This course provides a three-dimensional model (the group and community building, the intrapersonal, and the interpersonal) for understanding why certain students act irresponsibly inside and outside of the classroom. The group and community building approach (E Schaps, W. Glasser, R. Barth, M. Fullan, and R. and E. Solomon) provides students and teachers with a set of activities that can transform the traditional classroom into a community of learners. The intrapersonal model, based on the theory and research of D. Meichenbaum, A. Ellis, and F. Kanfer and others, focuses on the internal dialogue within students and helps them resolve their inner conflicts, develop more productive self-talk and become more responsible and self-disciplined. The interpersonal approach (D. and R. Johnson, R. and E. Solomon and others) empowers students with the essential pro-social skills for creating more productive, caring and respectful peer and adult relationships. During the course, the participants will experience, discuss, reflect upon and apply in their own classrooms many practical and research-based strategies, skills and activities designed to encourage student responsibility and self-discipline. Self-management, self-instruction, anger reduction, personal decision-making, relationship building, conflict resolution, assertiveness skills, class and team building, and the classroom meeting are some of the topics that will be covered in this course.
- Instructor: Frank Mayo
Today's classrooms include a spectrum of learners who have different levels of attention, learning, communication, and behaviors. This course is designed to offer educators a spectrum of instructional strategies. Learn how to apply research-based educational strategies to advance the knowledge and skills of your students with exceptionalities. This includes, but is not limited to students with ADHD, autism, intellectual, learning, sensory, and emotional differences. Tap into your students' strengths with appropriate interventions and curriculum practices.
- Instructor: Therese Flynn
This graduate course is designed to give participants a comprehensive, researched-based view of movement and kinesthetic activity as it relates to the teaching and learning process. The implications of movement and kinesthetic activity in this context will be examined from several perspectives including: why and how movement enhances the learning process and the applicability of such programs. Topics include: movement with a purpose, brain function as it relates to movement and thinking, the brain/body connection, explicit and implicit learning, attaching kinesthetic activity to content, brain breaks, the movement/reading connection, games in the classroom using movement, movement and classroom management, fitness and learning efficiency, performing arts, and making concrete application in all classrooms.
- Instructor: Jenna Evans
This course introduces educators to mindfulness as a lifestyle and more importantly, as an instructional style rather than an isolated period of instructional time. Establishing best practices in mindfulness instruction is a key component of this course. Developing personal practice and how mindfulness affects the brain coincide to define the role of the mindful teacher. How to introduce mindfulness to our communities is addressed, as well as the Cognitive Load Theory.
- Instructor: Carol Reed
This graduate course is designed to give participants a comprehensive, researched-based view of movement and kinesthetic activity as it relates to the teaching and learning process. The implications of movement and kinesthetic activity in this context will be examined from several perspectives including: why and how movement enhances the learning process and the applicability of such programs. Topics include: movement with a purpose, brain function as it relates to movement and thinking, the brain/body connection, explicit and implicit learning, attaching kinesthetic activity to content, brain breaks, the movement/reading connection, games in the classroom using movement, movement and classroom management, fitness and learning efficiency, performing arts, and making concrete application in all classrooms.
- Instructor: Traci Anthony-Lengel
Bullying is one of the most important issues facing our families, schools, communities and society today, yet most teachers-in-training and experienced educators have not taken a class or a course about this issue. This course will help educators better understand the issue of bullying and develop strategies for addressing bullying in their schools. The course is based on the premise that an educator's primary professional duty is to help students learn, and frightened students who feel that they are in an unsafe classroom environment cannot reach their potential as learners. Additionally, this course emphasizes the inclusion of socialization curriculum, which becomes part of the general school curricula and continues year to year. Through this course, teachers will gain an understanding of their basic knowledge pertaining to bullying. The students will engage in hands on and experiential activities that will help them gain a better awareness of bullying behavior, reaction of the victim, the responsibility of bystanders, and how to create a bully proof assurance in their classroom and school.
- Instructor: Gail Hooker
Cooperative Discipline is a unique and innovative approach to classroom management and violence prevention that is based on shifting the discipline paradigm from controlling student behavior through rewards and punishment to managing and motivating student behavior by building internal self-control and helping all students make better choices. It is a philosophy with a democratic premise: that all students in grades K-12, no matter what their background or
current level of functioning, have the potential for learning to behave appropriately and for becoming responsible citizens of the school community.
Cooperative Discipline teaches students an approach to classroom management and violence prevention that is consistent with optimum student growth - academically, socially and psychologically. Cooperative Discipline guides students through an active change process that involves:
- using corrective, supportive, and preventive strategies for achieving order and control in the classroom,
- encouraging a positive class climate,
- promoting enhanced self-concept for all students,
- establishing effective partnerships between teachers and parents, teachers and students, teachers and teachers, and teachers and administrators.
Cooperative Discipline recognizes the needs of adult learners and is structured to include instructor presentations, videos of classroom scenes from the Cooperative Discipline and Responsible Kids series, discussions, dramatizations, demonstrations, experiential exercises, cooperative learning groups, self-assessments and closure activities.
- Instructor: Heidi Godau