PLUACLD927

CYBERBULLYING PREVENTION

Standard: Technology

 

Course Overview:

Bullying is the aggressive and unwanted behaviors projected upon an individual.  A bully’s intentions are to cause physical, mental, and emotional trauma in their victims.  In today’s schools, there are many cases of bullying.  In this course, participants will understand the meaning of cyberbullying, and explore strategies to discourage bullying at schools. Participants will also explore and become familiar with the Alabama Anti-Bullying Laws & Policies, and show evidence of a school-wide or grade level bullying initiative.  Finally, participants will learn how to make sure that schools address these challenges according to their school district’s policies while teaching students how to act as responsible citizens.

 

Course Objectives:

​1.  Understand the definition of cyberbullying and its effects. 

2.  Identify and utilize specific options to protect students while online.

3.  Understand current state policy regarding Anti-Bullying Laws. 

4.  Develop and identify best practices in preventing cyberbullying

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PLUACLD961

​Differentiated Instruction:  An Introductory Course
Standard:  Teaching and Learning  

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​Course Overview:

Do you think that students have different strengths and needs? Do you believe that students learn at different rates? Do you have students with multiple academic abilities in your classroom? Does it feel overwhelming or almost impossible to meet those needs in every lesson? Differentiated Instruction can assist you in meeting these needs. Differentiated instruction is a way of thinking about teaching and learning. It is also a model that guides instructional planning in response to students’ needs. In a differentiated classroom, the teacher proactively plans and carries out varied approaches to content, process, and product in anticipation of and response to student differences in readiness, interest, and learning needs (Tomlinson, 2017). Differentiation requires teachers to assess students and adjust the content, process and product to meet their students’ needs. This course will walk you through the various definitions of differentiation, how it is effectively being used in classrooms across the country and provide tips so that you can begin to see more academic success in your students.

 

Course Objectives:

1.  To increase your framework of thinking about “differentiation” in your classroom.

2.  To understand the intent of differentiation (philosophy and principles).

3.  Add strategies & tools to your repertoire for supporting more students in greater success during all aspects of teaching and learning.

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PLUACLD958

"Green and Growing:  Developing Growth Mindsets"

 Standard: Planning for Continuous Improvement

 

Course Overview:

In uncertain times, we all need a Growth Mindset to survive and thrive with the challenges ahead. This course is designed as a book study focused around the book, Developing Growth Mindsets by Donna Wilson and Marcus Conyers. This course will teach educators the foundations of Growth Mindset and Social and Emotional Learning. Participants will meet three times via Zoom to discuss the chapters, collaborate and share their thoughts and ideas about the book. Green and Growing: Developing Growth Mindsets will give educators a solid foundation in growth mindset theory and practice. Educators will produce resources they can use in their classrooms or schools to develop a growth mindset classroom and school culture.

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Course Objectives:

1.  Understand the impact of mindset on student motivation and achievement. 

2.  How to recognize growth and fixed mindsets in their students.

3.  How to increase student motivation through research-proven growth mindset practices.

4.  Gain resources and tools for cultivating a classroom culture that supports a growth mindset in their students.

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PLUACLD1027

"School Attendance 101"

Standard: Planning for Continuous Improvement

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Course Overview:

Encouraging regular school attendance is one of the most powerful ways you can prepare your students for success. When you make school attendance a priority, students earn better grades, develop healthy life habits, avoid negative behaviors, and have a better chance of graduating from high school. This professional study will allow participants to understand the importance of school attendance, and explore strategies to discourage truancy. Participants will read and explore research, and conduct interviews with school principals to learn about their school's attendance policies and initiatives. The rigor of the course increases as participants use their acquired knowledge from the course research and peer collaborations to create and compose an action plan collaboratively with their school’s leadership team to discourage truancy to improve their school’s attendance.

 

Course Objectives:

1.  Explore the importance of school attendance.

2.  Understand the impact of truancy issues on the academic success of students.

3.  How to increase and improve school attendance.

4.  Gain resources and tools to cultivate a school’s culture of successful school-wide attendance.

 

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PLUACLD1028

"Instructional Redesign:  Alternatives to Problematic Teaching Practices"

Standard: Teacher and Learning

 

Course Overview:

Do you have students with multiple academic abilities in your classroom? Are you still using Robin Reading and other dinosaur instructional strategies?  Today, educators need more effective teaching practices and strategies to ensure student academic achievement as students return to school educationally malnourished due to COVID 19. This course is designed as a book study focused around the book, Why Are We Still Doing That? Positive Alternatives To Problematic Teaching Practices by Persida Himmele and William Himmele.  This course will look closely at various instructional practices that research identifies as problematic while exploring effective instructional practices that better support student’s academic achievement.

 

Participants will meet twice via Zoom to discuss the chapters, collaborate and share their thoughts and ideas about the book.  Instructional Redesign: Alternatives to Problematic Teaching Practices will provide educators with the knowledge of new effective teaching practices and strategies.  This course will also allow participants to take a closer look at their own instructional methodologies, and to compose an instructional guide with new alternatives to problematic teaching practices learned from this course. 

 

Course Objectives:

1.  To increase your framework of thinking about instructional strategies and practices.

2.  To learn and understand alternatives to traditional and/or current instructional practices that better support academic achievement.

3.  Add strategies & tools to your repertoire for supporting more students in greater success during all aspects of teaching and learning.

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PLUACLD1151

"Classroom Organization & Management"

Standard 7: Management of the Learning Organization

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Course Overview:

The ability of teachers to organize classrooms and manage the behavior of their students is critical to achieving positive educational outcomes. Although sound behavior management does not guarantee effective instruction, it establishes the environmental context that makes good instruction possible.  Reciprocally, highly effective instruction reduces, but does not eliminate, classroom behavior problems (Emmer & Stough, 2001).  A significant body of research also attests to the fact that classroom organization and behavior management competencies significantly influence the persistence of new teachers in teaching careers.  Teachers who have problems with behavior management and classroom discipline are frequently ineffective in the classroom, and they often report high levels of stress and symptoms of burnout. 

This course will look closely at various effective practices identified by research.  This class will also explain the goals of classroom management, explain the need for socialization, and describe how to plan for effective classroom management. 

Participants will meet once via Zoom to discuss the text, collaborate and share their thoughts and ideas about the course’s text.  Classroom Organization and Management will provide educators with the knowledge of new effective classroom practices and strategies.  This course will also allow participants to take a closer look at their own classroom climate, culture, and routines. 

 

Course Objectives:

1.  Define classroom management;
2.  Explain the goals of classroom management;
3.  Become familiar with effective management strategies;
4.  Create and design a schoolwide management plan;

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PLUACLD1208

"Ethics for Educators"

Standard 8: Ethics

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Course Overview:

Being a leader means taking responsibility for the success of others. One of the keys to doing well in any profession is living ethically, inside and outside of work. The only way for an educator to demonstrate the importance of ethics to others and the organization is to teach by example. Understanding the importance of ethical leadership in education is the first step to serve as a model for all members of the education community.

This course is designed for participants to discover a clearer understanding of the innate ethical self. You’ll find tools and tips for bringing high standards of ethics into school and resources to explore practical ways of addressing ethical decisions.

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Course Objectives:

​1.  Become familiar with the Alabama Educator Code of Ethics.

​2.  Define and understand the purpose of the Alabama Educator Code of Ethics.

3.  Learn how to respond to ethical problems and concerns.

4.  Examines professional ethics and legal issues related to teaching, student supervision, contractual obligation, conditions of employment, and other workplace issues related to conduct and practice in the field of education.

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PLUACLD1215
Successful School Leadership: 
Balancing Effort, Efficiency, and Effectiveness
Standard 7:  Management of the Learning Organization

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Course Overview:

Any organization, whether it’s a business, school, or government agency, needs leaders to help guide the way. Leaders provide direction and vision, motivate and inspire others, and help create an environment conducive to success by promoting communication and collaboration among team members. In short, leadership and strong management skills are essential for any organization that wants to achieve its objectives.

 

Successful School Leadership: Balancing Effort, Efficiency, and Effectiveness focuses on various basic leadership fundamentals.  This course is designed for participants to discover and understand various leadership styles, core characteristics of great leaders, the importance of self-management, and managing their time efficiently.
 

Course Objectives:

1.  Know and understand various leadership styles.
2.  Define and understand the leaders role
3.  Understand the difference between leadership and management
4.  The importance of self-care.

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PLUACLD1216
Successful School Leadership: 
Culture, Climate, and Effective Teams
Standard 7:  Management of the Learning Organization

 

Course Overview:

Any organization, whether it’s a business, school, or government agency, needs leaders to help guide the way. Leaders provide direction and vision, motivate and inspire others, and help create an environment conducive to success by promoting communication and collaboration among team members. In short, leadership and strong management skills are essential for any organization that wants to achieve its objectives.
 

Successful School Leadership: Culture and Climate, and Inspiring Strong Teams focuses on topics such as culture, climate, and effective teams. Leaders are responsible for people and including the task of building effective teams. Also, a heavy emphasis will be placed on culture and climate, and why this is one of the leader's major responsibilities. The main focus will revolve around ways to build a desired culture and ways to turn around a toxic one.

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Course Objectives:

1.  Define and understand the importance of a positive school culture and climate.
2.  Understand the importance and power of effective school teams.
3.  How to nurture the skills and personalities of individuals on school teams.

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