FREE! Summer Vacation PDP-Eligible Programs

 FREE! Summer Vacation PDP-Eligible Programs

This summer, MTA Training and Professional Learning is offering free professional development programs that will lead to up to 15 PDPs in Special Education, English Language Learners, Leadership and other areas. These free programs will be offered in locations throughout the state, including, Quincy, Falmouth, Worcester, Springfield, Framingham and Burlington.

Programs include:

·         Supporting ELLs in Your Classroom (Quincy, 15 PDPs)

·         Fine-Tuning Phonics Instruction for Students with Learning Difficulties (Framingham, 15 PDPs)

·         Supporting Students with Special Needs in Your Classroom (Quincy, Worcester,  Burlington, 15 PDPs)

·         Teaching the Holocaust (Framingham, 12 PDPs)

·         What are Social Pragmatic Disorders and How Do They Impact Students in Your Classroom? (Falmouth, 15 PDPs)

·         Next Generation Science Methods and Strategies for K-8 Teachers (Framingham, 12 PDPs)

·         Art of Hosting Conversations That Matter (Quincy, 12 PDPs)

·         Supporting ELLs in Your Classroom (Worcester, 15 PDPs)

·         ELA Curriculum Development (Framingham, 12 PDPs)

·         Weaving Social and Emotional Learning into Your Classroom: Simple Strategies that Make a Big Difference for Special Needs Students (Springfield,  15 PDPs)

·         Cartooning for the Classroom (Framingham,  12 PDPs)

Details and descriptions for these programs are below. For registration and more information, please visithttp://www.cvent.com/d/p5q4lk.

It’s not too late to sign up for MTA Summer Conference, where a wider array of programs is available on professional development and union skills topics. See http://massteacher.org/summer for registration and more information.

Supporting ELLs in Your Classroom (15 PDPs)

This course, designed for teachers and specialists who have NOT taken the RETELL SEI class, will cover the context and academic landscape in which ELLs learn in k-12 settings. Participants will be introduced to the structural levels of language, principals and theories, characteristics of culture and processes of language acquisition, and will begin to explore various strategies to use with English language learners.

Participants are eligible to earn 15 PDPs in the category of English Language Learners upon the completion of a reflective paper about the implementation of a curricular unit or plan created with the strategies learned in this course.

Emily Ferrara, ESL Teacher, Leominster Education Association

July 11 and July 13, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

MTA Quincy Headquarters
2 Heritage Drive
Quincy, MA 02171

Fine-Tuning Phonics Instruction for Students with Learning Difficulties  (15 PDPs)

This course will focus on the historical roots of Special Education, instructional strategies and repertoires to  increase student engagement in oral reading (both in isolation as well as connected text reading), an overview of reading comprehension and written language strategies that are research-based, and spelling rules/generalizations to increase encoding skill development. This course encapsulates a variety of tools, specialized reading programs, and evidence-based strategies derived from research that has proven to be successful in the field of Special Education.

Participants will earn 15 PDPs in the category of Special Education upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Lisa Rosenberg, Special Educator, Cambridge Teachers Association

July 13-14, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Framingham Teachers Association
1253 Old Worcester Rd. # 302
Framingham, MA 01701

Supporting Students with Special Needs in Your Classroom (15 PDPs)

This course will cover a wide range of strategies that can be implemented to support students with special needs in K-12 settings. Participants will learn about the characteristics of some of the most common disabilities, paired with strategies that will be most beneficial to supporting students with those specific needs. In addition, understanding and using the IEP will be stressed. The difference between an IEP and a 504 plan will be explained.

Participants will earn 15 PDPs in the category of Special Education upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Helen Fitzgerald, Speech and Language Pathologist; Stephanie Hand, Special Education Teacher, Andover Education Association

July 18-19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Education Association of Worcester
397 Grove Street
Worcester, MA 01605

Teaching the Holocaust: Empathy, Identity and Choices (12 PDPs)

More than 75 years ago Hitler and the Nazi regime perpetrated one of history’s most horrific crimes against humanity, killing more than six million Jews and over five million other individuals throughout Europe.  Thousands of scholars have focused on this time period in global history, yet the lessons of the Holocaust continue to echo in today’s world. This course will examine the Holocaust through the essential social studies themes of empathy, identity and choices; and introduce ways to skillfully, creatively and effectively explore these themes in a content and skills rich social studies classroom using a broad range of Open Educational Resources. Although the content and topic is geared toward secondary social studies and humanities classrooms, all teachers are welcome to attend. Participants must bring a laptop and earbuds/headphones to use during the workshop.

Participants will earn 12 PDPs in the category of Social Studies upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Tracy Sockalosky, Social Studies Teacher, Education Association of Natick

July 18-19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Framingham Teachers Association
1253 Old Worcester Rd. # 302
Framingham, MA 01701

What are Social Pragmatic Disorders and How Do They Impact Students in Your Classroom? (15 PDPs)

This interactive course will help teachers understand what it is like to be a student struggling with social skills in their classrooms. Through activities, videos, and discussions, the class will cover the background on diagnoses related to social/pragmatic disorders and the impact that these challenges can have on academic performance and social interactions within the classroom setting. Educators who understand the relationship between social/pragmatic difficulties and student engagement/performance in classroom settings (e.g., group work, reading comprehension, written expression, executive functioning) will be better able to support student success. After completing the course, participants will be able to:

·         Understand how social cognitive challenges impact students’ school performance across contexts.

·         Understand and use Social Thinking vocabulary terms to describe student behavior.

·         Develop classroom strategies to support social communication skills in all students.

Participants will earn 15 PDPs in the category of Special Education upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Linda Ferriero and Sarah Letsky, Speech/Language Pathologists, Andover Education Association

July 24-25, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Falmouth High School Library
874 Gifford St.
East Falmouth, MA   02536

Next Generation Science Methods and Strategies for K-8 Teachers (12 PDPs)

Participants will unravel the expectations of our new Science, Technology, and Engineering standards on both teachers and students in MA K-8 classrooms. Participants will partake in engaging science investigations that put students at the center of constructing scientific explanations through models and arguing with evidence using hands-on and digital resources. Participants will also be provided (and shown how to use) tools to evaluate their current curriculum's strengths and weaknesses as well as references to vetted materials open to public use.

Participants will earn 12 PDPs in the category of Science upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Sean Musselman, K-5 Science Specialist, Burlington Educators Association

July 25-26, 9 a.m-4 p.m.

Framingham Teachers Association
1253 Old Worcester Rd. # 302
Framingham, MA 01701

Art of Hosting Conversations That Matter (12 PDPs)

Are you interested in sharpening your skills to engage your classroom, team, organization or community in collaborative change and innovation? Are you ready to grow your practice of leading together in the complex times we are experiencing? Learn and practice proven patterns and methods for collaborative leadership and change. Build stronger teams and partnerships by engaging others in meaningful conversations that promote resilience, belonging, innovation and collective impact. Learn practices to engage skillfully with conflict and stuck patterns. Develop leadership confidence for facing challenges that don’t have apparent solutions. You will learn how to:

·         Host collaborative conversations that lead to deeper engagement and wiser action

·         Bring together diverse voices with strong views to learn, grow, and generate solutions together

·         Plan productive meetings that get past repetitive debates

·         Apply your skills to classroom, school, and local leadership work

Participants will earn 12 PDPs in the category of Leadership upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

MTA Staff Members Dan Callahan, Charmaine Champagne, Courtney Derwinski

July 25-26, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

MTA Quincy Headquarters
2 Heritage Drive
Quincy, MA 02171

Supporting ELLs in Your Classroom (15 PDPs)

This course, designed for teachers and specialists who have NOT taken the RETELL SEI class, will cover the context and academic landscape in which ELLs learn in k-12 settings. Participants will be introduced to the structural levels of language, principals and theories, characteristics of culture and processes of language acquisition, and will begin to explore various strategies to use with English language learners.

Participants are eligible to earn 15 PDPs in the category of English Language Learners upon the completion of a reflective paper about the implementation of a curricular unit or plan created with the strategies learned in this course.

Emily Ferrara, ESL Teacher, Leominster Education Association

August 9-10, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Education Association of Worcester
397 Grove Street
Worcester, MA 01605

Supporting Students with Special Needs in Your Classroom (15 PDPs)

This course will cover a wide range of strategies that can be implemented to support students with special needs in K-12 settings. Participants will learn about the characteristics of some of the most common disabilities, paired with strategies that will be most beneficial to supporting students with those specific needs. In addition, understanding and using the IEP will be stressed. The difference between an IEP and a 504 plan will be explained.

Participants will earn 15 PDPs in the category of Special Education upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Helen Fitzgerald, Speech and Language Pathologist; Stephanie Hand, Special Education Teacher, Andover Education Association

August 10-11, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

MTA Quincy Headquarters
2 Heritage Drive
Quincy, MA 02171

ELA Curriculum Development (12 PDPs)

In this workshop, educators will focus on long-term planning in the ELA classroom. Teachers will be provided with structures and organizers to help them chart a course for student success in 180 school days. We will analyze the newly revised 2017 Frameworks, list required books and teaching materials, plug in existing units, and plan for district curricular obligations and assessments. Educators will leave with an individualized plan for the goals and assessments for the year, easing semester and weekly lesson planning and providing students with a game plan for achievement. This workshop is appropriate for new teachers looking for direction or veteran teachers who want to create a more focused year of English Language Arts instruction.

Participants will earn 12 PDPs in the category of English Language Arts/Literacy upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Abbey Dick, ELA Teacher, Malden Education Association

August 10-11, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Framingham Teachers Association
1253 Old Worcester Rd. # 302
Framingham, MA 01701

Supporting Students with Special Needs in Your Classroom (15 PDPs)

This course will cover a wide range of strategies that can be implemented to support students with special needs in K-12 settings. Participants will learn about the characteristics of some of the most common disabilities, paired with strategies that will be most beneficial to supporting students with those specific needs. In addition, understanding and using the IEP will be stressed. The difference between an IEP and a 504 plan will be explained.

Participants will earn 15 PDPs in the category of Special Education upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Helen Fitzgerald, Speech and Language Pathologist; Stephanie Hand, Special Education Teacher, Andover Education Association

August 14-15, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Marshall Simonds Middle School
114 Winn St.
Burlington, MA  01803

Weaving Social and Emotional Learning into Your Classroom: Simple Strategies that Make a Big Difference for Special Needs Students (15 PDPs)

What is Social Emotional Learning and why do you want to include these practices and strategies into your classroom?  During this workshop, we will discuss how SEL practices can transform your classroom into a relaxed and productive learning environment where students can focus, achieve and develop critical skills that will impact their success in future education.

The time will pass quickly as we engage in interactive exercises, reflective discussions and informative lecture that will highlight the following areas: creating community in your classroom, understanding and relating to challenging students, trauma informed practices that work, promoting executive skill development, using language that encourages students to excel and creating student assistance teams that work for kids.

Time will be included to begin developing some of those plans with our consultation so that you can begin on the first day of school and set the tone for a great 2017-2018 school year!

Participants will earn 15 PDPs in the category of Special Education upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Joyce Hanousek, School Adjustment Counselor, Gateway Teachers Association

August 14-15, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Springfield Education Association
1000 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109

Cartooning for the Classroom (12 PDPs)

The goal of this workshop is to encourage educators to become creative with cartooning as a teaching skill. Drawing is an effective way to connect with students from all levels and backgrounds and can make learning accessible and fun. Workshop participants will learn accessible sketching techniques that stimulate free thinking and spark inspiration. Through slideshows and comics readings, participants will be exposed to the work of educators/artists who use drawing and cartooning as part of their teaching practice. We will then draw our own autobiographical comics that convey the experience of teaching and generate instructional comics that can be shared with our students. No art experience necessary. Just bring a willingness to attempt simple cartooning and a sense of humor.

Participants will earn 12 PDPs in the category of Arts upon satisfactory completion of workshop assessments.

Cara Bean, Visual Art Teacher, Lexington Education Association

August 15-16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Framingham Teachers Association
1253 Old Worcester Rd. # 302
Framingham, MA 01701