Spring 2020
Professional Learning Course for Credit - Term 4
Info/Questions
Per Credit Hour Fee - $15
About the course ~ please contact the instructor directly.
Registration Information
To find out more about each course you can visit the course offerings page by clicking here and then clicking on the "current courses can be seen by clicking on this link".
To register for courses click here.
Questions ~ please contact Julie Hiemstra, jhiemstra@crschools.us
Note: Courses that do not meet the minimum requirement of at least 12 participants registered at least 1 week prior to course start date will be canceled.
Breaking Down the Wall: Essential Shifts for English Learners' Success' Book Study
Target Audience: PK-12 Teachers and Administrators who work with ELL Students
Credits: 1.0
Dates: March 23-May 22, 2020
Times: At your own pace
All Course work completed by: May 29, 2020
Venue for Class: On-Line
Instructors - Julie Bradley
Course #: 2005 20 001
Description: Breaking Down the Wall' is a new publication from Corwin Press and is collaboratively written by nine leading scholars in the field of English Language Learning. The book is arranged into nine chapters that can be used as calls to action for teachers and administrators to build on the assets our English Language Learners bring and to help them realize their full potential. With an ever-expanding ELL population in CRCSD, new tools and ideas are needed to best meet the needs of this population. This online book study group will read, discuss via online posts and reflect in the same collaborative manner in which the book was written.
The Mindful Educator: Practicing Self-Care Through Mindfulness ** MUST be able to attend all in-person sessions**
Target Audience: PK-12 Teachers
Credits: 1.0
Dates: In person sessions Thursday, March 26, Tuesday, April 14 and Monday, May 4; All other work will be completed online.
Times: March 26 & April 14 - 4:30pm-6:30pm, May 4 - 4:30pm-7:30pm
All Course work completed by: May 15, 2020
Venue for Class: *March 26 at the ELSC; April 14 and May 4 at Cedar River Academy (720 7th Ave. SW)
Instructors - Julie Bradley & Andrew Trout
Course #: 1969 20 004
Description:This course will provide educators opportunities to develop self-care strategies that help them manage the stress that can come with being an educator. Participants will explore their inner lives, re-connect to personal and professional meaning and purpose, find balance and cultivate emotional intelligence.
Participants will:
*be able to identify stressors in their professional lives.
*make connections between their own personal mindset and the dynamics of their classroom.
*learn strategies for managing stress, including mindful breathing, movement and gratitude practices.
*create a plan for using the self-care strategies learned as they move forward in their careers as educators.
*understand the science behind mindfulness and how it affects the brain/nervous system.
Take Time for You: Self-Care Action Plan for Educators
Target Audience: PK-12 Teachers
Credits: 1.0
Dates: Wed April 1st, April 8th, April 22nd, May 6, May 20th
Times: 4:30pm-6:30pm
All Course work completed by: May 31st, 2020
Venue for Class: ELSC-Cedar B/C all nights except May 6th. On May 6th-we will meet at Truman Elementary
Instructors - Roberta Kolthoff & Madison Rydstrom
Course #: 1972 20 002
Description: Participants will learn strategies to increase self-awareness around Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, core values and triggers in order to reduce stress and better care for themselves. Participants will also be able to share self-care strategies with others. We will dive into Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, self-actualization, and transcendence needs. Participants will learn that self-care is a daily practice not just a weekend or summer focus. Being aware of and attending to our basic needs helps us build into our day what we need to support ourselves so that others are getting our best selves. Participants will take a self-care pre-assessment, set next steps and end the class with a personalized self-care plan that is just for them
Strategies for English Learners
Target Audience: PK-12 Teachers, Coaches, Counselors, or Admin
Credits: 1.0
Dates: March 30th-May 8th, 2020
Times: flexible, online asynchronous coursework on Canvas
All Course work completed by: May 15th, 2020
Venue for Class: online course accessed on Canvas
Instructors - Andrew Trout & Emily Gotto
Course #: 1955 20 005
Description:During this online course, participants will learn information about a variety of topics centered around learning for English learners. Participants will explore English language proficiency standards, content and language objectives, the importance of background knowledge, scaffolding for English learners, vocabulary instruction, teaching academic language, and assessment, all within the context of best-practices for English learners. During this six-week course, participants will learn new ideas and strategies that they can use in their classrooms right away. This is a great course for teachers who want to learn more ways to make their content area even more accessible for English learners.
Dismantling Racial Inequities for Black Boys
Target Audience: PK-12 Teachers
Credits: 1.0
Dates: Face to Face Thursday April 16th and Thursday April 30th, 2020
Times: 4:30pm-7:30pm
Format: This class is a combination of face-to-face and online work. The class will open on March 23rd, and all coursework is due on May 30th, 2020.
Venue for Class: ELSC-Cedar B/C on 4/16 and Cedar D on 4/30
Instructors - Madison Rydstrom
Course #: 1970 20 004
Description: This course will be based on the books: The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys and Courageous Conversations about Race. Course participants will gain greater intercultural competence in their work with black boys. Participants will not only gain a greater understanding of their cultural identity and privilege but will also develop a deeper understanding of black boys’ collective identity and explore strategies for better engaging them. Teaching does not happen in isolation, and through this course, teachers will also develop skills to engage other adults in conversations surrounding race. Participants will finish the course with multiple strategies to create schools where black boys feel a sense of belonging, nurturance, challenge, and love.
*From the Introduction to The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys: “Why do we write about Black Boys, rather than Black men or Black males? We have heard this question a lot, and we acknowledge that the term doesn’t exactly roll of the tongue. We acknowledge the problematic history of calling Black men “boys,” a practice that has been used to denigrate and humiliate Black men who were fathers and grandfathers. But we write about boys because we want to emphasize that children who are 18 and younger are still children. They are not men. The police treat them like men. The courts treat them like men. Many adults fear them like adult men. Teachers often expect them to have skills of code switching and racial border crossing that most adults do not have… But why not use the term males? We chose not to use the term “Black males” because it is most regularly used in the media in ways that turn individual children into a clinical, statistical category, which can be dehumanizing and minimizing. We are talking about children, from preschool to twelfth grade. They are still young, they still need our guidance and support, and they need us to be the adults so that they can do the growing and learning that they need to do."
Math Routines for K-5 Teachers
Target Audience: PK-5 Teachers
Credits: 1.0
Dates: March 4th & 11th, April 8th & 15th, May 6th & 13th
Times: 4:30-7:00pm
All Course work completed by: May 29th, 2020
Venue for Class: see below
March 4th MADISON library
March 11th Cedar A
April 8th Cedar A
April 15th Cedar A
May 6th MADISON library
May 13th MADISON library
Instructors - Angela Fowler & Jeremiah McGraw
Course #: 2006 20 001
Description: In this course, participants will dive into the WAY document of PK-5 math to better understand the philosophy of teaching math at the elementary level. We will define and describe the various math routines that can be used in the classroom. Participants will be given the opportunity to study research-based approaches, apply their research to lesson development, and then, given the opportunity for coaching and reflection.