Child Development   

Learn the principles of child growth and development from birth through age five and how they align with the eight Child Development Associate® (CDA) competencies and National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) professional standards.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 10 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Microsoft Word Online
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

• Competency Standards for Center-Based Preschool ages 3-5 yrs old
• Infant-Toddler Competency Standards Book

Reading assignments in each lesson will be linked to the following eBook(s) for the designated reading:

• Beginning Essentials in Early Childhood Education, 3rd edition, by Ann Gordon, Kathryn Williams Browne (eBook)
• Infants & Toddlers: Caregiving and Responsive Curriculum Development, 10th edition, by Terri Swim (eBook)

This exciting course is designed to provide you with a working knowledge of early childhood education and prepare you for the Child Development Associate® (CDA) certification process of the Council for Professional Recognition with content review, assessment practice, and portfolio preparation.

The course will include a thorough introduction to early childhood education. Topics covered include how children learn and grow, safe and healthy environments, physical and cognitive growth, social and emotional development, guidance, relationships with families, creativity and the young child, play, research-based planning of developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculums, and activities, program management, and professionalism. With an integrated approach to child development, students will learn the principles of child growth and development from birth through age five and how they align with the eight CDA competencies and National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) professional standards.

In a guided step-by-step process, you will culminate your learning experience by gathering all your assignments to build a portfolio and receiving instructor feedback from a certified CDA Professional Development (PD) Specialist™ to be well prepared for the CDA Verification Visit. Upon course completion, you will be ready for your early childhood education certification.

Our Child Development Associate course offers a unique opportunity to learn two pathways for the price of one, teaching both infant/toddler and preschool-age topics and techniques. Moreover, within two years of completing this comprehensive online course, you are eligible to receive assistance in preparing for your second pathway certification, including portfolio preparation and exam practice questions. This provides you with greater flexibility and opportunity for your career—all without any additional out-of-pocket expenses.

1. Getting Started
2. How to Take This Course
3. Why Earn a Child Development Certification?
4. The Portfolio Introduction
5. Principles of Child Development and Learning
6. Planning a Safe and Healthy Learning Environment
7. Advancing Children's Physical and Intellectual Development
8. Supporting Children's Social and Emotional Development
9. Building Productive Relationships with Families
10. Managing an Effective Program
11. Observing and Recording Children's Behavior
12. Achieving High-Quality Care
13. Final Portfolio Review
14. CDA Prep and Taking Your Exam
15. Employability
16. Final Exam
17. Resources

What you will learn

• Evaluate and make recommendations for modifications of regulations regarding children's health, safety, and learning environments
• Identify typical stages of cognitive, linguistic, physical, social, and emotional development
• Develop a list of developmentally appropriate activities and materials that encourage physical, linguistic, cognitive, creative, social, and emotional development in children from birth to age five
• Implement appropriate guidance techniques for specific situations relating to children's behaviors
• Demonstrate skills in practical application of developmental principles and theories, observation techniques, and recognition of growth and development patterns
• Apply the competency statements into practice in an early childhood setting
• Prepare to become a certified child development associate professional
• Communicate qualifications for employability

How you will benefit

• Build a portfolio for your verification visit with PD Specialist feedback
• Know how to team with parents and guardians to track milestones or identify developmental delays
• Develop appropriate lesson plans with accommodations
• Complete one of the leading CDA classes

Kerri Welch

Kerri Welch has over 20 years of extensive experience in the field of early childhood education. More specifically, with the CDA credential, she previously served as an instructor and field supervisor at Dutchess Community College in New York and as a PD Specialist for the CDA Council. She is currently teaching child development classes at Houston Community College.

Kerri has successfully trained a diverse population of students by helping them advance in their careers in early childhood development through implementing a child-centered, developmentally appropriate curriculum that uses positive guidance techniques. She has a Master of Science in early childhood education with a focus on students with disabilities, a bachelor's degree in elementary education, and an associate degree in early childhood education.

Kerri is on the advisory board of Informed Green Solutions, a national non-profit that has pioneered environmental education on green cleaning products for early childhood programs. She is extremely passionate about children's health, nutrition, and safety, especially regarding children with special needs.

Learn the principles of child growth and development from birth through age five and how they align with the eight Child Development Associate® (CDA) competencies and National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) professional standards.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 10 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Microsoft Word Online
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

• Competency Standards for Center-Based Preschool ages 3-5 yrs old
• Infant-Toddler Competency Standards Book

Reading assignments in each lesson will be linked to the following eBook(s) for the designated reading:

• Beginning Essentials in Early Childhood Education, 3rd edition, by Ann Gordon, Kathryn Williams Browne (eBook)
• Infants & Toddlers: Caregiving and Responsive Curriculum Development, 10th edition, by Terri Swim (eBook)

This exciting course is designed to provide you with a working knowledge of early childhood education and prepare you for the Child Development Associate® (CDA) certification process of the Council for Professional Recognition with content review, assessment practice, and portfolio preparation.

The course will include a thorough introduction to early childhood education. Topics covered include how children learn and grow, safe and healthy environments, physical and cognitive growth, social and emotional development, guidance, relationships with families, creativity and the young child, play, research-based planning of developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculums, and activities, program management, and professionalism. With an integrated approach to child development, students will learn the principles of child growth and development from birth through age five and how they align with the eight CDA competencies and National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) professional standards.

In a guided step-by-step process, you will culminate your learning experience by gathering all your assignments to build a portfolio and receiving instructor feedback from a certified CDA Professional Development (PD) Specialist™ to be well prepared for the CDA Verification Visit. Upon course completion, you will be ready for your early childhood education certification. This course offers enrollment with or without a voucher. The voucher covers the fee/cost to sit for the certifying exam upon eligibility.

Our Child Development Associate course offers a unique opportunity to learn two pathways for the price of one, teaching both infant/toddler and preschool-age topics and techniques. Moreover, within two years of completing this comprehensive online course, you are eligible to receive assistance in preparing for your second pathway certification, including portfolio preparation and exam practice questions. This provides you with greater flexibility and opportunity for your career—all without any additional out-of-pocket expenses.

1. Getting Started
2. How to Take This Course
3. Why Earn a Child Development Certification?
4. The Portfolio Introduction
5. Principles of Child Development and Learning
6. Planning a Safe and Healthy Learning Environment
7. Advancing Children's Physical and Intellectual Development
8. Supporting Children's Social and Emotional Development
9. Building Productive Relationships with Families
10. Managing an Effective Program
11. Observing and Recording Children's Behavior
12. Achieving High-Quality Care
13. Final Portfolio Review
14. CDA Prep and Taking Your Exam
15. Employability
16. Final Exam
17. Resources

What you will learn

• Evaluate and make recommendations for modifications of regulations regarding children's health, safety, and learning environments
• Identify typical stages of cognitive, linguistic, physical, social, and emotional development
• Develop a list of developmentally appropriate activities and materials that encourage physical, linguistic, cognitive, creative, social, and emotional development in children from birth to age five
• Implement appropriate guidance techniques for specific situations relating to children's behaviors
• Demonstrate skills in practical application of developmental principles and theories, observation techniques, and recognition of growth and development patterns
• Apply the competency statements into practice in an early childhood setting
• Prepare to become a certified child development associate professional
• Communicate qualifications for employability

How you will benefit

• Build a portfolio for your verification visit with PD Specialist feedback
• Know how to team with parents and guardians to track milestones or identify developmental delays
• Develop appropriate lesson plans with accommodations
• Complete one of the leading CDA classes

Kerri Welch

Kerri Welch has over 20 years of extensive experience in the field of early childhood education. More specifically, with the CDA credential, she previously served as an instructor and field supervisor at Dutchess Community College in New York and as a PD Specialist for the CDA Council. She is currently teaching child development classes at Houston Community College.

Kerri has successfully trained a diverse population of students by helping them advance in their careers in early childhood development through implementing a child-centered, developmentally appropriate curriculum that uses positive guidance techniques. She has a Master of Science in early childhood education with a focus on students with disabilities, a bachelor's degree in elementary education, and an associate degree in early childhood education.

Kerri is on the advisory board of Informed Green Solutions, a national non-profit that has pioneered environmental education on green cleaning products for early childhood programs. She is extremely passionate about children's health, nutrition, and safety, especially regarding children with special needs.

Learn the secrets for success in your first years of teaching.

Feel a little trepidation before entering your classroom? You're not alone! Whether you're already teaching, a newly credentialed graduate, or a substitute looking to transition to full-time, this course will provide you with proven tools, tips, and tricks to make your early years in the classroom a breeze.

Teaching is a balancing act, and it requires a blend of subject expertise and classroom skills to reach all of your diverse learners. In this informational and interactive course, you'll learn the particulars of running a motivational classroom that will feel like home to your students. You will discover how to write winning lesson plans, reach diverse learners through differentiated instruction, communicate clearly, plan memorable events, and keep stress at bay so you can feel good about going to work every morning. You will reap the benefits gained through many years of firsthand classroom experience!

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Learn the keys to success from an experienced educator so you can thrive as a classroom teacher. This course is designed to help teachers build motivational classrooms, reach diverse learners, write engaging lesson plans, communicate clearly, and keep stress at bay.

Welcome to Your Classroom

Do you ever stop to think about what inspired you to teach? Whether you're a brand new teacher looking for your first job, or a teacher with a year or two behind you, you'll take a look at the inspiration behind teachers of excellence. In the first lesson, you'll learn to draw on your inspiration as you face the academic (and not so academic) challenges ahead.

Plan Your Dream Classroom

Preparing your first classroom can be daunting if you don't have an action plan. From color theory to desk arrangement and bulletin boards, do you know how you want to stimulate your students visually? In this lesson, you'll find out the best ways to bring that touch of home and warmth to your classroom.

Make Your Lesson Plans

If you've ever wondered exactly how to fill those six hours you'll spend teaching, look no further than creative, engaging lesson plans. In this lesson, you'll discover the differences between full and condensed sets of lesson plans and learn how to build student excitement with a strong anticipatory set.

Differentiate Instruction

You may not know it yet, but differentiated instruction is probably second nature to you. It's all about modifying your curricular objectives to meet diverse student needs. In this lesson, you'll find out how to use interest centers, cubing, and tiering as easy methods of differentiating instruction in your class.

Reach Special Needs Students

Not so long ago, special needs students were relegated to different classrooms with their own teachers. These days, it's becoming more and more popular to include them in the regular classroom. This brings a host of new learning challenges and opportunities. In this lesson, you'll explore common special needs, IEPs, and smart ways to incorporate diverse learning objectives into your teaching routine.

Get Organized

Did you know that you shouldn't have more than five classroom rules? Are you prepared in the event of a fire drill? If you've been searching for the right rules, routines, and organization tips to make your classroom flow smoothly, look no further. This lesson will show you a bunch of time-saving tips that will help you add order to your classroom.

Build Lasting Relationships at School

The key to teaching is building strong relationships between school and home. This starts with your students and ideally extends across the campus, into the home, and out to the community. In this lesson, you'll learn tactics to win students, engage parents, and impress the school as you set an example as a strong communicator.

Negotiate Discipline and Rewards

One of the biggest classroom dilemmas is how to handle discipline and rewards—striking that balance between overreaction and fair play can be tricky. Luckily, you can use your communication skills to bridge conflict and turn classroom problems into teaching opportunities. In this lesson, you'll learn how to do just that.

Write Effective Assignments and Tests

Writing assignments and tests is never a thrill, even when you know exactly what learning you want to measure and how you want to do it. In this lesson, you'll discover the power of rubrics, tests that account for a wide range of student diversity, and creative assignments that bring out the best in all your learners.

Plan Exciting Classroom Events

Does the thought of public speaking make you cringe? It's natural for new teachers to be nervous about milestone events like Back to School Night, parent-teacher conferences, and field trips into the community. However, with planning, organization, and a little bit of homework on your part, you'll be able to pull off smooth events that look like they were planned by a pro.

Manage Stress

It's common for teachers to reach a burn-out point some time in those first few years. In this lesson, you'll learn to build balance in your life so that the job will never overwhelm you too much. From classroom strategies to make your life less hectic to after-hours relaxation tips that help veteran teachers let loose, you'll learn the best ways to keep stress at bay.

Nail Interviews to Advance Your Career

When you're ready to advance your career to the next level, you'll need to showcase not just what you've done, but what you're ready to do in a new classroom. It has to do with how you package your skills. In the final lesson, you'll discover what administrators are looking for and how to wow them with your creativity.

Train to become a paraprofessional educator. This course will prepare you for the ETS ParaPro Assessment, a Praxis exam needed to work as a teacher's aide.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this program are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

• Teaching in Today's Inclusive Classrooms: A Universal Design for Learning Approach, Fourth Edition, by Richard M. Gargiulo and Debbie Metcalf
• Methods and Strategies for Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities: A Case-Based Approach, Second edition, by Joseph Boyle and David Scanlon
• Praxis ParaProfessional Study Guide

Please note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive the ParaPro Interactive Practice Test to help prepare for the exam.

Schools need paraprofessionals! This course will prepare you for the ETS ParaPro Assessment exam, so you can work as a teacher's aide. You'll learn how these paraprofessional educators assist with classroom instruction and build a foundation in educational principles like classroom management. Most importantly, you'll develop strategies to support students of different learning abilities in reading, writing, and math.

1. Teacher's Aide Foundations
2. Child and Adolescent Development
3. Communication and Classroom Management
4. Supporting Students in the General Education Setting
5. Students with Exceptionalities
6. Midterm Exam
7. Supporting the Reading Process
8. Supporting the Writing Process
9. Supporting Mathematics
10. Preparing for the ETS ParaPro Assessment
11. Career Roadmap: The Job Search and Future Opportunities (Optional Lesson)
12. Final Exam

What you will learn

• What paraprofessional educators do and how they work in the education system
• Roles and responsibilities of a teacher's aide in various settings
• Benchmarks of development for children and adolescents
• Classroom management strategies, instructional control, and positive behavior supports
• Characteristics and intervention strategies for students with various disabilities
• ParaPro Assessment exam preparation strategies

How you will benefit

• Develop a career roadmap for becoming a teacher's aide
• Pass the Para Pro Praxis assessment and enhance your professional profile
• Develop strategies to support students of different learning abilities

Kt (Katie) Paxton

Kt (Katie) Paxton is a certified teacher with a Master's Degree in Education focusing on Learning and Technology. She has more than 20 years of classroom experience and has been an online instructor since 2003. She also owned and managed a home daycare for five years and is the author of More Adventures With Kids in San Diego. Furthermore, Kt has trained and placed tutors with at-risk students in over 100 schools in addition to working with the students herself.

Learn powerful techniques for reaching and motivating adult learners in today's student-centered classroom.

If you're excited about the challenge of reaching and teaching adult learners, you're in the right place! In this course, you will discover how to use the newest educational methods to create a student-centered classroom that's perfectly suited for adult learners.

First, you will be introduced to the unique needs and motivations of adult students and find out just what they expect from your class. After that, you will examine your students' different learning styles and multiple intelligences and look at how you can teach to each learner's strengths.

Next, you will delve into a host of innovative teaching techniques that will turn your students into active learners and set them up for success. You will discover high-tech, low-tech, and no-tech educational tools you can use to capture and hold your students' attention.

Following that is a challenging topic: how to organize your material effectively and design strong lesson plans. In addition, you will learn how to create effective tests and how to teach your students good study skills. You will also discover out a wide range of assessments to help you grade. Finally, you will learn how to make your classroom accessible and enjoyable for students with disabilities.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Learn powerful techniques for reaching and motivating adult learners in today's student-centered classroom.

Keys to Success in Your Teaching Career

A great classroom starts with a great teacher—and that's you! This lesson introduces how you can grow in your job as an adult educator by enhancing your professionalism and managing your time effectively. In addition, you will learn how to boost your confidence and establish your authority in the classroom.

Creating a Positive Learning Environment

Adult students are different than kids and understanding those differences can help you reach and teach them. This lesson explores what makes adult learners tick and how you can best meet their needs. In addition, you will learn about preparing for that big first day by getting your paperwork in order.

Understanding Learning Styles

Jill loves testing the rules. Germaine is a shy bookworm. Claire is an artist. All of these adults have different learning styles and intelligences. This lesson explores two different models of learning styles and introduces eight intelligences you will want to factor into your lesson plans.

Managing, Supervising, and Counseling Your Students

"Zzzzzzz" This is the sound of Darren snoozing in the corner as you're trying to lecture. Meanwhile, Emily and Sherelle are busy gossiping about their weekend. Does this sound like your classroom? If so, you will enjoy this lesson, which introduces many techniques to get misbehaving students back on track.

Basic Teaching Methods

Remember the old days, when teachers lectured for hours while students took notes or dozed? Those days are gone! This lesson introduces a host of innovative techniques, from window paning and role-playing to mnemonics and visualization, that work like magic in a student-centered classroom.

Planning Your Course

"Proper prior planning" may be a cliché, but it's also an excellent idea. This lesson looks at the up-front work that can set you up for success in the classroom. To do so, you will discover the 12 steps for creating a dynamite course outline.

Educational Aids and Classroom Technology

Just as an interior decorator accents a room with bright colors and great fabrics, you can accent your classroom presentations with the right audiovisual aids. This lesson looks at high-tech, low-tech, and no-tech educational aids and technology you can use to capture and keep your students' attention.

Creating Effective Presentations

What motivates your students to learn? This lesson introduces 10 needs and desires that bring learners to your classroom—and you will discover how to tap into those motivators during your presentations. You will also learn how to create powerful presentation openings, content, and closings.

Grading and Advising Your Students

This lesson explores the A-B-C's of grading and the ways to write top-notch test questions. In addition, you will discover great tools for assessing any type of skill, from cake-baking to hairdressing. You will also find out how to avoid the most common mistakes teachers make when they assess students.

Teaching Students Who Have Special Needs

This lesson focus on making your class accessible and enjoyable for students with disabilities. You will learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), how to comply with this law, and common learning disabilities — dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in particular.

Teaching Study Skills and Test-Taking Techniques

Even if you create great lessons, your students will succeed only if they have great study habits and efficient test-taking skills. This lesson explores ways to beef up your students' study skills and look at strategies for test-taking.

Starting a Career as an Adult Educator

Enough about your students—this lesson is all about you! Whether you're a brand-new teacher or an experienced educator looking for new classroom opportunities, you will find tips here on how to power up your job search.

Reinvent math instruction for grades 4-6 by bringing hands-on learning, inexpensive manipulatives, and real-world connections into your classroom.

Reinvent math instruction for grades 4-6 by bringing hands-on learning, inexpensive manipulatives, and real-world connections into your classroom. Whether you're a new teacher or a seasoned pro, this course will help you get your students excited about math! You will turn your students into problem-solving detectives and discover lots of fun and practical ways to extend your students' learning into everyday life.

This course will show you the best ways to walk students through the complexities of elementary school math. This course will give you strategies for teaching complicated vocabulary and problem-solving. You will learn how to use clever geometry manipulatives, handmade fraction bars, math journals, and Family Math nights to excite your students at little or no cost to you. So if you have been looking for a way to jumpstart your math instruction without adding a lot of work, this is the course for you.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Reinvent math instruction for grades 4-6 by bringing hands-on learning, inexpensive manipulatives, and real-world connections into your classroom.

1. Meet Your Math Students
2. Talk the Talk
3. Have a Little Number Sense
4. Multiply the Fun
5. Scale the Divide
6. Halve the Work With Fractions
7. Ready, Set, Solve!
8. Hop a Plane With Geometry
9. Get in Groups
10. Read and Write About Math
11. Test It Out
12. Plan Family Math Night

In this course on teaching preschoolers, you will learn how to come up with creative and balanced preschool lesson plans for every month of the school year.

If you teach preschoolers, crafting original and inspiring lesson plans may have been a daunting task, but not for much longer. In this course, you will get equipped with a solid lesson plan template and lots of interchangeable activities to choose from—plenty of inspiration to take you and your students from September to May.

You will learn over 100 circle-discussion, art, literacy, fine and large motor skill, science, and music activities that you can take into your classroom right away. Then you can adopt the ideas just as they are or tweak them slightly to fit a variety of themes. Either way, you will have ample material for crafting memorable, balanced, and engaging lesson plans.

Whether you're already teaching or you're just investigating a career as an early childhood educator, you're sure to find the right mix of inspiration, motivation, and practical tips in this short yet comprehensive course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

In this course on teaching preschoolers, you will learn how to come up with creative and balanced preschool lesson plans for every month of the school year.

Engaging Our Students

Have you ever thought about teaching children aged 2 to 5? Or maybe you already are and just want some fun, creative ideas to help you reach these students on their level. Either way, you're going to discover new techniques for teaching preschool and the skills needed for success in the classroom.

Developing Compelling Lessons, Part I

Many people mistake think preschool teaching for art projects and snack time. Nothing could be further from the truth—the best preschool classrooms are structured around balanced lesson plans. In this lesson, you will learn the first four components of a trusty lesson plan template—themes, circle discussions, literacy activities, and songs and fingerplays.

Developing Compelling Lessons, Part II

Now that you know the first four components of your lesson plan template, are you ready to meet the rest? A balanced lesson plan also includes art projects, number sense activities, large and fine motor skill activities, dramatic play, and science and discovery time.

September: Starting School

There's something about going back to school in September. For teachers, it's an exciting time of year because you get to meet your new students. But students often have a lot of anxiety about going back to school. In this lesson, you will discover smart strategies to make the classroom transition easy on them.

October: Having a Scary Good Time

October is a month of spooks and scares, but that doesn't mean that your lesson plans need to be in horrifying shape. That's what you will learn about in this lesson—everything from the books to the art projects and dramatic play that complement Halloween.

November: Being Thankful for Learning

November is the month to teach students to consider all that they have and how grateful they are for wonderful things in their life. And in this lesson, you will build a week's worth of lesson plans around the Thanksgiving theme.

December: Celebrating Around the World

If November is a month for being thankful, December is a month for grand-scale celebration. In this lesson, you will craft lesson plans around the theme of Celebrations Around the World—including books, circle discussions, and art projects that celebrate diversity and cultural exploration.

January: Making the Most of Winter

In this lesson, you will plan a week's worth of lessons around the winter theme. You will be able to build your own winter wonderland at school with lesson plan ideas that incorporate number sense, discovery, games, and art projects. No passport necessary!

February: Loving the Classroom

It's always great to get a valentine, and Valentine's Day is a fantastic time to incorporate some heart into the preschool classroom. In this lesson, you will create a week's worth of Valentine's themed lesson plans.

March: Making Our Own Weather Report

March is often when we notice the sunshine and puffy clouds in the sky. That makes March the perfect time to plan a weather-themed week. In this lesson, you will do just that—craft literacy, number sense, science, and motor skill activities around the weather.

April: Going Down to the Farm

Since spring is a time that brings birth and renewal in the natural world, what better time to teach students about animals and outdoor life? In this lesson, you will craft a variety of farm and animal-themed lesson plans that include art projects, science and discovery time, and circle discussions.

May: Celebrating Mom

May is the perfect time to pay tribute to some of your favorite people: the moms who love us. In this lesson, you will develop a week's worth of lesson plans around Mother's Day crafts, activities, games, books, and art projects that help your students appreciate Mom.

Master the use of SMART Board and SMART Notebook technology so you can create powerful interactive lessons that capture your students' attention.

Having SMART Boards in the classroom and knowing how to use them to provide quality instruction are two different things! If you have a SMART Board in your classroom, but have little training in using it, you may be wondering, "what on earth do I do with it?"

In this course, you will discover how to create outstanding presentations with SMART Board and SMART Notebook technology. You will explore the basics of using these tools and discover how to create your own SMART board lessons blending text, videos, and graphics. You will also go beyond the bells and whistles and look at specific ways to use SMART technology to broaden your content and make your lessons accessible to all students. Finally, you will get some simple trouble-shooting tips that will come in handy if your SMART board isn't acting as smart as it should.

By the time you're done with this course, you will be an expert at using your new high-tech tools to plan SMART board lessons that provide engaging, thought-provoking, and easy-to-update material for today's media-savvy learners.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

SMART Software Technical Requirements (Windows) (not included in enrollment):

• Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor or better
• 2 GB of RAM (4 GB of RAM for 4K/UHD displays)
• Free hard disk space: 4.7 GB
• Windows 8 or later.
• Microsoft® .NET Framework 4.5.1 for SMART Notebook software and SMART Ink
• Microsoft Visual Studio® Tools 2010 for Office for SMART Ink
• DirectX® technology 10 or later for SMART Notebook software
• Internet Explorer® Internet browser 8 or later
• Internet access to download Gallery content and Language Packs
• DirectX 10 compatible graphics hardware for SMART Notebook software
• Windows 8 or newer (Platform Update KB2670838)
• Windows Update KB3033929

Note: You will receive instructions on how to download the SMART software. If you will be using the 30-day free trial offer, please do not download it ahead of time.

Note: This course was written for the Windows Operating System. There is similar SMART software available for macOS. If you take this course and are using a Mac, please be advised there are noticeable differences between the Windows version and the Mac version.

Master the use of SMART Board and SMART Notebook technology so you can create powerful interactive lessons that capture your students' attention.

SMART Boards: More Than a Giant Whiteboard

This first lesson takes a close look at exactly what a SMART Board is. Often, teacher inherits a SMART Board in their classroom, but don't know what to do with it. As far as they can tell, it's not much more than a whiteboard. By the end of the lesson, you will know more the SMART Board's interactivity potential and its myriad possibilities.

Learners Today

When you look at today's learners, you have to look at the whole picture, including where they are with current technology. This lesson explores recent learning theories and how technology fits in with them. You will also learn the different about learning types, multiple intelligences, constructivism, and more.

Getting Started

The goal for this lesson is to download the SMART Notebook software and install it on your computer. Once you have done this, you will learn about the equipment needed to start. By the end of this lesson, you will be prepared to begin working with your SMART Board and the SMART Notebook software.

How to Insert Words and Objects Onto Your SMART Board

This lesson focuses on how to write on the SMART Board, starting with how to type on it. Then you will discover how to write using the collection of pens, how to make shapes, and how to use the eraser.

Capture Tools and Tables

This lesson focuses on ways to use documents you already have. There are many terrific tools to help you do just that. For instance, the SMART Notebook Table tool makes creating and manipulating tables easy. Learning how to use these tools will take you another step closer to SMART Board mastery.

The Gallery

This lesson focuses on the SMART Board Gallery. In the Gallery, you will find manipulatives, clip art, images, and more. You will also explore two valuable components of the Gallery: Gallery Essentials and My Content, these tools used to create highly visual and interactive lessons.

Lesson Activity Toolkit

This lesson digs into the Lesson Activity Toolkit. With a simple drag and type, you can introduce, review, or enrich learning. You will also learn about the Page Sorter, Attachments tab, and Activity Builder tab. The Page Sorter is instrumental in helping you see where you are in your SMART Notebook file.

Finding Classroom-Ready Lessons

Knowing how the SMART Notebook software works and what the various tools do is not the most important thing when using your SMART Board. In this lesson, you will learn how to find effective lessons—ones that are already created—to meet your curriculum requirements.

Creating Notebook Lessons

Even when we use the Gallery and the Lesson Activity Toolkit, sometimes we still come up short. So, this lesson focuses on making your own SMART notebook lessons. You will learn how to create reveal and drag-and-drop experiences and how to add preview, chunk, and scaffold learning to any lesson.

Animation, Videos, and Sound

Students learn in different ways. This lesson will teach you how to make your SMART Notebook lessons even more visual and interactive. You will also learn how to reach more learners by animating objects, adding your own images, and adding video and sound.

Recording Lessons and Making Your Own Videos

Since video has become a part of our daily experience, it only makes sense to use them in the classroom. SMART Notebook includes several multimedia functions to help make learning interactive. This lesson introduces SMART Notebook's Page Recorder, the SMART Recorder, and the SMART Video Player.

Troubleshooting

Do you know what disrupts your SMART Board lessons the most? When something doesn't work correctly. This lesson introduces troubleshooting tips for some of the most common technical problems teachers run into when working with their SMART Boards.

Learn practical strategies for helping children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) succeed in school.

In this course, you will discover practical ways to help children with ADHD control their behavior and succeed in school. You'll do this by learning from the real experts: the children themselves. You will find out how Kristi controls her behavior and how Wanda handles boredom. You will see how Adam jump-starts his thought processes, how Harry satisfies his need to move without bothering his teacher, and how Darren aces his homework.

In addition, you will hear from parents and teachers about the amazing benefits of simple adaptations in space, structure, rules, and expectations. You will also explore myths and facts about ADHD and see how this condition affects motivation, activity level, attention, and memory. By the time you're done, you will have the skills and knowledge needed to help students with ADHD achieve their full potential.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Learn practical strategies for helping children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) succeed in school.

Understanding Students With ADHD

Teaching students with ADHD presents challenges and opportunities. This lesson introduces ADHD and how it impacts children and their ability to learn in a classroom environment. You will learn the reasons for many behaviors associated with ADHD, some myths about ADHD, and how ADHD impacts skills.

The Diagnostic Process

This lesson explores the diagnostic process. A teacher takes many steps to document a student's behavior, consult with school personnel, and communicate with a student's parents or guardian. You will learn these steps, as well as how a pediatrician and a clinical psychologist evaluate a student.

Are They Putting in the Effort?

Students with ADHD are often accused of being lazy, or simply not trying. This lesson focuses on the issue of effort, and how students' perception of effort may be different from what others observe. You will learn how effort problems impact school performance, and how brain chemistry relates to effort.

ADHD and Brain Activation

Students with ADHD often have trouble activating their brain. This lesson introduces three activation problems: overarousal, underarousal, and impulsivity. You will learn about the relationships between activation, motivation, and brain chemistry, as well as strategies to help students with these problems.

ADHD and Activity Level

Sometimes, students with high activity levels can't seem to keep still in the classroom, and this can be extremely taxing on a teacher. This lesson explores why some students need to move and how movement is helpful to them. You will also learn how to help these students manage their movements.

Attention and ADHD

Students with ADHD struggle with attention. Often, their mind wanders and they can't control this the same way an average student does. This lesson explores attention, how it needs to be regulated, and strategies that can help your students successfully control internal and external attention.

The Emotional Impact of ADHD

This lesson focuses on ADHD's impact on emotions. You will learn why this occurs neurologically, three common emotional patterns in students with ADHD, and specific interventions. You will also meet three students who are dealing with some significant emotional challenges as a result of their ADHD.

Memory

Want to better understand the memory process? This lesson explores why memory is so important, how memory works, and what happens when memory breaks down. You will also learn about the three types of memory: working memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

Problem-Solving for Academic Performance

Now that you understand how ADHD affects activation, attention, impulsivity, and memory, you can focus in on how ADHD impacts school performance. In this lesson, you will learn more about this issue, and explore a strength-based problem-solving model that you can use across the curriculum.

Classroom Beliefs and Rules

How do you incorporate learning strategies for students with ADHD while still addressing the other students' needs in the classroom? This is what this lesson focuses on. You will learn how to create an inclusive classroom that accommodates all student's needs, and how to treat all students fairly.

Preplanning and Facilitating an ADHD-Friendly Classroom

This lesson focuses on specific materials teachers can develop prior to the opening of school, to prepare for the effective inclusion of students with ADHD. Then there are the teaching tools to use during lessons, to help students with ADHD stay engaged and on task.

Student Self-Reliance

In your final lesson, you will learn how students can take all of the tools you teach them and use them to their advantage. You will also meet a high school junior, who will share how he improves his self-knowledge, how he compensates for his ADHD, and the strategies he uses to succeed in school.

Help your students with high-functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome unlock their potential in the classroom.

If you've ever had a student who blurted out in class, screamed when someone patted their shoulder, or rocked back and forth in the chair, you will appreciate the lessons ahead. In this course, you will discover the neurobiology behind these disorders and the way it affects students' behavior, learning, and thinking. Most important, you will learn creative, easy, low-budget strategies to help your students with Autism succeed in the classroom and beyond.

Develop the skills to counter these students' social discomfort, sensory sensitivities, meltdowns, problems with homework completion, language reciprocity issues, and violent fixations. Even if you don't have a student with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome in your class this year, these strategies will equip you to deal with any student who exhibits these characteristics on a regular basis.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Help your students with high-functioning autism and Asperger's Syndrome unlock their potential in the classroom.

Meet Your Students With Autism

You may have already taught students with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome (HFA/AS), but have you taken the time to get to know them? In this lesson, you will discover how their brains are wired differently, the ways they behave, and smart strategies to make when teaching them.

Understand the Common Characteristics of HFA/AS

This lesson focuses on understanding common HFA/AS characteristics displayed in the classroom. From trouble handling change to difficulty with social interaction and language processing, you will discover how these characteristics shape students' worldview and ability to perform in academic settings.

Discover How Your Students Think

Did you know that most students with HFA/AS are visual thinkers? This lesson will help you determine how your students process information, so you can tailor your lesson plans to their preferred learning and thinking styles.

Nurture Students' Social Skills

This lesson explores why and how students with HFA/AS struggle socially. You will learn about the extent of the problem, some of the causes, and its impact. You will also learn some nonverbal and verbal exercises that you can do to lessen these students' social anxiety.

Encourage Language Reciprocity

This lesson explores how students with HFA/AS converse and why it's so incredibly hard for them to keep conversations going. You will learn about a graphic organizer that is very helpful when students need to translate between their thoughts and ours.

Work With Sensory Sensitivities

In this lesson, you will learn why students with HFA/AS have such delicate sensory sensitivities. You will also learn two strategies for helping them reclaim control over daily experiences that once seemed quite intimidating.

Nurture Special Interests

Students with HFA/AS are often known as "little professors," with highly specialized interests and fixations. But how do you direct these gifts into appropriate academic channels? This lesson answers that question – you will learn strategies to help students link their interests to the broader world.

Encourage Homework Completion

This may just be your favorite lesson in the course! Nearly every teacher is looking for new and exciting strategies to get students to do their homework. This lesson will teach you how to engage students with HFA/AS in their studies and link their interests to meaningful learning.

Counter Runaway Emotions and Meltdowns

If you had an emotional meltdown every day, would you be excited to get out of bed and do it all over again? Probably not. Many students with HFA/AS are prone emotional outbursts that derail their focus In this lesson, you will learn how to turn these charged encounters into positive learning experiences.

Redirect Violent Fixations

No one likes to be teased! Sadly, many students with HFA/AS are bullied or made fun of on. Often, this makes them fearful and frustrated, so they often fixate on objects of power or violence. This lesson delves into how to help your students channel frustrations into more appropriate feelings.

Foster Attentiveness

Imagine what it would be like if your mind raced all the time, darting from thought to thought at warp speed. It would be pretty hard to pay attention to anything, wouldn't it? This lesson looks at ways to help students with HFA/AS focus on classroom activities, so they can learn in their own way.

Plan for the Future

Your final lesson explores the ways to prepare students for life beyond the classroom's four walls. It's never too early to start thinking about ways to encourage students to reach their highest potential in future classes, jobs, and social roles. Isn't that why we chose to be teachers in the first place?

Learn how to successfully meet the diverse needs of students with learning disabilities in your classroom.

This course will teach you how to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities in your classroom. With lessons developed by an experienced special educator, you will explore the special education process, from working with individualized education programs (IEPs) to helping students struggling with reading comprehension, math skills, and writing. In this course, you will discover easy, practical, and creative strategies that will help your struggling students find their light bulb moments.

You will also discover fun games you can incorporate, tips for modifying your classroom, and many tested methods for bringing out the best behavior in your students. Whether you are in the classroom, studying for the Praxis Special Education exam, or preparing to work with students in a variety of settings, this course will help you to understand and empower your students with learning disabilities.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Learn how to successfully meet the diverse needs of students with learning disabilities in your classroom.

Understanding Learning Disabilities

One in seven Americans has a learning disability. That means that in your class of 28 students, four could have significant trouble keeping up with the basics. Your first lesson investigates what learning disabilities (LDs) are and defines some common types that you may often see in the classroom.

Identifying Students with LDs

Is Tamara having trouble with reading because it's not her favorite subject, or is something else going on? The process of identifying students with LDs is a long and sometimes tedious one, which is what you will learn about in this lesson.

Making Sense of the IEP

This lesson explores individualized education programs (IEPs), which are road maps that guide the learning curve of every child with LDs. Once you know how to decode the language and the sections, it's easy to start using IEPs as the helpful tools they are meant to be.

Understanding Service Locations

This lesson focuses on common service locations that help students with LDs meet educational goals. Students with LDs receive IEP-mandated services in a number of ways. Whether learn in their classroom or the special education room, they will learn a bit differently than other students.

Learning the Right Teaching Strategies

In this lesson, you will learn about teaching strategies that make learning memorable for students with LDs. The right teaching strategies spell out the difference between a creative, engaging classroom and one that stagnates without reaching most of its students.

Helping Students With Word Identification Problems

Word identification problems can make "cat" look like "can" or "pan." Imagine how hard it would be to read all the wrong words in all the right places. In this lesson, you will discover smart strategies to help student find their words.

Helping Students With Reading Comprehension Problems

For students who have trouble reading, it's hard enough to just get the words right. But to pair those words with their meaning is a seemingly insurmountable task. In this lesson, you will learn how to chunk information, so students can understand what they're reading and fall in love with texts.

Helping Students With Written Expression Problems

Writing poses quite a few challenges for students with LDs — some may have trouble holding their pencils, and others find it difficult to communicate. This lesson takes a tour of strategies that bring writing to life for students who often don't even realize all the neat things they have to say.

Helping Students With Math Reasoning and Calculation Problems

Many students with LDs dread math because math requires various skills to come together seamlessly: reasoning, logic, number sense, writing, and computation are all key. In this lesson, you will learn how to make all those numbers a little easier for students with LDs to manipulate.

Modifying Your Classroom

Even though the IEP gives you a general idea of how to help your students with LDs, you will still need to explore new, innovative ideas to modify your classroom, assignments, and tests. In this lesson, you will learn modifications that may spell success for students with LDs who need a push in the right direction.

Managing Student Behavior

We've all had days when going to school was a drag. Students with LDs are no different. Because school forces them to tackle big challenges head on, it's often their least favorite thing to do. This can lead to behavior problems that you will have to defuse creatively, which is what this lesson covers.

Linking Home and School

The connection between home and school is a powerful predictor of classroom success for students with LDs. Your final lesson focuses on the best ways to conduct meaningful parent-teacher conferences that help everyone unite behind a child with LDs in need.

Uncover the secrets of the adolescent mind. This course helps you gain valuable information on how adolescents feel, how their identities develop, and how you can best meet their needs.

Parents, family members, teachers and related support staff, child and youth workers, counselors, nurses and the like will all benefit from the information shared in this course.

You will learn about the many physical, emotional, and cognitive changes that affect the teens in your life, and you will understand the significance of these changes both for you and the adolescent. You will look into relationships both inside and outside the home and the development of a teen's identity. You will explore personality, moral development and the role of faith.

By the time you finish this course, you should be very well-prepared to understand, appreciate, and meet the needs of the teens in your life.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Uncover the secrets of the adolescent mind. This course helps you gain valuable information on how adolescents feel, how their identities develop, and how you can best meet their needs.

Introduction

Your first lesson explains the term adolescent development and familiarize you with some terminology. You will also learn the three main stages of adolescence to help you become familiar with the tasks and milestones inherent in each stage.

Biological Development

Adolescence is a time of change. These changes occur on the outside as well as on the inside. This lesson focuses on some external changes, including puberty and the impact it can have on the adolescent. You will also learn how these changes can affect how you treat an adolescent.

Cognitive Development

This lesson focuses on internal changes kids experience during adolescence. As children's bodies take huge leaps forward, so do their brains as they learn and discover new ways of thinking and reasoning.

Social Development I

The dreaded peer group. In this lesson, you will take a close look at socialization, peers and peer groups, friends, intimacy, and social changes in your adolescent's behavior.

Social Development II

One of the things that changes most during adolescence is a child's family relationships and how family members interact with each other. This lesson focuses on some of those changes and the impact this may have on both the adolescent and the family.

Emotional Development

Emotional development is one of the internal changes that evolves during adolescence. This lesson explores some aspects of emotions and their development, and the significance this may have for adolescent development.

Identity and Self-Concept

This is the "Who Am I?" lesson. This lesson delves into how people think about themselves, how their identity develops, what might influence their identity, and their self-concept.

Moral Development and Faith

This lesson is all about moral development and how the changes to the adolescent play a role in their moral development. You will become familiar with the overall thoughts, ideas and processes that seem common to adolescent moral development.

Stress

This lesson takes a close look at stress, anxiety, frustration, and defense mechanisms. You will also explore how these things affect all of us and how some of this is demonstrated during adolescence.

Influences on Development

This lesson looks at four separate things: nature versus nurture, temperament, personality, and resiliency. The main thread carried throughout this lesson is how a better understanding of yourself can help you to better understand others.

Adolescent Needs

This lesson review some of the adolescent needs and looks at how this affects LBTQ+ youth. You will learn about the issues these individuals may be faced with.

When Something Goes Wrong

Your final lesson shifts from the normal to the abnormal part of adolescent development. The focus of this lesson will be a brief overview of disorders or conditions that are consistently viewed within the