrators, regular and special education teachers (grades K-12 and ages 5 to 21),special area teachers, school psychologists, school counselors, guidance counselors, social workers, speech and language therapists and pathologists and occupational and physical therapists. Course Objectives Participants will learn about and research various concepts in cognitive behavioral therapy and how they can be applied to the school setting. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) In-Service Credit only

As any educator would agree, effective planning and preparation leads to effective lessons. We all learned about lesson construction way back when in our college years, but times have changed and district/administrative goals and expectations can and will vary. What does not and has not changed is the key concept that planning is one of a teacher’s paramount responsibilities. Teachers enrolled in this course will explore seven essential elements that comprise purposeful lesson planning. This course is applicable to all subjects/grade levels. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) In-Service Credit only

PDLI9070 (45 HOURS/3 GRADUATE CREDITS) ON-LINE Course Instructor:  Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com Course Description  From the very moment that we enter the classroom, we create a definitive image of ourselves. First impressions are everything and encapsulate who we are and what students will glean from the course. Our body language, behavior, and diction are indicative of our teaching styles and our expectations of our learners. Educators are actors, putting on five shows a day, 900 shows a year, all which produce transformative learning from students.  Delving deeply into the students’ psyche and learning styles is tantamount for both educators and students today and provides everyone with the opportunity to enhance their learning and make personal connections between their own experiences and those of the curriculum. Successfully incorporating a wealth of social emotional resources as well as delving into the science of learning is crucial and invaluable. In the end, all aspects of learning will be covered. In this course, participants will learn everything there is to know about creating a successful environment that motivates students.  They will explore various resources such as articles, interviews, readings, differentiated learning sites, lesson plans, and links to literary sites.  They will research a variety of sources and decide which ones are engaging and fit into their curriculum.  In addition, teachers will gain student centered ideas, lessons that differentiate, challenging ways to motivate students, current research on pedagogy, various interdisciplinary websites and Socratic seminars and philosophical rounds that take literacy and learning to a new level!  Applicable all Educators and staff K-12.

The population in our classrooms is always evolving. Ten percent of the population is gay, bisexual, or transgender. These students come to school with needs like any other student. They have a right to feel safe and accepted in order to learn. When a child feels that they are not accepted by their peers they often seek the advice of someone they can talk to in a confidential setting, and teachers need to be prepared to help a student in this situation. This course will help any educator to be a reliable source for their students who feel marginalized due to their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. This course is suitable for K-12 educators, related service providers, and special area teachers. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) in-service only

Student centered work depends on a high level of student engagement. To achieve this, the final project students create with their researched information should be dynamic, fun, and applied to ensure highest levels of thinking skills. In this course, we will explore how to design and model research projects that will get students excited to delve into their learning. This is applicable for ALL grade levels and each participant will have a culminating project that will serve as a sample for your next student project. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) In-Service Credit only

This course is designed to explore & dissect the Individualized Education Plan, the 504 Plan, their laws, and the process of special education. An IEP is a written document that individualizes the disabled students’ program to ensure that a child who has a disability is receiving individualized instruction or related services. This course will discuss at length the differences between an IEP and a 504 Plan, how to develop an IEP/504 Plan, the 13 categories of special education, the differences between modifications and accommodations, federally mandated measurable goals, the IEP process, special education timelines, descriptions and definitions of related service providers, & much more. ON-LINE (3 Credits / 45 hours) in-service credit only  

ABC’s of Classroom Management and Organization is designed to assist all teachers regardless of how many years you’ve been teaching. This class will help all teachers in becoming successful in implementing a managememt plan that helps all children succeed in your classroom. Classroom management is a term used by teachers and educators to describe the process of ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly despite potentially challenging events that can occur during a lesson. Many teachers find that classroom management is possibly the most difficult aspect of teaching. This class will include topics such as classroom rules, classroom rewards, bullying, classroom management strategies, seating arrangement styles, consequences, learning objectives, promoting autonomy, and more! ON-LINE (3 Credits / 45 hours) in-service credit only **no additional discounts apply

An increasing number of special education students are receiving instruction in the general education classroom, k-12th grades. This course offers definitions, information on diagnoses, observable traits and instructional/behavioral strategies to support each learner. You’ll be better prepared to handle the most frustrating aspects of teaching a child with a learning difference, more prepared to maximize each student’s strengths, better equipped to meet the multitude of challenges ahead and manage change in education. Suitable all eductors K – 12. ON-LINE (3 Credits / 45 hours) in-service credit only  

Course Description: This course offers a synopsis of the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, specifically as it relates to teaching. Educators will first discuss the meaning of both. This course will then not only explain the importance of having a growth mindset, but it also gives strategies on how to institute a growth mindset within your classroom. Teachers will be provided with strategies to move your students forward with a positive growth mindset. This course deals with the main message being that “anyone can learn anything with enough hard work and practice”. Growth Mindset is the tool to inevitably improving student learning.  This is a must for educators levels K-12. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) in-service credit only Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com

You will develop an understanding of how it feels to have a learning disability. By understanding how a learning disabled student feels, you will be able to teach them differently. You will learn strategies and will be expected to understand the psychology of a learning disability, its definition and causes. You will develop an appreciation for the approaches in educational and employment settings which support individuals with learning disorders, the impact that individuals with learning disorders have on their friends and family; and widen your empathy and respect for individuals with learning disorders regarding their strengths and weaknesses. Suitable all educators K-12. NOTE: This instructor also offers an additional course on this subject Learning Disabilities/Strategies to Help Guide the Learning Disabled Student to Success. This course was designed to provide additonal information and direction beyond the ABC’s course. ON-LINE (3 Credits / 45 hours) In-service Credit only  

This online course will allow professionals working with children the opportunity to create resilient environments that meets the social, emotional, ethical, and academic needs of students. You will be provided with necessary tools that will enable them to foster compassion, a workable set of values, the skills of cooperation, appropriate decision-making, goal setting, and high academic expectations in their school setting. You will explore some research-based skills and competencies that have a positive impact on the organizational structure of school and the delivery of instruction. Student performance build bridges by acknowledging past accomplishments, validating what is presently working well, and designing future goals to bring the existing classrooms. Mindfulness is about learning to train your attention to the present moment without dwelling on what has happened in the past or worrying about the future. Mindfulness provides many physical and psychological benefits which will be discussed throughout this course. ON-LINE (3 Credits / 45 hours) in-service credit only  

The educational field has changed tremendously over the years. In order to keep up with the complex challenges we face in education you may need to tweak your style to become more versed in the field of education. We will cover a broad range of topics such as time management, classroom management, APPR, data collecting, record keeping, observations, administrative personnel, volunteering time, professional presentation and language, professional development, creating “lifelong learners”, adaptive learning, digital literacy, and project based learning. This class will help you “rise to the top” and prove to other teachers, students, parents, and administrators that you have what it takes to make the cut! A must for all educators K – 12! ON-LINE (3credits/45hours) In-service credit only  

Over the next three years, a majority of K-12 educators expect online learning and digital curriculum to become ever more-important. New remote learning formats require new thinking to create compelling, engaging, and inclusive content. To ensure strong student engagement during digital classrooms, educators are turning to various technological tools for remote learning. There’s so much information available online that the challenge becomes sorting through it to find accurate, objective materials. This course will train teachers to become confident and comfortable in incorporating various tools within their online classroom. They will become proficient using Edpuzzle, Padlet, Kami, Flipgrid, Peardeck, Nearpod, and much more! We will also focus on various assessment tools as well. This course is suited for any educator or service provider K-12. ON-LINE (3 Credits / 45 hours) in-service credit only  

Managing challenging behavior is a vital part of our job as teachers, but most certainly not the easiest component. This course will give you a basic understanding of the reasons behind students’ challenging behavior and simple strategies and tools you can utilize in the classroom to help struggling children experience success, and create an effective classroom environment for all you students. Participants completing this course will:

• Understand the underlying components of challenging behaviors exhibited by students.
• Learn tools and strategies that can be used in the classroom to manage students with behavioral needs.
• Create a plan of how to utilize these tools and strategies in the classroom.

The shift to distance learning has many administrators, teachers, related service providers, parents, and students scrambling. Where do schools start and which tools sync best with the ones already established by district? How can teachers change their established platform to become even more effective? This class will teach you the top virtual learning platforms and tools for distance learning. This course will allow you to work with existing lessons, create lesson plans, create new online learning resources, and also host new multimedia interactive classrooms. This class is created for any educator or service provider. K-12 ON-LINE (3credits/45hours) In-service credit only  

As educators and lifelong learners, we must always remain dynamic in our approach to education.  We must remain abreast of changing ideas and modernized techniques while always remaining constant and consistent in our dedication to making all students feel safe, welcomed, and included.  Cultural Diversity, habitually associated with Social Studies, is a concept that applies to all course subjects and levels, as it focuses on and celebrates the range of races, ethnicities, religions, and affiliations that come together in our classrooms and in the world outside of academia. Teachers enrolled in this course will explore proven strategies and pedagogical methods aimed at inclusivity, at celebrating differences while focusing on education, at making students of all backgrounds feel safe, welcomed, and included. Applicable to teachers of all subjects/grade levels. ON-LINE (3 Credits / 45 hours) in-service credit only