Online professional development courses to support educators

Updated Jan. 4, 2022

WEA's Inclusionary Practices Project and Special Education Support Center (SESC) are providing professional development via Zoom.

Courses are free and clock hours are available for each session. Courses are available to all. Register early as space is limited. Once a course is full, the course will no longer be listed in the dropdown menu.

Inclusionary Practices Series: The Why of Learning: The Engagement Network with Katie Novak (1.5 hours)

Thursday, Jan. 6, 4-5:30 p.m.

Engagement is so much more than interest and attention. Students must be able to persist through challenges, know where to go when they are stuck and self-regulate when they are overwhelmed. In this session, we will explore the theory and practice behind the UDL guidelines for engagement and explore the concept of growth mindset and how it can help deepen engagement.

Data-Driven Instruction for Coaches and Mentors (6 hours)

Monday, Jna. 10, and Wednesday, Jan. 12, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

This course will provide an in-depth look at instruction that is data-driven incorporating the Data-Based Instruction cycle from the coaching and mentoring lens. Coaches and mentors will learn how to support teachers through all steps of Data-Based Instruction in a data collection cycle, from goal setting and writing to analysis and making instructional decisions based on the data collected. Participants will explore different ways to collect both academic and behavior data in action and will have a chance to practice and discuss the different methods. Throughout the course, coaches and mentors will discuss different resources to use to support data-driven instruction and data collection with their mentees and during a coaching cycle and will leave the training with tangible artifacts and resources to immediately put into practice.

Successful Inclusion of Students with Significant Disabilities (6 hours)

Tuesday, Jan. 11, and Thursday, Jan. 13, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Participants will learn why and how to include students with significant disabilities. Participants will examine research around the benefits of including students with significant disabilities in the general education classroom and learn implementation strategies for evidenced based inclusive practices. Participants will be given tools and examples and are highly encouraged to bring their general curriculum or general education unit plans, school schedules, and student schedules to plan for current or future students whom they want to or are currently including, though bringing these items are not required. This course is most beneficial for special education teachers, general education teachers, administrators, ESPs (paraeducators) and ESAs (counselors, SLPs, OTs). Participants are highly encouraged to come with their Multi-Disciplinary teams, if possible.

Computer Science for Special Populations (6 hours - STEM)

Monday, Jan. 24, and Tuesday, Jan. 25, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

This course is designed to teach computer science and computational thinking using both unplugged and plugged activities targeting our special education population for the purpose of increasing student achievement. The Universal Design for Learning framework will be modeled. The modeled lessons will be designed to cross content areas and participants will be designing a lesson that can be used in their classroom.

This training meets the STEM certificate renewal requirement (RCW 28A.10.2212).

De-Escalation Strategies for Educators (3 hours)

Thursday, Jan. 27, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Participants learn to recognize signs of a potential behavioral crisis and intervene to prevent further escalation along the escalation/de-escalation cycle. At the end of this course, participants will be able to: Determine individual student behavior triggers, understand, and describe the escalation cycle, learn strategies to intervene at each stage of the escalation cycle.

Coaching and Mentoring for Successful Inclusion of Students with Significant Disabilities (6 hours)

Monday, Jan. 31, and Wednesday, Feb. 2, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

This course is designed for coaches and mentors who support teachers and other staff members working with students that have significant disabilities. Coaches and mentors will examine the steps to system change around inclusion, and gain access to tools and strategies to increase inclusionary practices for all students using effective coaching techniques.

Beyond Intrinsic Motivation: Building Reward Systems (6 hours)

Tuesday, Feb. 1, and Wednesday, Feb. 2, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

This course looks beyond self-motivation and the innate desire to succeed. It examines the difference between rewards and bribes while taking into consideration the need for all student to feel successful. The participants will compare adult and student perspectives to understand the underlying principles that drive motivation. Using positive behavior supports and these perspectives, the participant will obtain ideas and resources to effectively create, track, and facilitate a reward system within a variety of academic settings to include distance learning.

Accommodations and Modifications: Strategies for Educators (3 hours)

Tuesday, Feb. 1, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

This course provides participants with practical strategies to use in the classroom to support all students, including those with disabilities. The course covers a variety of possible accommodations, categorized by presentation, setting, response, and timing/scheduling. Modifications to curriculum will be discussed and examples will be provided. Additionally, a small portion of the course will address how staff can advocate for student accommodations and modifications during an IEP.

Inclusionary Practices Series: The What of Learning: The Representation Network with Katie Novak (1.5 hours)

Thursday, Feb. 3, 4-5:30 p.m.

Rote memorization rarely leads to true understanding. To fully comprehend concepts, students must have access to different forms of media. We must learn to activate background knowledge and teach students how to transfer knowledge from one  topic to the next. By doing so, our students will become resourceful and knowledgeable. In this session, we will dive into the  UDL guidelines on representation and explore how to use best practices of UDL to improve student comprehension.

Computer Science in Special Populations: Level II (3 hours - STEM)

Monday, Feb. 7, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Participants will be designing and modeling CS integration into their current roles as educators with a focus on careers and we will be taking a deeper dive into CS programs, such as Scratch, MakeCode, Ozobots, Artie, to name a few. This training meets the STEM certificate renewal requirement (RCW 28A.10.2212).

Behavior Intervention Strategies to Support Students through Inclusive Practices (9 hours)

Monday, Feb. 7, Tuesday, Feb. 8, and Thursday, Feb. 10, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Participants will be cultivating a growth mindset when working with students with social, emotional, and behavioral needs. They will learn about the different lens of behavior and high leverage practices for supporting students with social, emotional, and behavioral needs in inclusive classrooms. They will identify the root causes and different functions of behavior.

Effective Co-Teaching Strategies for Inclusion (6 hours)

Tuesday, Feb. 8, and Thursday, Feb. 10, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

This course focuses on implementation of co-teaching as a component of high leverage inclusionary practices. Participants will learn and develop high quality co-teaching practices from foundational aspects through implementation, including an understanding of how the six models of co-teaching and Universal Design for Learning can benefit students and educators alike. Co-teachers are highly encouraged to attend together.

Behavioral Health Impacts of COVID-19 for Educators and The Back to Classroom THINK Toolbox (1.5 hours)

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 4-5:30 p.m.

Dr. Kira Mauseth, from the Washington DOH Behavioral Health Strike Team, will share current youth behavioral health symptoms and how those correspond with the phases of disaster, as well as, the newly released COVID-19 Back-to-Classroom THINK Toolbox. The COVID-19 Back-to-Classroom THINK Toolbox includes:

• Impact of Disasters on Children and Teens
• The Importance of Resilience
• Impact of COVID-19 on School Staff and Mentors: How to Effectively Practice Self Care
• Tools for Teachers – Interventions for the Classroom
• Tools for Coaches, Mentors, and Other School Staff
• Tools for Parents and Caregivers

Developing Non-Transition IEPS (6 hours)

Monday, Feb. 14, and Tuesday, Feb. 15, 4:30-7:30 pm.

This course teaches participants the process required for developing meaningful, collaborative and compliant IEPs for elementary and middle school aged students eligible for special education services. Participants will:

• Gain awareness of the rules and regulations of IEP development through examining the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 392-172A
• Understand the intent of the IEP process to build meaningful, individualized and collaborative programs for eligible students
• Learn and practice all elements of IEP development

Facilitating Co-Teaching: Supporting Mentors and Coaches with Inclusive Practices (6 hours)

Tuesday, Feb. 22, and Thursday, Feb. 24, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Course is designed for coaches and mentors with a wide range of experience in co-teaching. Participants will explore and apply their knowledge of the models, roles and responsibilities, co-planning, and data collection as related to co-teaching. Coaches and mentors will practice and increase their skills and knowledge of facilitating the development of strong co-teaching teams. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of co-teaching and acquire resources and tools to further support co-teachers. Coaches and mentors will gain knowledge and skills for immediate implementation in their current roles of supporting co-teaching teams.

STEM in Sports: Using Sports for STEM Learning in the Classroom (15 hours - STEM)

Part I: Friday, Feb. 25
Part II: Monday, Feb. 28
Part III: Friday, March 4
Part IV: Monday, March 7
Part V: Friday, March 11
4-6 p.m.

Note: This course includes 10 hours of synchronous training via Zoom and 5 hours of independent, asynchronous training (homework).

This course is designed to help you to take the practice of a sport (any sport) and show and enhance STEM through the lens of sports. The course will shine a light on students who are motivated by sports and show how STEM can be incorporated into sports activities. This course includes inclusionary practices so that all kids can learn. Universal Design for Learning will also be a part of this course.

This course includes a brief overview of STEM Standards, a few examples then asks participants to address
their own standards:
1. NGSS (Science and Engineering)
2. CCSS (Math)
3. Computer Science
4. Technology

Objectives:

• Participants will learn how to build a unit in their content area that features Sports and STEM
• Participants will learn how to incorporate inclusionary practices into their content area
• Participants will learn how to incorporate Computer Science and science into their content areas
• Participants will learn how to incorporate student voice and UDL practices

This training meets the STEM certificate renewal requirement (RCW 28A.10.2212).

Coaching and Mentoring High Leverage Practices (6 hours)

Monday, Feb. 28, and Wednesday, March 2, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

High Leverage Practices consist of four pillars (collaboration, assessment, social/emotional/behavioral, and instructional practices), when implemented, accelerate learning for all students. HLPs have significant potential for improving academic and behavior outcomes especially for those students that struggle in an inclusive setting. School leaders will learn how to support educators to identify their abilities and address areas of growth. We will discuss barriers with distance learning and how HLPs can support overcoming them. Universal Design for Learning is the framework of the presentation and the course foundation.

Inclusionary Practices Series: The How of Learning: The Action & Expression Network with Katie Novak (1.5 hours)

Thursday, March 10, 4-5:30 p.m.

It's all too easy to give the same tests and quizzes to students year after year, but do they truly measure what they have learned? The practice of "teaching to the test" has also become common but when we do this, we miss opportunities for students to learn deeply and find ways to communicate that will help them later as they enter the adult world. In this  session, we will unpack the UDL guidelines for action and expression and explore how we can support creative expression, planning, organizing, and goal setting by using UDL best practices for designing assessments.

Sensory Strategies in the Inclusive Classroom (6 hours)

Monday, March 21, and Thursday, March 24, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Participants will be guided through sensory processing concepts and will learn how to apply and incorporate these principles immediately into practice in the inclusive classroom. They will understand the importance of sensory support and physiological needs of students to attain an optimal learning state. Participants will learn about basic neurological processes around  children's sensory processing and how to identify and apply strategies immediately to produce lasting results.

Coaching and Mentoring for Equitable Educational Outcomes (6 hours)

Tuesday, March 22, and Wednesday, March 23, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

This course focuses on principles and techniques for coaching educators as they navigate the intersectionality of special education and equity in schools. Critically examining beliefs and bias is necessary for system-wide change for  overcoming barriers to educational access, participation, learning processes and outcomes, and to ensure that all learners are valued and engaged equally. This course will guide participants in exploring their own beliefs and biases and provide tools  for coaching other educators in self-reflection on these concepts.

Early Childhood and Preschoolers with Autism (6 hours)

Monday, March 28, and Tuesday, March 29, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

This class reviews research demonstrating why an inclusive setting is important for preschool age autistic students as well as  provides examples of LREs and how they relate to inclusive settings for preschool-age students with autism. Other concepts  covered in this class include: strategies to use with autistic students in the inclusive setting, examples of functional routines  and their importance in the early childhood classroom as well as how to write goals so they can be embedded in the regular activities of the day.

Coaching and Mentoring of Inclusionary Behavioral Strategies (6 hours)

Wednesday, March 30, and Thursday, March 31, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Educational Leaders will evaluate the lenses of themselves and their colleagues that limit student behavioral change as well as reinforce systemic and historically exclusionary practices. They will identify frameworks that will help to cultivate alternative lenses from which to view behavioral approaches. They will look at ways to coach teachers for lasting and equitable change by applying high leverage practices and other research-based methodology.

This course is for those who already have a basic understanding of: growth mindset, implicit bias, ACEs, restorative practices, PBIS, and functional analysis of behavior. We recommend you take the foundational course before the coaching and  mentoring version where time is spent introducing these concepts.

IMPORTANT: Registration is a TWO-step process.

1. Register for each course using this link: https://forms.washingtonea.org/Forms/pdonline

2. Use the registration link in your confirmation email to complete the Zoom registration

You will immediately be directed to the course Zoom information page, including the link to access the course. SAVE this information.

If you have questions or need registration or clock hours assistance, please contact Thera Grady or Rosy Wokabi.

At the end of each course, you will receive a course evaluation via email. Once you've completed and submitted the course evaluation, you will receive a clock hour verification form (also via email). Please look for these emails. Use the clock hour verification form to process your clock hours and/or attendance according to your district policies.