Professional Development Resources for Teachers

• Courageous Conversations About Race
  By Glenn Singleton
  Glenn Singleton explores how race affects your students' lives and your professional practice. Deepen your understanding of the need for personal practice. Deepen your understanding of the need for personal racial consciousness and the importance of engaging in the Protocol for Courageous Conversations about Race.
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• Relationally Responsive Classroom Management 
  By Dr. Alan Green
  How do you engage your students in a multicultural urban classroom? Learn directly from University of Southern California professors how to engage with an increasingly diverse student body by cultivating meaningful relationships with your students. Dr. Alan Green will help you build your abilities in planning and implementing methods for connecting with all students, increasing student motivation, reducing behavior problems, and improving academic achievement by fundamentally changing teacher to student, student to student, and student to teacher relationships and engagement. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Best Practices for Teaching African American Boys
  By Jawanza Kunjufu
  According to the most recent statistics, the dropout rate for African American males in US schools is over 50%. Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu links this trend with the disproportionate placement of these students in special education classes, a dearth of African American male teachers, and a failure to teach to African American boys' learning styles. In Best Practices for Teaching African American Boys, Dr. Kunjufu prepares educators to implement solutions to these problems in their classrooms and schools. He offers strategies for preventing the referral of students to special education that include construction Afro-centric classrooms, integrating black male role models, supporting students' transitions through school and boyhood, accommodating these students' needs for curriculum that appeals to their interests and other characteristics, and designing instruction that exploits the best of their energy and intelligence. The course is punctuated by workshop discussions and classroom footage that illustrate the complexity of and solutions to the issues at hand, so that African American boys have the same opportunities for success as all of their peers.
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• Pedagogical Strategies for English Learners
  By Eugenia Mora-Flores
  What are the language needs of students in your classroom? Are you prepared to teach these students? Hear directly from University of Southern California professor Dr. Eugenia Mora-Flores how to differentiate instruction for English language learners (ELLs) by connecting the right strategies and practices to meet the unique language needs of each student. The course will demonstrate pedagogical practices to guide ELLs to think about content in critical and creative ways. Learn how to employ multiple strategies for teaching ELLs and what adaptations are needed in helping them understand the content being taught. This course is appropriate for all educational practitioners, including administrators, instructional coaches and teachers who do not currently have a classroom. Feedback on reflections, assignments and discussions will be differentiated for participants not currently practicing in a classroom setting. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Facilitating Learning for Speakers or Non-Standardized English
  By Uju Anya
  Do your students know how to code switch? Learn how to accommodate and respond to linguistic diversity among English speakers to narrow the achievement gap. Learn directly from University of Southern California professor, Dr. Uju Anywa how to help students develop academic English skills, promote access to core academic content, and provide culturally responsive instruction. Help your students learn to value language in your classroom, interact with the language, and internalize it themselves. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Differentiating Teaching and Instruction: What, How, Why
  By Sandra Kaplan
  How do you balance high standards for all students in a diverse classroom? Learn directly from University of Southern California's Dr. Sandra Kaplan how to approach teaching with a focus on individual student needs. Deepen your understanding of differentiation and learn strategies for recognizing individual differences and how to respond to those differences. Help students learn to value individuality by meeting them where they are and challenging them to grow. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher 
  By Gary Howard
  Many students you teach bring rich and diverse backgrounds to your classroom. Learn from Gary Howard how to value and integrate the cultures represented in your classroom into your instruction and create a classroom that is culturally inviting to all of your students. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Teaching Reading and Comprehension to English Learners, K-5
  By Margarita Calderon
  In this course, Dr. Margarita Calderon outlines techniques for elementary teachers seeking to improve the reading comprehension skills of English learners in their classrooms. With straightforwardness, patience, and humor, Dr. Calderon leads workshop participants through the steps needed to select vocabulary for reading, pre-teach this vocabulary, and model comprehension strategies like think-aloud and partner reading. Writing and editing strategies complete the picture.
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• Shifting Instruction with Five Core Practices
  By Dr. Michael Moody and Dr. Richard Nyankori
  Are your students College and Career Ready? Bring College and Career Standards to life in your classroom. Learn how to effectively implement College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) and prepare your students for success beyond graduation. Dr. Richard Nyankori and Dr. Michael Moody present the 5 Core Practices to help students love learning and foster curiosity of the world. This course focuses on teaching for mastery and putting these practices to use in your classroom. Hear from other teachers that have used the 5 Core Practices to promote deeper student thinking and reasoning, design CCRS-aligned instruction, and deliver high impact lessons in their classrooms. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Effective Coaching to Strengthen Instruction
  By Joellen Killian
  Learn the fundamentals of instructional coaching to increase the quality of classroom practice to improve academic success. With Effective Coaching to Strengthen Instruction by Joellen Killion, develop the essentials of building relationships, communication, and observation. With these skills as your foundation, learn a coaching cycle for planning, implementation, and debriefing in the context of three different instructional supports--modeling/demonstration, co-teaching/collaboration, and observation. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Using Data for Meaningful Classroom Change
  By Diana Nunnaley
  This course provides teaching professionals with the strategies and tools needed to systematically evaluate and analyze student data, and subsequently implement and monitor action plans in order to improve student performance. Educators will learn a structured process for the ongoing investigation of data that focuses on collaborative inquiry. Explore the phases of data analysis using multiple sources of data including aggregate, disaggregate, item data, and student work.
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• Charlotte Danielson's A Framework For Teaching
  By Charlotte Danielson
  Charlotte Danielson's A Framework for Teaching defines teachers responsibilities, which fall into four domains: planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities. Through lectures, classroom observations, and vigorous panel discussions, educators work through how to use the Framework to scrutinize and strengthen classroom teaching practices to improve student learning. Punctuated by worksheets and activities, the course prepares educators to use the Framework to become their best professional selves.
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• Transforming School Culture 
  By Anthony Muhammad
  Presenter Anthony Muhammed sheds new light on understanding the complicated dynamic relationships among school professionals to create a cohesive and positive culture. In this course, he identifies four general archetypes: The Believers, The Tweeners, The Survivors, and The Fundamentals. If not working harmoniously, these types on your staff can become highly resistant to change and prone to interpersonal discord. This course will provide insight couple with practical strategies for understanding and working with each type to dramatically improve school culture.
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• Student Learning Objectives: Using SLOs to Improve Instruction and Advance Student Growth 
  By William Slotnik
  SLOS? What are they? How do I use them in my classroom? Student Learning Objectives are carefully planned goals for your students' performance and progress over a given time. Learn a process for planning and implementing SLOs to strengthen your practice and improve student learning. This course complements CTAC's face-to-face training and serves as a training for K-12 teachers in districts implementing SLOs. "SLOs can help teachers bring more science into their art, strengthen instructional support to the classrooms, and improve the quality of the outcome"-William J. Slotnik. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Differentiation and the Brain 
  By Carol Ann Tomlinson and David Sousa
  Two of the most highly regarded names in educational neuroscience and differentiation combine forces to create a new model of effective teaching. In this course Carol Ann Tomlinson and David Sousa explain how discoveries about how the brain learns enhance the basic principles of differentiation. Armed with this knowledge, teachers will be able to make the best curricular, instructional, and assessment choices to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population.
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• Becoming a Reflective Teacher
  By Robert Marzano
  Robert J. Marzano is one of the nation's leading education researchers and teacher training instructors and this course is designed to give teachers insight and practice guidance on how to create a structure and mindset that focuses on continually improving their skills. The course explains the latest research and theory on "reflective practice" meaning improving teacher skills by identifying personal strengths and weaknesses, setting goals and engaging in focused practice to meet those goals. Teachers will also learn how to examine their practices, set realistic growth goals and use focused practice and feedback for improved performance. Research and theory on reflective practice are then put to the test in applications in real classroom workshops. Teachers will learn how to combine a model of effective instruction with goal setting, focused practice, and focused feedback, observations and discussion to improve their instructional practices.
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• Survival Strategies for New Teachers
  By Julia G. Thompson
  Are you ready to save the world one student at a time? This course provides the tools new teachers need to feel supported, be successful, and stay in classrooms. With Survival Strategies for New Teachers, Julia Thompson will help you develop confidence to turn your passion for teaching into impactful classroom practice.  Explore the importance of relationships with your students, as well as with colleagues, supervisors, and parents/guardians. Discover ways to motivate students, build relationships among the students in your class, establish a culture of high achievement in which all students can succeed, and effectively manage your classroom. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule. Offered in three blocks: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
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• Building Academic Language 
  By Jeff Zwiers
  Do your students have the academic language needed to be successful in school? Students don't come to school knowing you to engage in academic discourse. We need to teach them. Jeff Zwiers shows how to help students develop the language skills critical to a successful academic career. Students with a strong grasp on academic language are better able to critically analyze and synthesize complex ideas, engage in academic discussions, and prepare for college and careers. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Making Student Thinking Visible
  By Jon Saphier
  How do your students show what they know? Teach your students to think out loud! Learn from Jon Saphier how to unlock Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in your classroom. Learn strategies to help students develop strong SEL skills to increase their academic success. Gain the knowledge and tools needed to help your students build confidence to take charge of their learning with robust student dialog and collaborative learning. Students need to learn how to develop positive relationships, set goals, and make responsible decisions to be successful academically and in life. This course includes videos of authentic classroom practice, a coach to provide personalized feedback, and flexibility to engage with the content on your schedule.
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• Pyramid Response to Intervention
  By Austin Buffum, EdD
  Students who don't get the education they need run higher risks of not only dropping out of school, but of incarceration, homelessness, and early death. Pyramid response to intervention (PRTI) seeks to remedy that situation, and has met with remarkable success by systematically identifying students' needs, providing targeted interventions, monitoring students' progress, modifying interventions as necessary, and thereby enabling all of a school's or district's students to learn at high levels. In this course, expert presenters, Austin Buffun, Mike Mattos, and Chris Weber share their experience implementing PRTI. They take participants through the critical stages of establishing professional learning communities (PLCs) within schools and districts, using universal screening tools to ascertain students' learning needs, and devising interventions for students at three tiers. In Tier 1, the classroom teacher differentiates instruction to meet all of his or her students' needs; in Tier 2, teachers begin targeting their interventions to meet the needs of those students not met in Tier 1 (e.g., through small group work and systematic push-in and pull-out strategies); and in Tier 3, teachers call on the expertise of others and practice one-on-one interventions for the remaining few. The presenters emphasize the role of collaborative teamwork and instruct participants on how to make their meetings purposeful and effective. Interviews and classroom footage illustrate how constructive PLCs and PRTI has been for all parties invested in the mission of helping all students achieve at the highest levels possible.
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Teaching Strategies

This section highlights some of the key teaching strategies that are producing the best results in education now. Review each section to see how you can improve your own teaching style and personal pedagogy in your content area.

• Resources for Effective Teaching Strategies

  Learn more about the methodologies of effective teaching. You'll find strategies to teach students with learning disabilities, to improve students' cooperative learning skills, and to improve reading, language arts, science, and math skills.

• Elementary Mathematics: Measurement

  Discover everything you need to successfully teach measurement to elementary students, from references and lesson plans to printable worksheets and graphic organizers.

• Classroom Management

  The toughest challenges become easier when you have the right resources. Find our best classroom management resources, from room set-up advice to behavior modification articles to effective teaching methods.

• Journaling Teaching Strategies

  Use these journaling strategies in your classroom to expand the learning capabilities of your students. Included are articles to teach you about each concept and lesson plans with which you can implement the strategies.

• Cooperative Learning Teaching Strategies

  Use these cooperative learning strategies in your classroom to help increase collaboration and teamwork in your classroom. Featured are articles and resources to help you implement the strategies.

• Teaching Methods

  Discover a vast range of current articles on teaching methods, such as cooperative learning, inclusion, and authentic assessment. These resources are ideal for teachers of all grades.

• Resources for Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire

  Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire is an inspiring guide to transforming every child's education written by one of America's most celebrated educators, Rafe Esquith. Read excerpts from Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire, and listen to a podcast of Rafe Esquith talking about his book.

• Using Manipulatives

  Manipulatives are physical objects that are used as teaching tools to engage students in the hands-on learning of mathematics. They can be used to introduce, practice, or remediate a concept.

• Learning Centers in the Classroom

  Get information on learning centers, where students use instructional material to explore alone or in groups, and how to incorporate them in to your instructional routine.

• Adapt Lessons to Reach All Students

  An overview of six curricular design issues that help ensure appropriate inclusive teaching.

Assessment

One of the hardest parts of teaching is finding a fair assessment that will demonstrate how much your students have learned after a given concept or topic. Make sure that you look through this section for assessment databases for all your testing needs and key tips and strategies.

• Assessment Advice & Forms

  Assessment can be a tricky task. Our collection of ideas and forms will make it easier for you to evaluate and grade your students' work, no matter their grade level.

• Rubrics Library for Teachers

  Our extensive library of rubrics will help you assess your students' work in all subjects, from reading & language arts, to science, to social studies.

Portfolios

Student and Teacher portfolios allow you to review the accomplishments of an exciting school year. Use the resources in this section to help you introduce portfolios to your students or organize your own.

• Portfolios

  This collection of articles and resource will help you build portfolios with your students. Portfolios are a great mode of assessment for your classroom.

• Professional Portfolios Resources for Teachers

  Learn how to create a professional portfolio that accurately showcases your talents as an educator. Plus, find helpful tips on preparing your professional portfolio for a job interview.

Classroom & Behavior Management

Use this section to find resources on classroom and behavior mangement. Whether you need tips and strategies, resources for working with certain student subgroups, or are interested in taking your teaching game up a notch!

• Elementary Classroom Survival Tips

  These survival tips will help teachers of grades K-4 successfully manage their classroom. Check out the curriculum planning tips to find advice for elementary art, math, reading, science, and more!

• Behavior Management Resources

  Use our behavior management resources to establish effective classroom discipline. Learn how to handle disruptive student behavior and minimize its effect on others with these articles and printables.

• Personalizing the Secondary Classroom

  Find ideas and activities for personalizing your secondary classroom. These articles, printables, and guides will aid teachers in making their classroom safe and inviting for grades 9-12.

• Bloom's Taxonomy Resources

  Encourage your students to do higher level thinking by using Bloom's Taxonomy when you create lessons. You'll find it indispensable for planning units and developing skills, which lead students to refine their thinking.

• Advice from Veteran Teachers

  New teachers will find valuable advice from experienced teachers on parent-teacher communication, lesson planning, and more. Use these resources to help manage your classroom and plan your curriculum.

• Special Needs Resource Center

  Find answers to questions about issues such as ADD/ADHD, inclusion, and assessment. This extensive collection of tips, articles, and materials was put together in collaboration with the Council for Exceptional Children.

• Social & Emotional Issues - Teacher Resources

  Help develop your students' social skills, emotional skills, and quality of character. These printables, lessons, and other resources will supply guidelines and advice for addressing social and emotional issues.

• Characteristics of Effective Behavior Managers

  Improve behavior management in your classroom. This reference lists characteristics of teachers who are effective behavior managers.

• Social Skills and Autism

  The approaches in these articles will help children with autism spectrum disorders build social skills. Use these strategies to prepare kids with autism spectrum disorders for classroom interactions and to promote social development.

Additional Resources

Need something for a rainy day? Or just need to build up your current resources to replace outdated ones? This is the section for you. It contains many different assets for different content areas and much more!

• Dictionaries and Glossaries of Educational Terms

  Use these glossary references to find definitions for a variety of educational terms, literary and poetry terms, global warming vocabulary, math terms, and more.

• New Teacher Resources

  Discover everything a beginning teacher will need for a successful school year, from tips for your first day, to classroom-management advice, to printables and lesson plans that will support your curriculum all year long.

• Interest in Professional Development

  Are you considering taking professional development courses to enhance your teaching skills? Tell us in this poll!

• Finding a Teaching Job

  Find tips on interviewing, studying for the Praxis, building a professional portfolio, organizing your applications, and acing those interview questions to help you land the teaching job you want.

• Becoming a Teacher

  Excellent information on licensing and certification requirements, financial aid resources, and more.