Thinking Math K-2: Early Grades
Facilitators: Courtney Blaney & Rachel Harshbarger
Do you remember how you were taught to do math in your early school days? Thinking Mathematics K-2 focuses on the variety of ways that children are taught mathematics, particularly counting, addition and subtraction. The course takes a broad look at the importance of recognizing and using patterns and relationships throughout math, addresses the kind of questioning that promotes thinking in math class, and provides a framework for implementing curriculum and lessons. You will take away numerous strategies and activities that you can adapt for any age group!
Thinking Mathematics 3-5: Intermediate Grades
Facilitators: Ann Nicastro & Lori Stetzer
The course opens with a brief introduction to the Ten Principles. Participants consider patterns and relationships in mathematics,including those in the multiplication tables and focus on the Common Core State Standards. Representations to help students understand include diagrams, charts, and t-tables as well as arrays and area models. Use of the distributive property and the beginnings of proportional reasoning are stressed as well as the various treatments that may be required for division remainders in contextualized problems. Stress is placed on the importance of matching mathematical language to situations.
Thinking Mathematics: 6-8 Journey to Algebra
Facilitators: Ted Anderson & Melissa Tucker
This is a stress free course that introduces participants to the mathematics of "Algebra". No higher level math background needed, however you may be smarter than you think when you are able to recognize patterns, solve real world problems, and learn methods to get your students thinking more algebraically.
Beginning Reading Instruction
Facilitators: Laura Lanka & Jennifer Telesco
Phonics, Fluency, and Vocabulary....Oh My! This course focuses on how children learn to read and provides participants with the most effective instructional strategies to teach reading.Participants learn how to use student-centered, hands-on activities to develop phonological, phonemic, and print awareness skills, phonics/decoding skills, and increase reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Reading Comprehension Instruction
Facilitators: Millie McLane & Kim Tesluk
Do you have students that can read fluently but when asked to retell the story have little or no response? If the answer is yes, then Reading Comprehension Instruction(RCI) is the course for you! We will explore strategies for increasing comprehension of both narrative and expository texts, vocabulary, as well as how to help students self-monitor comprehension and apply appropriate “fix-up” strategies when comprehension is not achieved. Practice in using instructional strategies and examples of student work are embedded in the course.
Home School Connections
Facilitators: Carrissa Burnside & Katie Fried
When parents are involved students succeed. However, how parents should be engaged has been a source of great discussion, debate, continued research and even legislation. Learn how to engage parents and guardians and experience what this engagement looks like.The primary function of this course is to help school staff understand how they can assist parents to better support their children as learners.
Instructional Strategies that Work
Facilitators: Robert Golden & Heather Shamanski
Lesson plan and design to support student learning, particularly helpful for students with special needs. Course participants will learn how to develop scoring guides (rubrics) for student tasks; evaluate curriculum materials for any content area and create instructional plans that address the shortcomings of the materials. The information in this course can be applied in K-12 settings.
English Language Learners 101
Facilitator: Paul Curcua and Suzanne Weidner
This course is for every teacher. It introduces participants to English Language Learners, moving into how language is acquired and how they will learn. It describes cultural and linguistic diversity in the United States. It defines the civil rights of the students and the state and Federal laws. Then it discusses in depth the beginning classroom instruction for ELL’s. Literacy and Language and more about Language Acquisition, Content Literacy, and the Common Core State Standards and ELL’s.
Managing Anti-Social Behavior
Facilitators: Holly Meade & Michelle Sickle
How do you deal with extreme behavioral problems in the classroom?
The anti-social actions of a small but powerful number of students in school not only put their own academic success at risk but threaten the learning environment for everyone. Research on emotional and behavioral problems of students who consistently act out. Participants will discuss strategies for social skills training, positive behavior interventions, and de-escalation.
Foundations of Effective Teaching I:
Organizing the Classroom Environment for Teaching and Learning
Facilitators: Pat Festa and John Kirby
(This course is used fornew teacher induction only)
This core course addresses the fundamental aspects of teaching and learning that are relevant for teachers and classroom paraprofessionals in all grade levels and subject areas. It examines proven practices for establishing and maintaining classroom management, maximizing use of learning time, questioning and
feedback skills, homework, interactive guided instruction strategies, and scaffolding techniques. Covering core topics critical to successful classroom practice, Foundations of Effective Teaching I is recommended as the primary offering for all local sites. It is frequently used as the basis for induction, mentor, and peer assistance programs and is an essential part of local site coordinator training.
Foundations of Effective Teaching II
Building Academic Success
Facilitators: Louise Kurpis and Holly Meade
This course addresses the challenges teachers are facing today to raise the performance levels of all students while also closing the achievement gap. It addresses both environmental and instructional conditions that foster student achievement by (1) examining the effects that teacher expectations and the social context of the classroom have on student learning, and (2) providing an in-depth study of two instructional models—cognitive apprenticeship and cooperative small groups—that actively engage students and address the diversity of their learning needs. This course extends and deepens many concepts introduced in Foundations I; it can be taken either in consecutive years or as an advanced offering for seasoned trainers. While Foundations I is ideal to deliver to novice teachers and paraprofessionals, this advanced course is targeted to more seasoned educators who are prepared to engage in in-depth study and reflective practice. It also may be used to support school improvement teams or schoolwide initiatives to raise achievement.
Prerequisite: Foundations of Effective Teaching I.
ER&D SFT Union Member Instructors:
Thinking Math K-2: Early Grades Facilitators: Courtney Blaney & Rachel Harshbarger
Thinking Mathematics 3-5: Intermediate Grades Facilitators: Ann Nicastro & Lori Stetzer
Thinking Mathematics: 6-8 Journey to Algebra Facilitators: Ted Anderson & Melissa Tucker
English Language Learners Facilitators: Paul Cuccura & Suzanne Weidner
Beginning Reading Instruction Facilitators: Laura Lanka & Jennifer Telsco
Reading Comprehension Instruction Facilitators: Millie McClane & Kym Tesluk
Managing Anti-Social Behavior Facilitators: Holly Meade & Michelle Sickle
Home School Connections Facilitators: Carissa Burnside & Kathleen Fried
Foundations 1 Facilitators: John Kirby & Pat Festa
Foundations 2 Facilitators: Holly Meade
Instructional Strategies the Work Facilitators: Robert Golden & Heather Carey Shamanski
Strategies for Student Success Facilitators: Andrea Gross & Courtney Homick
Facilitators: Courtney Blaney & Rachel Harshbarger
Do you remember how you were taught to do math in your early school days? Thinking Mathematics K-2 focuses on the variety of ways that children are taught mathematics, particularly counting, addition and subtraction. The course takes a broad look at the importance of recognizing and using patterns and relationships throughout math, addresses the kind of questioning that promotes thinking in math class, and provides a framework for implementing curriculum and lessons. You will take away numerous strategies and activities that you can adapt for any age group!
Thinking Mathematics 3-5: Intermediate Grades
Facilitators: Ann Nicastro & Lori Stetzer
The course opens with a brief introduction to the Ten Principles. Participants consider patterns and relationships in mathematics,including those in the multiplication tables and focus on the Common Core State Standards. Representations to help students understand include diagrams, charts, and t-tables as well as arrays and area models. Use of the distributive property and the beginnings of proportional reasoning are stressed as well as the various treatments that may be required for division remainders in contextualized problems. Stress is placed on the importance of matching mathematical language to situations.
Thinking Mathematics: 6-8 Journey to Algebra
Facilitators: Ted Anderson & Melissa Tucker
This is a stress free course that introduces participants to the mathematics of "Algebra". No higher level math background needed, however you may be smarter than you think when you are able to recognize patterns, solve real world problems, and learn methods to get your students thinking more algebraically.
Beginning Reading Instruction
Facilitators: Laura Lanka & Jennifer Telesco
Phonics, Fluency, and Vocabulary....Oh My! This course focuses on how children learn to read and provides participants with the most effective instructional strategies to teach reading.Participants learn how to use student-centered, hands-on activities to develop phonological, phonemic, and print awareness skills, phonics/decoding skills, and increase reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Reading Comprehension Instruction
Facilitators: Millie McLane & Kim Tesluk
Do you have students that can read fluently but when asked to retell the story have little or no response? If the answer is yes, then Reading Comprehension Instruction(RCI) is the course for you! We will explore strategies for increasing comprehension of both narrative and expository texts, vocabulary, as well as how to help students self-monitor comprehension and apply appropriate “fix-up” strategies when comprehension is not achieved. Practice in using instructional strategies and examples of student work are embedded in the course.
Home School Connections
Facilitators: Carrissa Burnside & Katie Fried
When parents are involved students succeed. However, how parents should be engaged has been a source of great discussion, debate, continued research and even legislation. Learn how to engage parents and guardians and experience what this engagement looks like.The primary function of this course is to help school staff understand how they can assist parents to better support their children as learners.
Instructional Strategies that Work
Facilitators: Robert Golden & Heather Shamanski
Lesson plan and design to support student learning, particularly helpful for students with special needs. Course participants will learn how to develop scoring guides (rubrics) for student tasks; evaluate curriculum materials for any content area and create instructional plans that address the shortcomings of the materials. The information in this course can be applied in K-12 settings.
English Language Learners 101
Facilitator: Paul Curcua and Suzanne Weidner
This course is for every teacher. It introduces participants to English Language Learners, moving into how language is acquired and how they will learn. It describes cultural and linguistic diversity in the United States. It defines the civil rights of the students and the state and Federal laws. Then it discusses in depth the beginning classroom instruction for ELL’s. Literacy and Language and more about Language Acquisition, Content Literacy, and the Common Core State Standards and ELL’s.
Managing Anti-Social Behavior
Facilitators: Holly Meade & Michelle Sickle
How do you deal with extreme behavioral problems in the classroom?
The anti-social actions of a small but powerful number of students in school not only put their own academic success at risk but threaten the learning environment for everyone. Research on emotional and behavioral problems of students who consistently act out. Participants will discuss strategies for social skills training, positive behavior interventions, and de-escalation.
Foundations of Effective Teaching I:
Organizing the Classroom Environment for Teaching and Learning
Facilitators: Pat Festa and John Kirby
(This course is used fornew teacher induction only)
This core course addresses the fundamental aspects of teaching and learning that are relevant for teachers and classroom paraprofessionals in all grade levels and subject areas. It examines proven practices for establishing and maintaining classroom management, maximizing use of learning time, questioning and
feedback skills, homework, interactive guided instruction strategies, and scaffolding techniques. Covering core topics critical to successful classroom practice, Foundations of Effective Teaching I is recommended as the primary offering for all local sites. It is frequently used as the basis for induction, mentor, and peer assistance programs and is an essential part of local site coordinator training.
Foundations of Effective Teaching II
Building Academic Success
Facilitators: Louise Kurpis and Holly Meade
This course addresses the challenges teachers are facing today to raise the performance levels of all students while also closing the achievement gap. It addresses both environmental and instructional conditions that foster student achievement by (1) examining the effects that teacher expectations and the social context of the classroom have on student learning, and (2) providing an in-depth study of two instructional models—cognitive apprenticeship and cooperative small groups—that actively engage students and address the diversity of their learning needs. This course extends and deepens many concepts introduced in Foundations I; it can be taken either in consecutive years or as an advanced offering for seasoned trainers. While Foundations I is ideal to deliver to novice teachers and paraprofessionals, this advanced course is targeted to more seasoned educators who are prepared to engage in in-depth study and reflective practice. It also may be used to support school improvement teams or schoolwide initiatives to raise achievement.
Prerequisite: Foundations of Effective Teaching I.
ER&D SFT Union Member Instructors:
Thinking Math K-2: Early Grades Facilitators: Courtney Blaney & Rachel Harshbarger
Thinking Mathematics 3-5: Intermediate Grades Facilitators: Ann Nicastro & Lori Stetzer
Thinking Mathematics: 6-8 Journey to Algebra Facilitators: Ted Anderson & Melissa Tucker
English Language Learners Facilitators: Paul Cuccura & Suzanne Weidner
Beginning Reading Instruction Facilitators: Laura Lanka & Jennifer Telsco
Reading Comprehension Instruction Facilitators: Millie McClane & Kym Tesluk
Managing Anti-Social Behavior Facilitators: Holly Meade & Michelle Sickle
Home School Connections Facilitators: Carissa Burnside & Kathleen Fried
Foundations 1 Facilitators: John Kirby & Pat Festa
Foundations 2 Facilitators: Holly Meade
Instructional Strategies the Work Facilitators: Robert Golden & Heather Carey Shamanski
Strategies for Student Success Facilitators: Andrea Gross & Courtney Homick