• 1.5 Hours
• Course Already Occurred. Check Back for Asynchronous version.

About this session: 7:00-8:30 PM

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not only a tool for students but can offer educators assistance in their instructional planning. In this hands-on, interactive session, you will explore ways to use your AI of choice so that you have more time to refine your plans and be the best teacher you can be. With a few targeted AI prompts, you can have your AI assistant search the web for lesson plan ideas, report on the latest evidence-based strategies to address students’ needs, suggest customized assessment items that align with state standards and assessment benchmarks, and more. Come to this session ready to use your preferred AI platform. This session may be recorded. By registering, you consent to be recorded and understand that the recording may be viewed by others.

Instructor: Dr. Gina Laura Gullo, Ed.D.

Course Description: Jory John and Pete Oswald bring “charming and enduring text” and “bold, expressive illustrations” together in their series of books focused on foods and their behaviors. The Food Group series includes well-known, bestselling books including: The Good Egg; The Bad Seed; The Cool Bean; The Couch Potato; The Smart Cookie; and seasonal versions of these stories. In this book discussion, participants explore applications for how these books can be used at all levels to promote social and emotional skill fluency and help prevent bullying during the learning process. Picture book are not just for the elementary kids anymore, so middle and high school educators should consider joining as well.  Participants must access and read at least three Food Group series books to participate in this course.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 4.5 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 4.5 Hours

Course Description: In this asynchronous, online book study, participants will prepare for, read, and discuss Ibram X. Kendi’s How To Be An Antiracist for a total of 15 Act 48 hours or a certificate to submit for 15 Chapter 14 hours (per district approval). The New York Times called this book “a groundbreaking approach to understanding and uprooting racism and inequality in our society—and in ourselves.” During the Prereading activities, participants will learn about the book and author. Then, they will explore strategies for critical reading from their lens as an educator. Then they will engage in two activities i: one focused on identifying perspectives and another on applying this practice to students.  During the actual reading, participants should read the book critically and complete chapter-by-chapter reflection prompts throughout their reading journey (not just at the end) to help them remember key points in the text. During the Postreading activities, participants will engage in forum-based dialogues about their reactions, learning, and applications for the material in the school setting. Participants will leave this session with knowledge and resources to apply what they read with students at any level.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 15 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours. The hours breakdown is 10 hours for reading, 1.5 hours for pre-reading activities 2 hours for reflection prompts 1.5 hours for post-reading activitis Total: 15 hours

• 15 Hours

Course Description: Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) are often under-represented in the standard K-12 curriculum, challenging educators to bring these important histories to students in other ways. Author and illustrator, Vashti Harrison, introduces readers to dozens of influential BIPOC figures in her series of Little Leader Books including: Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History; Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World; and Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History. Participants in this book series study must access and read either one entire book (40 histories) or any combination of 40 histories from all three books to participate in this course.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 4.5 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 4.5 Hours

Course Description: The Questioneers by Andrea Beaty (author) and David Roberts (illustrator) is a series of picture books and early-reader chapter books written between 420 and 820 Lexiles. Each picture book introduces a new ‘questioneer’ as they come to realize their own strengths including Ada Twist (Scientist), Rosie Revere (Engineer), Iggy Peck (Architect), Sofia Valdez (Future Prez), and Aaron Slater (Illustrator). The chapter books take their stories deeper and allow students to follow the students as their growth mindsets take them further into their passions. These books may be elementary focused, but the lessons learned are valuable for learners at any level! In this book discussion, you may read any 1 picture book and any 1 chapter book in the series for a total of 2 books. These two books will require 2 ½ hours of reading time with 2 hours of complementary PEARL-based content (1.5 hours for the discussion questions and 0.5 hours for reflection items) for a total of 4 ½ total hours of learning.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 4.5 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours. The hours breakdown is 2.5 hours for reading, 1.5 hours for discussion activities 0.5 hours for reflection prompts.

• 4.5 Hours

Course Description: Children’s literature, including picture books, offer powerful tools to bring learning to students at all levels. In this book series discussion, readers will Kobi Yamada’s three award-winning, New York Times best-selling books as featured in the What You Do Matter boxset: What Do You Do With An Idea?; What Do You Do With A Chance?; and What Do You Do With A Problem? Each of these books offers a unique take on elements that students face daily and are growing to better understand presented through the combination of Mae Besom’s gorgeous illustration and Kobi Yamada’s unique take on symbolic narrative. The course will focus on parallels between these books and social and emotional skills development to facilitate a greater collective knowledge about how to engage students in critical self-reflection and self-management. Participants must access and read all three Kobi Yamada books to participate in this course.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 4.5 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 4.5 Hours

Course Description: This course explores the purpose of author studies to get students reading and provide differentiation through leveled texts. Author Studies provide an opportunity to connect readers to a variety of texts, both fiction and non-fiction.  Author studies can be used to enhance the curriculum, explore types of writing or simply get students reading great texts!  Author studies get your students reading and writing.  It provides the teacher with an engaging tool to differentiate instruction and teach high interest text.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 1 HOUR of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 1 Hour

Extended Course Name: Wonder Women: The Importance of Strong Female Characters, Everyday Heroes, and Making Connections to Children’s Books

Course Description: Children’s books have always included spunky, feisty female characters like Ramona and Beezus Quimby, Matilda, and Harriet the Spy. But is spunky and feisty enough? The blockbuster success of the 2017 Wonder Woman movie and 2018’s Black Panther indicates there is room for much more - in movie theaters and children’s books. Female characters that overcome obstacles, solve problems, break stereotypes, and empower others have great appeal to both boys and girls. This class focuses on choosing books for our classrooms and libraries that affirm positive roles for girls and boys. Ms. Bissonette discuss the assumptions we make when we think in terms of “girl books” and “boy books”; the effect gender stereotypes have on young readers (and the publishing industry’s puzzling role in perpetuating those stereotypes); and the role children’s books have in developing empathy among young readers (which can lead to reduced bullying among other things). Partiticpants explore the evolving theory about children’s books as "mirrors, windows, and sliding doors" and how reading the right books helps students rehearse for and succeed in real life situations. Finally, children's author Aimee Bissonette talks about the reactions and responses she's gotten from girls and boys with whom she has shared her own “strong women” books

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 2 Hours

Course Description:  This session, presented by NEA members and Chrissy Waldhoer (Oklahoma Elementary Teacher)  and Elizabeth Luis (Michigan Secondary ELA Teacher), was captured from a live PSEA CPL webinar broadcast on July 15, 2021, and it presents ideas for implementation of culture into all literature and standards for reading/writing in the classroom. In this course, participants learn about approaches to learning in the classroom that use cultures and backgrounds to connect students to the literature, particularly at the elementary level. 

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 1.5 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 1.5 Hours

Course Description: In this session, educators receive practical and immediate steps to assess the manner in which their curriculum is providing equitable representation to all students.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 2 Hours

Course Description: This presentation, taken from a live PSEA Center for Professional Learning Webinar broadcast session on September, 21, 2021 is rooted in relational equity and culturally responsive social emotional learning. Participants will learn about the importance of building authentic relationships with students, families, and staff members and how these essential relationships impact student success, resiliency, and hope. They will learn how relationships are the core to beginning the work of SEL, and once secure relationships are established, SEL tools can be incorporated.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 2 Hours

Course Description: This session by PSEA's Dr. Christopher M. Clayton helps educators think through shifting their instructional practices to more effectively align with current research and best practices for creating more engaging distance-learning experiences for students. Delivering effective remote instruction for educators and distance learning for students and families present different challenges from face-to-face instruction, and drawing on the work of experts such as Jennifer Gonzalez, AJ Juliani, Caitlyn Tucker, and many more, this session helps members learn about and explore these shifting educational paradigms of instruction and presents attendees with immediately actionable information, tips, strategies, and “take-away” tools and resources that educators can immediately use in their practice, including an introduction to the powerful DAT (Device Agnostic Technology) resource, NearPod.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 2 Hours

Course Description: For many students, a lack of experiential learning has an impact that negatively impacts learning.  This course explores strategies to build background knowledge so that new learning can be accelerated.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 2 Hours

Course Description: Explore the PDE Frameworks for Observation and Practice as updated in Summer 2021 as tools for continuous improvement in this informative and interactive workshop. Educators will begin by learning about the Continuous Self-Improvement process and related tools followed by and introduction to the Frameworks. Then, educators will dive into a role-specific exploration of the frameworks with a focus on self-evaluation and then self-reflection. These processes will be focused on elements to inform pre-conferences for and to allow educators to engage in a self improvement process using the continuous improvement tools discussed in the first half of the class. Together, each element empowers educators to elevate their skills and better serve students. 

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and a certificate.

• 2 Hours

Course Description: How can physical classroom routines (submitting work and getting help) be transformed for effective use in virtual spaces? This webinar discusses how to teach students necessary skills to confidently navigate virtual learning communities and also help students transition to virtual/remote learning that seems familiar to face-to-face instruction.

Course Hours:  Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 2 Hours

Course Description: In this recorded conversation, two experienced teachers discuss the use of various free resources to support the elementary classroom curriculum. They review a variety of sites for finding these sources to enhance standards-based lessons in Math, Science, Social Studies, and ELA. After watching the video, participants will find and share other possible resources as well as reflect on the best use of them in the courses that they teach or plan to teach.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 1 HOUR of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours.

• 1 Hour

Course Description: This professional learning session, presented by NEA members and current Michigan classroom teachers Chris Thomas and Ellen Brooks, was captured from a live PSEA CPL webinar broadcast May 26, 2020 and provides tips and strategies to up your remote instruction game and allow you to reflect on your distance learning experiences. Participants learn about identifying key tech tools and tips for planning and delivering more effective remote instruction and distance learning experience for students.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 2 Hours

Course Description: Many world language teachers struggle to maximize target language (TL) use in their class. With ACTFL's Position Statement on TL Use as a base, explore various ways to instruct novice and intermediate learners in the TL and encourage student use of the TL as well. Through visual support, comprehension checks, encouraging spontaneous language, and providing appropriate feedback, you will develop strategies for increasing TL use in your classroom and for building student (and teacher) confidence in speaking.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 1.5 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours.

• 1.5 Hours

Course Description: When students are exposed to the same content in different subjects and through multiple senses, they are able to make connections across the disciplines and from home to school. In this session, participants will see examples of cross-curricular lessons that incorporate science, writing, social studies, music, and visual arts. Participants will see and hear examples from the classroom, and they will have an opportunity to immediately apply what they've learned.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 2 Hours

Course Description: NEA's Kristal Jaaskelainen and Jeffrey Austin lead this recorded presentation (from July 27, 2021) helping educators see beyond the traditional grading practices that often go unexamined despite their potential for harm. This webinar is designed to critically examine assumptions about grading, look at current grading practices, and imagine alternatives to the status quo. 

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 2 HOURS of Act 48 and/or a certificate that may apply for Chapter 14 hours. Your employer has sole discretion to determine if this course qualifies for Chapter 14 hours.

• 2 Hours