Students are exposed to a variety of media throughout the day. Media is an influential force in the lives of students. Television, radio, computers, internet, social media, streaming, video games and smartphones are just a few examples of the media that students interact with daily. However, when it comes to being able to recognize real news versus a fake news article that might appear on their feed, the majority of students cannot tell the difference. Educators have a responsibility to teach students how to critically engage with mass media. In order to be an informed citizen, students must know how to access, analyze, evaluate, create and act using all forms of media. It is imperative that students possess these skills so that they can make informed decisions as adults. During this three-credit online course, participants will come to understand what media literacy skills are, their importance in the classroom, how to integrate media literacy skills and design lessons and activities that will help students to become media literate.

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

Making an Impact: Building Positive Relationships with Your Students" is designed for teachers K-12 to become familiar with different ways to create healthy student/teacher relationships through effective communication. Strong and healthy relationships can promote better student learning and increase their overall performance. This course will focus on how to communicate effectively, how to provide a friendly, successful, and productive learning environment, using your words to influence, effective questioning techniques, how to motivate students and give them a desire to learn, to ensure the right climate for learning, become more aware of your verbal and non-verbal cues, using your voice effectively, and most importantly to engage your students so they look forward to your classroom and want to work for you. It is extremely important that students want to listen to you. A bond between a teacher and student can go beyond the classroom and last a lifetime.

Required Text The text will include the e-book "Effective Classroom Communication Pocketbook" by Richard Churches, to help further our understanding of the importance of student/teacher relationships. This can be purchased through Google Play, or at ebooks.com and vitalsource.com for 9.99 - 12.99.

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

This 3-credit online course is designed to describe the beliefs, attitudes, and interactions that form an atmosphere conducive to learning in our best classrooms and schools. It focuses primarily on "specific things that great teachers, legendary teachers" do. The book "What Great Teachers Do Differently" is filled with strategies and ideas to motivate students. There are many meaningful websites to stimulate your students and simple suggestions that you can integrate into your current routine.

Required text:
You will need to purchase "What Great Teachers Do Differently/ 14-17 Things That Matter Most", by Todd Whitaker. You may purchase the 14 Things That Matter Most edition or the 17 Things That Matter Most. Your assignments will designate the appropriate page numbers to be read for each book.

Graduate Credit: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

Coping Skills: Teacher and Student Wellness is an online course that allows participants to analyze how coping skills can be used to manage daily emotions and stress in the world of academia. There are coping skills that are proactive and others that are reactive. Participants will identify, differentiate, choose and be encouraged to engage in a variety of coping mechanisms. Basic needs must be met and mental health must be addressed before learning can take place. Participants will develop an action plan for both students and teachers (themselves) in order to implement appropriate coping skills so both academic and professional goals can be achieved.

Note: PA Licensed nurses will receive certificates for CEUs. Please identify your job title as School Nurse in order to receive your certificate.

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

This course is designed to examine the theory and practice of mindfulness and how it can influence both the personal and professional life of a teacher. Basic mindfulness practices, neuroscience, identification of thoughts and emotions, and mindful communication practice will be explored, as well as applying these practices/concepts to both personal and professional situations. In addition, clear connections will be made between how personal practice can inform classroom management and interactions with students. Finally, participants will delve into how this same mindfulness practice can aid in the development of students of all ages. Teachers will be given strategies and techniques to introduce mindfulness appropriately into their classrooms and to begin a dialogue about mindfulness with other teachers and administration.

Required text: Mindfulness for Teachers by Patricia Jennings (ISBN 978-0393708073).

Note: the welcome email will be sent the morning of the start date. This will contain a link to the coursework.

Note: PA Licensed nurses will receive certificates for CEUs. Please identify your job title as School Nurse in order to receive your certificate.

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

This online course is designed to examine the concept of resilience and how building teacher resilience can lead to more compassionate classrooms for both teachers and students. Specifically, the focus areas of developing mindful awareness, communicating effectively, building community, discovering personal strengths, and cultivating compassion will be explored through the course. The content of this course is relevant to most standards relating to adult professional learning, health and well-being, classroom management, social and emotional learning including developing student interpersonal skills.

The course requires the following texts: Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators by Elena Aguilar ISBN: 1119364892 AND Onward Workbook: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators by Elena Aguilar ISBN:1119367387

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

In an increasingly divided world, the need for civil and open discourse is more apparent than ever. It is critically important that students learn how to meaningfully engage while learning how to analyze different perspectives and respectfully respond to dissenting opinions; however, it can be challenging for teachers to do so in a way that preserves a classroom space that remains safe and productive for all.

This four week course aims to help educators create more meaningful conversations by utilizing the tools typically found when preparing for competitive debate. While this course will review the theory and application of each topic within the world of debate, the primary focus is to identify specific strategies that can be used within a variety of classroom settings.

At the end of this course, participants will have a toolbox that they can use when unpacking complex, nuanced and (often) politically charged topics within the classroom. In addition, this course will review strategies for how teachers can build strategies for unpacking bias, exploring identity, and creating authentic engagement opportunities for students.

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

In this course, we will learn how to evaluate the underlying causes of many disruptive behaviors. We will receive an overview of various mental health disorders that may manifest in the classroom, along with effective strategies for how to respond to problem behavior. Throughout this course, we will review various social and emotional factors that may contribute to problematic behavior. We will cover topics such as, social skills, impairment and intervention, mental health disorders, anxiety and stress in children, self-injury and self-esteem, along with how to address violent behavior and students in crisis.

Note: PA Licensed nurses will receive certificates for CEUs. Please identify your job title as School Nurse in order to receive your certificate.

Graduate Credit: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

Beat The Bullying is an online course that will journey through the ongoing issue of bullying in classrooms. It will take an in depth look into the prevention of this growing problem, where teachers can learn many techniques to have a peaceful learning environment. We will analyze successful classroom crafts, projects, surveys, and books that have contributed to the decline of bullying in the classroom. We will also investigate many bullying programs that school districts currently use and evaluate their effectiveness. This course will also analyze intervention techniques to help with current bullies in the classroom. Teachers will analyze state legislation and policies on bullying as well as litigation and legal issues for all school personnel. Participants will establish a classroom Bullying Action Plan based on their grade level, in order to create a peaceful and successful learning environment, where students work together as one with self-confidence and respect for one another.

Required Text Participants must purchase the book "Bullying Prevention and Intervention: Realistic Strategies for Schools" by Susan M. Swearer, Dorothy L. Espelage and Scott A. Napolitano.

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

This 3-credit online course is designed to focus on successful teaching instruction and strategies for preschool to grade 3. Subject areas include the strategies for promoting; a comfortable learning environment, positive reinforcement, icebreakers, learning and literacy centers, organization skills for teacher and student, bulletin boards, successful subject area lessons (math, language arts, social studies, science, art, music, physical education), and overall meaningful teaching and learning strategies. This course contains hundreds of activities and lessons that all teachers can access and illustrates ways all students can participate in them.

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

Making an Impact: Building Positive Relationships with Your Students" is designed for teachers K-12 to become familiar with different ways to create healthy student/teacher relationships through effective communication. Strong and healthy relationships can promote better student learning and increase their overall performance. This course will focus on how to communicate effectively, how to provide a friendly, successful, and productive learning environment, using your words to influence, effective questioning techniques, how to motivate students and give them a desire to learn, to ensure the right climate for learning, become more aware of your verbal and non-verbal cues, using your voice effectively, and most importantly to engage your students so they look forward to your classroom and want to work for you. It is extremely important that students want to listen to you. A bond between a teacher and student can go beyond the classroom and last a lifetime.

Required Text The text will include the e-book "Effective Classroom Communication Pocketbook" by Richard Churches, to help further our understanding of the importance of student/teacher relationships. This can be purchased through Google Play, or at ebooks.com and vitalsource.com for 9.99 - 12.99.

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.

Anxiety & Stress: Teacher and Student Wellness is a course that guides participants in developing and implementing classroom strategies that cultivate teacher and student well-being. The ways in which teachers and students react to anxiety and stress will determine the growth (or lack thereof) and experiences in the classroom each day. Mental health is of great concern in the classroom (and the world) as educational, financial, social, mental and emotional pressures can seem overwhelming at times. Teacher and student well-being must first be addressed before teaching and learning can take place. Participants will explore curricula for how to best deal with their students anxiety and stress in the classroom. Participants will also explore scientific research, best practices and the holistic education of the mind and body that we strive to provide our 21st century students. Both teacher and student must maintain a level of self-care and awareness in order to make great academic and personal strides. Participants will develop an action plan to acknowledge and address anxiety and stressors in the classroom so that calmness, awareness, insightfulness and presence are established and academic goals can be met.

Required Text: Participants will need to purchase the interactive textbook (digital or paper) titled Stress Management for Teachers A ProActive Guide by Herman and Reinke, ISBN-13: 978-1462517985

Note: PA Licensed nurses will receive certificates for CEUs. Please identify your job title as School Nurse in order to receive your certificate.

Note: Graduate credit for this course is available through Immaculata University. Participants that choose the graduate credit option will also receive 3 CPE Credits.