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

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.

The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher

This class walks a teacher, either novice or veteran, through structuring and organizing a classroom for success that can be applied at any time of the year. It will be great for the first time teacher just as much as for the seasoned professional! The book utilized (The First Days of School: How To Be An Effective Teacher by Harry Wong) is the most requested book for what works in the classroom for teacher and student success. The book is an education staple for preparing effective teachers at all grade levels, pre-K through college, in all content areas. The class will use the newest edition (2018) which is bigger, better, and bolder. This course will provide a goldmine to pertinent information to make not only the first day of school but every day run smoothly adding other numerous strategies besides the contents in the book. This may be one of the most amazing books on teaching practices you will ever read! The book will be sent a few days before the class begins. $35 book fee

In this course, we'll 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: the welcome email will be sent the morning of the start date. This will contain a link to the coursework.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.