To successfully differentiate instruction, you need the right mindset, a strong skill set, and an effective tool set. Using the book, Using Technology in a Differentiated Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Designing More Effective, Efficient, Engaging, and Equitable Learning by Clare R. Kilbane and Natalie B. Milman, this book study will explore how to pair differentiation and quality instructional design with educational technology to ensure every learning experience is engaging, effective, efficient, and equitable. Upon completion, participants will be able to implement an array of digital tools into lessons, differentiate by content, and design more accurate assessments. Google Classroom. CTLE/Hours: 15 Cost: FREE Dates: 12/1 - 12/16/2025 Location: online asynchronous* Intended Audience: PK - 12 Teachers and Teacher Assistants Facilitator: Jessica Bruno * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.

We all want our students to feel safe, collaborate well with others, feel ownership for their learning, and be joyfully engaged in their work. Nevertheless, many teachers end up using language patterns that undermine these goals. What teachers say to students - when they praise or discipline, give directions or ask questions, and introduce concepts or share stories - affects student learning and behavior. In What We Say and How We Say It Matter**, Mike Anderson digs into the nuances of language in the classroom. This book's many examples will help teachers examine their language habits and intentionally improve their classroom practice so their language matches and supports their goals. CTLE hours: 15 Cost: $0 (Participants are responsible for obtaining a copy of the book.) Dates: December 5 - 17, 2025 Location: online asynchronous* Facilitator: Jon Erwin Intended audience: K-12 Teachers and Teacher Assistants** * The instructor will email a link to the Google Classroom course on or just before the start date. **Preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If there are slots available, educators from outside the consortium are welcome to register.

Dealing with parents is probably the most difficult part of our job. This workshop will help us to deal with high-maintenance parents who never seem happy with the job we are doing. This workshop will give us the opportunity to share strategies and ideas for defusing emotionally charged parents. We will also share ways to develop a supportive parent-community relationship. CTLE Hours: 15 Cost: $0 Dates: January 23 - February 8, 2026 Location: online asynchronous Intended Audience: K-12 Teachers Instructor: Kathy Halter * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.

Participants in the "Empowering Teachers through 'The Let Them Theory' by Mel Robbins" book study will 1. Understand the core principles of The Let Them Theory and how they apply to personal and professional growth. 2. Reflect on how adopting a "let them" mindset can improve classroom management, relationships with students, colleagues, and parents. 3. Explore strategies for reducing stress and increasing resilience by focusing on what is within their control. 4. Discuss practical applications of the book's concepts to create a more positive and productive teaching environment. 5. Develop action steps for implementing The Let Them Theory in both their professional and personal lives. CTLE Hours: 15 Cost $0 (Participants are responsible for acquiring a copy of the book The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins) Dates: 2/2/26 - 2/16/26 Location: online asynchronous* Intended audience: All educators Facilitator: Jennifer Ostrach * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.

Focusing on personalized learning is a priority in education in 2025. We are now in a position to prioritize the unique needs of each student more than ever before. We now have access to data-driven insights, and with that, schools can customize learning experiences to support each student's goals, learning style, and pace. With the help of AI Tools, we will explore how AI Tools can personalize learning for all of our students. CTLE Hours: 15 Cost: $0 Dates: 2/1/26 - 2/21/26 Location: online asynchronous* Intended audience: K-12 Teachers** Instructor: Kathy Halter * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.

Upon completion of the book study, participants will be able to understand the needs and learning styles of students on the spectrum. Participants will be able to recognize students' strengths and understand the classroom's impact on an autistic student. After reading this book you will be able to make a difference in the lives of the students you teach. CTLE Hours: 15 Cost: $0 Dates: 2/6/26 - 2/16/26 Location: online asynchronous* Intended Audience: PK-12 Teachers and Teacher Assistants** Instructor: Alison Pepero * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.

In this practical, activity-packed online book study, you will gain an understanding of fun and effective activities to help your students cope with big feelings before they lead to fear and worry, as well as tools for dealing with anxiety when it does show up. Book was written by Buffalo natives Catherine Cook-Cottone and Rebecca K. Vujnovic. Hours/CTLE - 12 Cost: $0 (Participants are responsible for obtaining the book. - $20 on Amazon.com) Dates: March 1 - 21, 2026 Location: online asynchronous* Instructor: Erin Richeal Intended audience: All educators** * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.

This course is for educators interested in an introduction to using ChatGPT. Have you ever wanted an assistant who would help you create emails, lessons, or help you create content for projects you are working on? Come join the world of Artificial Intelligence as we take a look at how you can use ChatGPT in your life successfully. Upon completing the course, participants will learn to communicate well with A.I. using well-scripted prompts, enabling ChatGPT to produce amazing results. Participants will learn how to generate emails, content, and lessons as they take the first steps in the A.I. world. Section 1: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (1.5 hours) Section 2: How Can A.I. Help Us in Education and Life? (1.5 hours) Section 3: Navigating ChatGPT (1.5 hours) Section 4: Communicating With Your A.I. (3.0 hours) Section 5: Creating Lessons, Outlines, Emails(1.5 hours) Section 6: Alternative Sources of A.I. (1 hour) CTLE Hours: 10 Cost: $0 Dates: March 3 - 16, 2026 Location: online asynchronous* Intended Audience: All Educators** Instructor: G. Stryker Ostefew * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.

In I Wish My Teacher Knew, author Kyle Schwartz explores the meaningful impact one simple question can have on a student's life. Schwartz recounts stories of students whose lives were transformed by their teachers asking, "What do you wish I knew about you?” Upon completion of this book study, participants will be able to create positive relationships with students, have open communication with students, recognize and self-reflect on interactions with students, and create supportive classroom environments. Hours/CTLE: 10 Cost: $0 (Participants are responsible for obtaining the book.) Dates: 4/17/26 - 4/27/26 Location: online asynchronous* Intended audience: All Educators** Instructor: Jill Siradas * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.

This 12-hour asynchronous online course is open to anyone interested in integrating Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in their classroom and school. Sessions will follow the NYS SEL Learning Standards and the CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, Emotional Learning) Framework. Participants will: 1) gain a clear understanding of SEL, 2) be able to articulate a compelling rationale for integrating SEL into the curriculum, 3) and learn dozens of engaging, student-centered activities and discussions for teaching self-awareness, social-awareness, relationship skills, self-management skills, and responsible decision-making. CTLE Hours: 12 Cost: FREE Dates: April 17 - 26, 2026. Location: Online* (Google Classroom- You will need to use a personal Gmail account.) Intended audience: All Educators** Instructor: Jonathan Erwin * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.

Chronic absenteeism is a major factor in poor academic achievement and dropping out of school. It has been a problem in many schools for years and has continued to grow over the past few years. More students simply refused to go to school each day, largely related to deteriorated mental health, motivation, and social anxieties. During this 12 hour workshop we will discuss what we can do as educators to understand why absenteeism continues to be a problem. CTLE Hours: 12 Cost: $0 Dates: 4/20/26 - 5/7/26 Location: Online asynchronous* Intended Audience: PK-12 Teachers and Teacher Assistants** Instructor: Kathy Halter * The instructor will email the course invitation on or shortly before the start date. ** Enrollment preference will be given to educators in the WNY Teacher Center Consortium Districts - Cheektowaga Central, Cheektowaga-Sloan, Cleveland Hill, Depew, Erie 1 BOCES, Lancaster, and Maryvale. If you are from outside our consortium, you may be placed on a waitlist. If there are slots available a few days before the course, you will be enrolled.