Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com In-Service Course – 3 Credits – 45 Hours Course Description: Classroom dialogue provides a unique opportunity for students to verbalize their understanding, bring their thoughts to the surface and examine mindsets. By engaging in dialogue, students can identify knowledge gaps, challenge assumptions, and solidify their comprehension, all with the assistance of their peers. Participants in this course will learn how to engage their students in effective dialogue through an open exchange of perspectives, all of which deepen students’ understanding of topics and encourage reflection. Reflective journals, democratic dialogue, and Socratic seminars will all be included in the course! *A must for K-12 educators!*

Developing course trajectories for students is tantamount to their learning. Reinforcing phonemic awareness, phonics in language, reading environments for success, text comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, writing and reading integration – all develop skills for students to fully advance their learning. In this course, teachers will fully engage in comprehensive strategies that advance the learner in their classroom. Techniques as analysis, connections, author’s viewpoint, primary and secondary sources will be investigated, thoroughly creating advanced learning for all. • A must for K-12 educators!!!!!!! ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) in-service credit only

  Course Description:   This course will focus on how excellent readers often begin to struggle when they enter upper grades.  This course will work with educators to strategically teach your students to read successfully no matter what subject you teach.  We will work on key reading skills and develop active instructional strategies for students in all disciplines.  Educators will work on strategic reading techniques to get your students to read well in all areas of study and understand the importance of text structure, as students move from narrative text to more expository text.  Educators will work on creating text-dependent questions, guided reading strategies and help students with close reading skills.  With reading being such an important skill across all curriculums, students should learn how to achieve and succeed with great strategies.  This course is a must for all educators levels K-12.

Course #PDLI9060 (45 HOURS/3 GRADUATE CREDITS) ON-LINE Instructor: Kim Kittredge kkittredgeliips@gmail.com Course Description: This course will explore how our daily instruction as an educator must constantly be changed and molded to fit our students’ needs.  Since many of our students learn differently, it is our job as effective teachers to guide them through the learning process.  Participants will discuss what a differentiated classroom really is, and how to differentiate for any grade level and/or subject.  Educators will collaborate and work on a multitude of learning techniques and assessments for all learning styles.  Applicable all Educators and staff K-12.

Storytelling in the digital era, writing is not just about composing traditional essays by typing into a word-processing program. Today writers compose by using a variety of platforms to produce different forms. We compose slide shows, videos, audio documentaries, brochures, Tweets, blogs, and much more. If we want to be effective composers in our, global world, we have to learn how to compose using these different platforms, and we have to understand what such forms allow, disallow, and require. We need both technical skill and critical understanding. This course will introduce you to DIGITAL STORYTELLING. Digital storytelling is a creative way to integrate writing, technology, and content curriculum. Digital storytelling is an excellent way to engage students because it allows them to use their growing technology skills to tell a story. You will learn how to design digital storytelling projects for all content areas (k-12) allowing you to incorporate writing throughout the curriculum. Assessments of digital stories will also be reviewed. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) in-service only

Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com In-Service Course – 3 Credits – 45 Hours Course Description: Creating strategies for and utilizing our gregarious students’ sociality within the confines of the classroom is an art form. This course will enable participants to comprehend the behaviors behind their most loquacious individuals and harness their individual strengths. Finding the means to allow learners to enthusiastically express their ideas and feel comfortable in their skin is akin to good teaching. A wealth of ideas and strategies will be presented for teachers to immediately utilize in their classes! *A must for K-12 educators*

It is crucial for teachers to develop educational partnerships with colleagues to lead a successful 21st Century classroom. This course will take an in-depth look at collaboration strategies, interdisciplinary teaching, team teaching, parallel design, and curriculum integration. In addition, the course will look at ways in which educators can make connections with members of the school community and specific organizations (Examples: PTA, SEPTA, Civic Association, Historical Society, Etc.). Finally, the concept of having parents as educational partners will be examined through research and data of what works best on each grade level. This course is suitable for all educators, K-12. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) In-service credit only

  Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com In-Service Course – 3 Credits – 45 Hours Course Description: Oftentimes as educators, we find ourselves searching for innovative modalities of learning for our students, ones that fully suit our learners’ needs, ones that promote comprehensive improvements and drive our students toward success. This course speaks to educators who desire these interventions, using practical approaches and ways to engage all types of individuals in our sphere. Evidence based methods that promote phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in all subjects will be discussed as well as a myriad of tools that command student achievement, all of which have immediate classroom implementation. *A must for K-12 educators*

With the adoption of the new Common Core Standards, a greater emphasis is being placed on nonfiction and vocabulary instruction. This course will explore the philosophy behind vocabulary instruction as well effective practices. Participants will research dozens of strategies for building vocabulary aligned to meet various learning styles. In addition, this course will explore vocabulary resources including multimedia, interactive websites, educational vocabulary learning games and much more! Participants will have the opportunity to research and evaluate effective vocabulary lessons as well as create dynamic lessons for immediate classroom use. A must for all educators K-12! ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) in-service credit only

Overview: Teachers of other subjects sometimes wonder why certain students remain in ENL programs when they “speak English.” However, passing the NYSESLAT involves more than just spoken English proficiency. The test assesses listening, reading, and writing skills, demanding a nuanced understanding of English in various contexts, including cultural nuances. Many students find meeting these criteria challenging, and the pressure of standardized testing often limits their ability to showcase their language skills fully. Beyond the NYSESLAT, ELL students often face reading and writing challenges stemming from their early education. They initially learned these skills in their native language or in systems different from those in the United States. This transition to a new language and educational structure creates gaps in their foundational literacy. Adapting to a new writing system, grammar, and vocabulary delays their English literacy development, even if their spoken English is proficient. These hurdles persist throughout their academic journey, affecting assessments like the NYSESLAT. Objective: This course will address how the literacy gap and lack of foundations ELLs face from a young age make it difficult for ELLs to catch up to perform on grade level throughout the rest of their school career, and essentially, pass the NYSELAT. We will explore different strategies to try and meet their literacy needs and support them to reach proficiency on the state exam.

  Instructor: Gayle Meinkes-Lumia – gaylelumia@yahoo.com (3 Credits/45 Hours) – In-Service Credit Course Description: In order for true learning to occur, safety must be at the forefront. Ensuring an environment that is emotionally manageable for our learners requires a deep investigation of the ways in which students operate on many levels. This course will provide the opportunities for participants to instruct their students on the ways in which to understand and manage their emotions in order to be successful in every class. Participants will learn the seven strategies in which to manage emotions for their learners, including: identifying and reducing triggers, tuning into physical symptoms, relay your own personal story, engage in positive self-talk, make appropriate choices, look for positive emotions, seek out help whenever possible. In the end, our learners will be able to soar to new heights. **A must for K-12 educators in all disciplines!!

Enhancing one’s students to be motivated and think critically about the world around them is tantamount to the Common Core standards of learning in all subject areas. The study of the philosophy behind learning captivates students and infuses morality and integrity into their worlds. In this course, teachers will be exposed to a plethora of ideas that enable them to critically analyze, judge, delineate, and closely comprehend content area ideas and genre in order to create pertinent lessons for their students. Teachers will walk away with a multitude of interdisciplinary lessons for their classrooms. Materials include: picture books, non-fiction articles, creative techniques that enhance any classroom and empower everyone. • A must for K-12 educators!!!! ONLINE (3 credits/45 hours) in-service credit only

Course Description: This course is designed to assist educators in getting their students to become engaged and motivated. We will discuss how to get your classroom interested and involved in the learning process. Students who may have become bored or tired of the same day by day learning styles can become engaged again with the right strategies. A variety of practical and simple strategies will be shared. A multitude of materials will be discussed and distributed on how to motivate and engage your students again. Educators will learn to implement creative techniques to get your students to motivate themselves both physically and mentally and get involved once again. Educational articles and research in this area will also be studied. This is a must for all teachers of all disciplines K-12.

  Course Description: Global competence is the skills, values, and behaviors that prepare young people to thrive in a more diverse, interconnected world. Embracing a mind-set that translates personal global competence into professional classroom practice is crucial for teachers today. This course will enable participants to engage learners globally via transformative lessons that are relevant to every aspect of the world today – politics, science, culture, cross-cultural communication. Teachers will become familiar with the characteristics of globally competent students, be able to transcend that knowledge into their classrooms via language instruction, best practices of the world, and sensitivity to a wide gamut of issues on a global scale. A must for K-12 educators!!!! (3 credits/45 hours) – In-Service Credit

Course Description: This course will work with educators to help engage your students in learning.  When students tune out, teachers need to be armed with the tools to keep their classes engaged and ready to learn.  This course will share techniques and a plethora of strategies to keep your students ready to focus and learn.  A must for all educators of all levels grades K-12.

Course Description: This course will focus on how to engage parents and students as your partners in learning. Educators will work to learn the skills that will empower your students to achieve and become successful. This course is a must for all instructors of all levels K-12.

Schools experience a wide variety of crises that have the potential to harm the mental and physical health, learning environment, and safety of students and educators. A school crisis is any traumatic event that seriously disrupts coping and problem-solving abilities of students and school staff. It is typically sudden, unexpected, dramatic and forceful and may even threaten survival. A crisis can cause a drastic and tragic change to the environment. This change is generally overwhelming and uncontrollable as well as unwanted and frightening. It may create a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, and vulnerability combined with a loss of safety. This course will provide resources, tools, recommendations, and evidence-based practices for incorporating best practices in school mental health into school crisis plans. Different types of crisis will be discussed and strategies will be developed for teachers of all grade levels and subject areas. ON-LINE (3 credits/45 hours) In-service credit only

Do you view vocabulary instruction as prosaic, humdrum, monotonous, mundane, thread bare? Acquiring vocabulary skills are tantamount to doing well in all aspects of academics. Instructing students on vocabulary usage can be accomplished through many modalities: computers, reading, diagramming, activity based. This course will provide you with effective ways to implement vocabulary instruction with your students. Current research will be examined, as well as specific strategies that enable students to comprehend vocabulary words will be addressed. A must for all K-12 educators!!!! On-Line (3 credits/45 hours) In-Service Credit only