Stride PD, in our desire to add value to teachers and leaders, is proud to share this “new course alert.” We are excited to work with subject matter experts to create these courses built on micro-learning principles. For instance, we have recently launched courses focused on Game-based Learning and the One Voice curriculum with brand new instructors!
Currently, there are several content series in development and we’ll give you all the details. Simply click on the bold, blue hyperlinked titles below to go right to the course card to gain additional details or immediately start learning:
The First Years – this series is focused on teachers in their first few years inside the classroom. Research indicates that new teachers are leaving the profession at alarmingly high rates. In fact, the US Department of Education says that 50% of new teachers leave within their first five years. Yes, you read that right! Our goal in this series is to help new teachers in the period between May (graduation from college) and August (their first day of school) to pick up strategies and tips that will make an immediate difference for them. Here are the courses:
- The IEP Process – special education is an area that many new graduates have received limited training to understand and implement. The course instructor here, an experienced special education teacher, shares the most important things that new teachers new to know, understand, and do.
- Growth Mindset – without a doubt, the first years of teacher are a challenge and many mistakes (learning opportunities) are encountered. New teachers need a growth mindset mission statement and this course walks you though how to create it, live it, and share it with your students.
- Classroom Assessment – assessments inform instruction but what are all the types of assessments that new teachers can use? The instructor here offers a broad overview of assessments and helps frame use within the classroom.
- Relationships First – we all recognize that relationships are important in schools, but how do you build this relationships and leverage them? The instructor in this course shares a little brain science behind the importance of relationships and then shares strategies to help you incorporate them.
- COMING SOON – the series has several more topics on the way including classroom management, academic structure, and legal considerations for new teachers. The series will be completed by the start of the 2024-25 school year.
Paraprofessionals – at the request of several schools and districts, we have created a short series that focuses on classified staff who are serving alongside teachers in the classroom. Oftentimes, paraprofessionals are hired and pushed into the classroom with thoughts about training coming later. Each course in the series is about 30 minutes in length and was designed to provide an overview, skills, and ideas to help that paraprofessional work closely with the teacher, enthusiastically with students, and professionally with parents.
- The Basics – for any new paraprofessional (or those needing a quick refresher), this course looks at the basics of the role, explains critical skills needed for success, and works through potential solutions for the most commonly occurring challenges.
- Growth Mindset – classrooms need to embrace that mistakes are part of the learning process, and paraprofessionals can reinforce that belief in their words and their deeds. This course shares a quick overview of the different types of mindsets and provides a resource to help you choose your mindset.
- COMING SOON – two more courses will complete the series and they focus on building relationships and academic work. Both will be out by the start of the 2024-25 school year.
Science of Reading – this six-course series is a great way to help newer teachers refresh what they learned in college and for veteran teachers to revisit and reflect on their current practice. From word recognition to comprehension, this series will help every elementary school reading teacher stay sharp as they help their students learn these foundational skills.
Compliance – this series is “Coming Soon” as no courses have been released yet; however, it includes a wide array of courses: mandated reporting, accessibility, blood-borne pathogens, FERPA, and others.
As you can tell, our instructional design team has been busy working hard for you! If you have a course idea that you would like to see us add to the Stride PD catalog, please let us know by emailing [email protected]!