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Course Selection Differentiated Instruction Differentiated Instruction is a set of decisions the educator makes to bring learning within the reach of every learner in today's diverse classrooms.  More specifically, differentiated instruction is a decision-making process that guides the design of intructional lessons to support the mastery of standards-based curricular objectives for alll students, to allow for differential learner outcomes, to energize the learning process for students, and to provide appropriate levels of challenges or supports for students who require them.   Instructional Accommodations and Curricular Modifications Every educator is familiar with instructional accommodations and curricular modifications that increase student access to learning and success in the classroom. Yet these important terms are often used interchangeably or inappropriately. One key to bringing learning within the reach of every student is a clear understanding of instructional accommodations and curricular modifications and their importance to effective instruction for a wide range of students. From gifted students who need more challenging learning experiences to students who struggle in school and need additional supports to succeed, every educator will significantly enhance their practice through this course.   Adequate Yearly Progress Educators have made tremendous strides in organizing our vision and our practices to include all students in the educational process. We are focusing on effective practices, learning to recognize what works and discarding the rest, and building competencies to meet the needs of increasingly numbers of diverse learners. Yet, while our progress is impressive, we still have not achieved the level of success necessary to ensure excellence and equity in our schools. Just look at the national statistics regarding school attainment of the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) component of No Child Left Behind legislation as one measure of our continuing challenge. This interactive course introduces eight ‘must have’ skills for educators in order for academic success to be shared across all student groups and for schools to meet the requirements of NCLB and the increasing accountability standards established by states and districts. Learn eight significant ‘non-negotiables’ for success today and in the future.   Creating a Culturally Responsive Classroom Each student’s culture significantly influences his or her learning; each teacher’s culture significantly influences his or her teaching practice. With this understanding, every educator recognizes that it is imperative to become culturally competent and to effectively use culturally responsive instructional strategies in the classroom. In this compelling course, participants delve deeply into their own perceptions of culture competency, learn specific ways to build authentic relationships with every student and to create classrooms that encourage the gifts and contributions that culturally diverse students bring to the classroom. If schools are to close the large and persistent achievement gap, the skills gained through this course are essential!   New Models of Support For decades, the roles of special education personnel changed very little. They were assigned their roles on the basis of the labels of the students they served or the places they provided their services. With the shift to inclusive philosophies and integrated practices, special education personnel recognized that their roles were not static but based on individual student needs. The emphasis now is on increasing the quality and amount of in-class support offered inside the general education classroom. In addition, services in traditional “pull-out” classrooms are changing. Although fewer students with disabilities now require services in these specialized settings, these classrooms must be re-conceptualized to provide highly focused and more effective interventions and support. This course provides educators with a clear understanding of the changing roles of special education personnel and the implications for new skills and competencies. Participants will also recognize the many competencies they currently possess that will be needed in their new and changed settings.   Collaborative Teaching Within the past decade, collaborative teaching partnerships have opened the doors of general education classrooms for millions of special populations students. These students and their typical peers receive increased personal support from trained educators, achieve more, and benefit from higher expectations and challenging curriculum and instruction. The teaching partners also benefit from the lower pupil-teacher ratio. Ironically, if you talk to most educators who are beginning a collaborative partnership or who have had poor experiences with the practice, the list of their concerns and perceived barriers is usually extensive. This course is organized to address three aspects of the collaborative teaching relationship: personal commitment to the role, the interpersonal relationships that require attention from role clarity to teaching style issues, and the procedural considerations, such as time for planning and how to build a schedule that results in support instead of stress. Participants will enjoy the honesty with which this topic is addressed and the many tools and techniques gained.   Collaborative Teaching  2 This course is a continuation of the Collaborative Teaching: A Marriage of Talents and Temperaments, which gave you the skills to build your collaborative teaching partnership. This course specifically focuses on collaboratively planned and taught lessons. The planning process in many cases consists of two phases. The first or initial phase involves drafting the actual lesson. The lesson is activity-based, rigorous as it relates to content standards, challenging and relevant to engage the learner, and inclusive so all students have the opportunity to learn and be successful. The second phase of the planning process involves the dialogue that occurs between the teaching partners about the draft lesson. During this phase, the lesson is refined to increase positive learner outcomes and the roles and responsibilities of the two adults are defined so the ownership is equitable.   Multi-Level Instruction You will never look at instructional decision-making the same way again! This course provides you with four simple questions for designing lessons that are standards-based, promoting student engagement and providing opportunities for success for even the broadest range of diverse learners. In this innovative course, participants are able to customize their learning opportunity on the basis of the grade level they teach.   Side by Side There are approximately 700,000 paraeducators working in the nation’s public schools and additional thousands working in private schools today. These individuals represent a major resource in improving student achievement and building stronger and more effective schools. Yet, there is a consensus across many educators that this resource has never been adequately trained and prepared for the important roles they play. Similarly, most teachers are not prepared to supervise, train, and monitor their paraeducator partners.   Side by Side 2 This course serves to establish paraeducators as essential partners in providing quality services to students in schools. This course focuses on three critical skills that enhance the value of the supports and services provided to students and to their teachers. They are: • Adapting instructional materials to increase student access to and success within the curriculum • Providing meaningful assistance that is focused on student needs and is not stigmatizing and recognizes six levels of support that offer a continuum of assistance from most to least intensive and intrusive; and • Creating a positive learning environment for all students that includes effective classroom management and individual student behavioral supports.   Math Basics for Middle School With the shift to inclusive philosophies and integrated practices, special education personnel, collaborative teachers, and paraeducators alike recognize that their roles are not static and are based on individual student needs. The emphasis now is on increasing the quality and amount of in-class support offered inside the general education classroom. This course provides educators insight on what skills students need to be successful in math at the middle school level as well as provide strategies on how to support student learning in this content-specific setting. Course Objectives          -  Develop an understanding of foundational math skills at the middle school level          -  Add strategies into instructional repertoire that promote reading comprehension and                 vocabulary development          -  Analyze student work and prioritize math intervention strategies          -  Determine professional development needs   Coming soon.. The Parent Partnership Since the 1980s, there have been numerous national efforts to provide states and communities with innovative approaches that address the multiple needs of children and families accessing services from public agencies. Systems of Care is an initiative that incorporates a core set of principles that combine to meet the diverse needs of children, youth, and families.