GHAEA At-A-Glance
November 19, 2021
Professional Learning Updates
Mindful Games: How to Make Learning Mindfulness in the Classroom Fun and Engaging
In this course, participants will discover explanations of what mindfulness is and how it can help children socially, cognitively, and behaviorally. Participants will explore practices of mindfulness such as breathing, guided meditation, sensory work, and body movement. Through the text required for the class, Mindful Games: Sharing Mindfulness & Meditation with Kids, Families, & Teens and Mindfulness Activity Cards: 55 Ways to Share Mindfulness & Meditation with Kids, Families & Teens, participants will further explore activities and games of how to make mindfulness and meditation fun and engaging in their own classrooms. Participants will document the process of adapting these techniques to their classrooms through the use of Mindfulness Moments Daily Journal by Molly Schreiber.
$90 materials fee
Register for Our Virtual Paraeducator Courses!
Green Hills AEA is once again offering all 3 paraeducator courses virtually! Registration for the next series of courses closes on November 23, so register today!
Paraeducator Course 1: Ethical & Professional Practice/Professional Responsibilities
The participant will understand and be able to complete the requirements of being a certified paraeducator regarding the ethical and professional practices and professional relationships of this position.
Paraeducator Course 2: Learning Environment/Content & Instruction/Ethical & Professional Practices
Prerequisite: Completion of Paraeducator Course 1
The participant will understand and be able to complete the requirements of being a certified paraeducator regarding the learning environment, content and instruction, and the ethical and professional practices of this position.
Paraeducator Course 3: Emotional & Behavioral Needs/Professional Responsibilities/Ethical and Professional
Prerequisite: Completion of Paraeducator Courses 1 & 2
The participant will understand and be able to complete the requirements of being a certified paraeducator regarding the emotional and behavioral needs, professional relationships, and the ethical and professional practices of this position.
Quality Standards & Practices for Serving Students with Disabilities
Green Hills AEA invites you to attend the training "Quality Standards and Practices for Serving Students with Disabilities".
Special Education Leader Learning
December 15, 2021 & January 13, 2022
These training sessions will develop shifts in philosophies and practices in delivering effective and efficient instruction and paraprofessional services that result in success for diverse learners, especially students with disabilities.
Educator Learning
June 16 and 17, 2022 OR January 19, 2022; February 3, 2022; and March 9, 2022
These training sessions will address topics such as IEP decision-making for paraprofessionals, support, teacher and paraprofessional roles in supporting student learning, effective use of paraprofessionals in the classroom, and many more.
Steve Gill Bringing EL Critical Data Workshops to Green Hills!
Steve Gill's training is extremely valuable for starting conversations when considering whether EL students need special education support. It promotes considerations for many elements such as their background and exposure to language and helps bring concrete evidence that can promote next steps. In my experience as both an EL teacher and now as a consultant, this training is vital for making data-based decisions. GHAEA and district staff would benefit from this training.
- Brielle Cerven, English Learner Consultant
Northwestern College Offers New Online Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood + Licensure Program
The program offers a flexible online pathway to an early childhood teaching license.
Aligned with Iowa teaching requirements, it is the only program of its kind focused on offering working professionals the opportunity to teach early childhood classrooms with a teaching degree and Birth through Grade Three Inclusive Setting endorsement.
Northwestern College collaborated with the Iowa Department of Education, Board of Education Examiners, and IAAEYC (Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children) to develop a competency-based program that addresses the shortage of early childhood teachers in Iowa and provides quality education accessible to working professionals. The program is designed for working adults who have or will earn an associate’s degree (AA, AS, AAS) or higher. The next start date is January 10th.
Program highlights:
- Affordable tuition: $340/credit
- Qualifies for the comprehensive T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® IOWA scholarship
- 100% online courses with field experience hours and student teaching arranged in schools near the student
- 8-week courses
- Flexible pacing and multiple start dates
- Personal attention to students
Learn More Here or Download the Program Flyer
Questions? Contact Dr. Angila Moffitt or Lisa Whitmore
Introducing GHAEA Professional VIA
Green Hills AEA has recently established a digital eBook & audiobook Professional Library utilizing the MackinVIA platform! Many of you have perhaps checked out a professional resource we have available in our Medianet collection & wanted to share that you now have another option for accessing professional titles!
Currently, there are over 50 eBooks & audiobooks in the Green Hills AEA Professional VIA to choose from. Topics range from SEL & coaching to technology & equity! You can check out up to three titles for 21 days. This is a growing collection, so if you have a suggestion for a title to consider purchasing, please fill out this form.
Ready to get started? THIS document has information on how to log in & create your own account.
Have questions? Please reach out to Julia Hood or Sarah Fink.
OpenSciEd
OpenSciEd is a collection of open-source, free science units for grades 6-8 that reflect the three dimensions and shifts asked of by the Iowa Core Standards. They are one of the very few curriculums that have been awarded the NGSS Design Badge.
The 6-8 science units were developed by a consortium of world-class curriculum developers including experts in the fields of science education, curriculum design, learning sciences, professional learning, and data analysis to ensure that the materials are effective in the classroom.
All units are rooted in the standards; created, reviewed, and approved by the science educator community; and field-tested to ensure their equity, efficacy, and usability The materials carry a creative commons license, which helps foster equal access to excellent, flexible materials that teachers can customize and adapt to meet the needs of their students.
More information, as well as all instructional materials, can be found on OpenSciEd.org. A limited number of non-consumable kits for each unit will be available for check out from our media catalog beginning in January 2022.
A 9-12 three-year curriculum is also in development with anticipated release fall of 2022.
Free Virtual Tours of the Jordan House Museum
The West Des Moines Historical Society is offering free live virtual tours of the historic Jordan House Museum, a stop on the Underground Railroad. We are offering these tours at no charge to any Iowa school through 2022.
These tours help fulfill Iowa Core standards for Social Studies, specifically Illustration of Understand cause and effect relationships and other historical thinking skills in order to interpret events and issues in the ICLE’s Rigor and Relevance Framework.
Anyone interested in scheduling a virtual tour can call the West Des Moines Historical Society at 515.225.1286 or email info@wdmhs.org. Their website is www.wdmhs.org.
Building Your Toolkit - Future Ready with Assistive Technology (AT)
Green Hills AEA and Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services are making plans to offer an Assistive Technology Fair to help students and families become aware of assistive technology options available for post-secondary training. The day will include speakers, demonstrations on how to use various products, sessions addressing what AT is and how students acquire AT in a post-secondary setting.
In an effort to find out how much interest there is in this event, a survey was sent to high school guidance counselors and special education teachers. Please fill this out if you haven't already done so.
Thank you,
Amy Liddell, Family & Educator Partnership Coordinator
Samantha Wilson, Special Education Coach/Transition Team
Denise Young, Assistive Technology Consultant
Ellen Sokolowski, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation
Inclusive Classroom Conference Registration Open
Green Hills AEA, Great Prairie AEA, Mississippi Bend AEA, and Prairie Lakes AEA are excited to share the first virtual Inclusive Classroom Conference registration is open! This FREE conference will be held on February 9, 2022, from 8-4. If you're unavailable to join live, the sessions will be recorded to watch at a later time. We have amazing keynotes (Mike Marotta, Karen Janowski, Beth Poss, Christopher Bugaj) and speakers for this conference. Please share this opportunity!
Neurodiversity News: Self-Advocacy
To be heard and seen, to be understood and supported, to have a voice at the table where decisions are made, and to be able to tell our own story are what we all want in our daily lives. In education, we have a unique opportunity to listen to the voices of our students and to support students and families so their voices are heard and their stories are told. Over the last few years, the most important learning for our team has come from the autistic community. We want to share those resources with you. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network resource page has a list of books, sites, and a curriculum on self-advocacy. Take a look! Another great resource from Grand Valley State University Start Project includes a self-advocacy page with goal ideas and tools. Listen to the voices of your students, teach them to advocate for their needs, and celebrate with them when they do!
Chery Case, Occupational Therapist/Autism Core Team