Skip to main content

Support Professionals

Courses for SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS are those that best align to members in Education Support Professional (ESP) locals. Most courses target the needs of paraprofessionals to help those support professionals meet their Chapter 14 professional learning requirement. Other courses related to broaders needs of all individuals working in K-12 schools as they focus on developing skills that support students inside and outside the classroom. These skills often focus on social and emotional learning, health and wellness, and behavior management.

Courses tagged with "Support Professionals"

The Classroom Community Collection  - Book Series Study
LIVE Sessions
Preview Course

The Classroom Community Collection - Book Series Study

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

Course Description: In  Shannon Olsen’s 5-book collection of read-aloud picture books, students of all ages can learn how to build community and collaboration while feeling safe, included, and loved. In this book collection discussion, participants will read (or watch a read-aloud of) all five books in the Classroom Community Collection:

  • Our Class is a Family
  • Our School is a Family
  • Collaboration Station
  • A Letter from Your Teacher on the First Day of School
  • A Letter from Your Teacher on the Last Day of School

 Then join your fellow educators to discuss how these books can be used to build a sense of welcome and community among the students you teach. While these books are written for elementary grades, middle and high school educators can also use many of these to engage students in building relationships.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 4 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. 
  • 20 minutes to read each book, 
  • 80 minutes for completing discussion questions for each book by October 16, and 
  • 60 minutes for the book discussion
Total of 4 hours of Act 48 or a certificate of completion.

Divided Attention Documentary: Remaining Student-Focused in Trying Times
Educational Equity
Preview Course

Divided Attention Documentary: Remaining Student-Focused in Trying Times

Course Description: In this course you will watch the 2022 documentary Divided Attention which focuses on the Chester Upland School District during the pandemic. Not only are these educators navigating the challenges of hybrid learning, but they are also trying to address the mental health concerns of their students. Specifically, the film highlights four students and their mindfulness teacher as they participate in activities to face the challenges of returning to the classroom and living in strenuous homes and neighborhoods. On top of this, district schools are under receivership and facing charterization. What can educators do to keep students in school and address their social emotional well-being? While Divided Attention was filmed during the pandemic, the topics addressed (e.g., SEL, school funding, and the school to prison pipeline) are still relevant today.

Following the documentary, participants will complete a written reflection activity and share ideas with PSEA colleagues in a discussion forum.

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

NEA's Equity and Challenges for Remote Learning
Educational Equity
Preview Course

NEA's Equity and Challenges for Remote Learning

Course Description: This is a NEA developed course that focuses on how to keep equity at the forefront during COVID-19 school closures. Participants learn about the digital divide and how it impacts students. The course helps educators understand the components of the digital divide, along with the supports and strategies necessary to assist students who experience it, implement a variety of teaching and learning digital resources with students, and consider other issues students may be facing outside of academics, and their impact on students.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 3 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.

  • 3 Hours

Social-Emotional Equitable Learning
Educational Equity
Preview Course

Social-Emotional Equitable Learning

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

NEA's Supporting All Students in an Asynchronous Environment
Educational Equity
Preview Course

NEA's Supporting All Students in an Asynchronous Environment

Course Description: Learn how to meet the needs of English language learners, special needs students, and students who are above or below grade level in reading and writing.  In the course participants will learn how to Identify common accommodations, learning scaffolds and Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) features, understand elements of explicit instruction that support all learners in an asynchronous distance learning environment, and learn how to write learning objectives for asynchronous learning and choose accommodations that are aligned with your objectives.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 3 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.

  • 3 Hours

Building and Maintaining a Humanized Classroom
Pedagogy
Preview Course

Building and Maintaining a Humanized Classroom

Course Description: This session, captured from a live PSEA CPL webinar broadcast by NEA members and current educators Kristal Jaaskelainen & Jeffrey Austin, helps educators think about the importance and process of building and maintaining a "humanized" classroom. While educators know the enduring value of trusting relationships with students, building and maintaining a humanized classroom requires us to rethink our purposes, practices, and pedagogies to ensure our classrooms exist at the intersection of equity and care. This webinar helps educators foster imagination and purposeful action around community, hospitality, and justice.

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

Building Background Knowledge
Pedagogy
Preview Course

Building Background Knowledge

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

Differentiating and Team Teaching: Distance Learning Edition
Pedagogy
Preview Course

Differentiating and Team Teaching: Distance Learning Edition

Course Description: Tools like Seesaw, Flipgrid and Google Classroom can be used to serve our students with direct, targeted assignments via enrollment in multiple classes or with the use of Co-Teachers. Entire grade levels may benefit from a shared space, and special area teachers and support staff can be linked to their students more easily. Get some strategies to maintain multiple groups of students in classes or getting yourself included in pre-existing ones!

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

Facilitating Quality Practice for Remote Learning
Pedagogy
Preview Course

Facilitating Quality Practice for Remote Learning

Course Description: This session, captured from a live PSEA CPL Webinar Broadcast by NEA's Sarah Van Loo and Kelly Newton focuses on how quality practice looks, sounds and feels different virtually and focuses on tools that teachers and para-educators can use with students for quality practice in remote learning. Participants learn about best practices for online learning, including instructor presence, learning objectives, real world applications, clear expectations, engaging students, prompt feedback, and netiquette, and it incorporates elements from two primary LMS's, Seesaw and Google Classroom, specifically.

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

Mandatory Reporting Obligations of School Employees under the Child Protective Services Law and the Educator Discipline Act

Course Description: This course reviews the mandatory reporting obligations that school employees have under the Child Protective Services Law and the Educator Discipline Act. Learners will also learn about the procedure for filing reports and will consider various hypothetical scenarios in determining whether a report would be required.

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

Emotional Stress and Burnout in Students with Diabetes
Pupil Services
Preview Course

Emotional Stress and Burnout in Students with Diabetes

Course Description:  This presentation provides an overview of Diabetes in school-age children and speaks to the emotional toll this diagnosis has on students.

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


Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping: Prevention and Treatment
Pupil Services
Preview Course

Tobacco, Nicotine, and Vaping: Prevention and Treatment

Course Description: Nicotine products have changed, but many of the industry tactics to encourage new tobacco users to start have not. Participants learn about the different tobacco and nicotine products, health impacts, and how the vaping epidemic transpired. Participants also learn about programs, resources, and strategies to prevent vaping and help young people and adults to quit. Presented by Sean McCormick, PhD, MS, Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist-Master. Sean McCormick is a public health practitioner and researcher with expertise in tobacco dependence treatment, behavioral sciences, and chronic disease management. Dr. McCormick has designed, implemented, and evaluated public health programs in government, hospitals, research clinics, community sites, and advocacy settings. Dr. McCormick held positions at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Temple University, Drexel University, East Stroudsburg University, Pennsylvania’s Clean Air Council, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is currently the Assistant Director for Health Promotion Council’s Tobacco Control and Prevention Services where he oversees the Southeastern Pennsylvania Tobacco Control Project and statewide improvements in tobacco control.

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

Breathing Outside the Box
SEL & Wellness
Preview Course

Breathing Outside the Box

Course Description: Every day, educators put their students’ physical, emotional, and mental well-being first. We also consistently encourage our students to think “outside the box” and adapt new perspectives focused on growth and resilience. Educators, too, can benefit from stepping "outside the box" when it comes to our own well-being, and we can build new ways to help our students understand the relationship between wellness and learning. This session introduces PSEA members to simple mindful practices. Participants will gain knowledge, tools, and techniques for creating an at-home mindfulness practice and also be provided resources to share with students of all ages.

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

Connection Before Curriculum
SEL & Wellness
Preview Course

Connection Before Curriculum

Course Description: Explore research-based programs that you can use yourself or with your students to set the tone of the classroom. The idea will roughly follow Maslow's idea that we need to all feel safe to be in the proper mindset to teach and learn.

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 hour

  • 2 Hours

Finding Calm in Chaos
SEL & Wellness
Preview Course

Finding Calm in Chaos

Course Description: Each of us feels personal and professional stress that impacts our home and work lives. The good news is that there are things we can do to help us find calm in chaos, cultivate compassion, and engage in compassionate self-care to protect our brains and bodies from the negative health effects of stress and uncertainty. In this class, participants are introduced to mindfulness practices and the basic science behind their impact on our bodies. These healthy life skills and knowledge can help each of us thrive personally and help our students find calm, too. This class is part of PSEA's ongoing commitment to provide supports to members for personal and professional success. 

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

Practicing Self-Compassion
SEL & Wellness
Preview Course

Practicing Self-Compassion

Course Description: Does your "inner critic" leave you feeling down sometimes? Practicing self-compassion is an important wellness excercise that helps us stand up to our inner critica and also develop emotional resilience, a more accurate self-concept, and more caring relationships. It also can foster less narcissism and lower levels of reactive anger. All of this can help us become more effective and more grounded in our personal and professional lives. Learning to practice self compassion in our own lives also can give us insight in how to encourage it in our students.  The three primary objectives for this course are as follows: You will learn the definition of self-compassion and how it manifests in your own life. You will understand the research that has been conducted on self-compassion. You will have an opportunity to explore your own ability to cultivate self-compassion.   

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 3 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.

  • 3 Hours

Re-imagining Challenges
SEL & Wellness
Preview Course

Re-imagining Challenges

Course Description: As educators, we face lots of circumstances, both anticipated and surprising, that require us to reimagine what is possible. Let’s also reimagine our response to challenging situations! This class is a recording of a session held with PSEA members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although that year of stress and change may be behind us, many of us experiencing personal and professional stress that can feel overwhelming and tumultuous. The good news is that there are things we can do to find calm in chaos, cultivate compassion, and engage in self-care to protect our brains and bodies from the negative effects of stress and uncertainty. Join us to learn more! 

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 4 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 Hours

Social and Emotional Learning is for Us, Too!
SEL & Wellness
Preview Course

Social and Emotional Learning is for Us, Too!

Course Description: This course introduces members to some basic tools to regulate our emotions and provides a framework for educators to consider social and emotional learning for ourselves and our students.

Course Hours: Members who complete this course receive 4 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 Hours

Social Emotional Learning in a Virtual Space
SEL & Wellness
Preview Course

Social Emotional Learning in a Virtual Space

Course Description: How can you create meaningful relationships with and between students in a safe virtual space? This webinar seeks to answer this question with "already tried it" practices. Learn about different strategies, exercises, and activities that put SEL at the forefront in an intentional and transparent way. 

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

Taking Care of the Teacher Self: Addressing the Daily Life Stressors
SEL & Wellness
Preview Course

Taking Care of the Teacher Self: Addressing the Daily Life Stressors

Course Description: Self-care is often the first thing that gets ignored when life becomes stressful. Taking care of yourself will help you to better care for those you teach. This webinar will help you define and better understand the importance of self-care and become a self-care advocate for yourself and others. NEA's Judith O'Loughlin and Brenda Custudio presented this webinar to PSEA members on August 17, 2021.

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