Christine Williams

According to the CDC, 27% of teachers reported symptoms of depression and anxiety during the pandemic, and the reports of teacher fatigue have been excessive. Although students have returned to the classroom, they continue to struggle, and educators feel overwhelmed with the workload and provide emotional support. 

Are you looking for practical ways to reach all of your student's diverse needs? This class will allow you to empower your students to become stronger leaders in their learning. Zaretta Hammond’s book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students, will engage you in a powerful, concise, easy-to-read, and classroom-relevant text. You will learn how to integrate culturally responsive pedagogy, equity, and brain-based learning to promote authentic engagement and rigor in your classroom.  A POWERFUL COMBINATION! 

The course is PERFECT for teachers to collaborate on their pedagogy and bring about change in their classrooms and is appropriate for grades P-12, including teachers, para-educators, counselors, and other support personnel.

The course text, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, by Zaretta Hammond, is approximately $33.00 at Amazon.

Educators who are not currently teaching should contact the instructor for alternative assignments.

Student anxiety is rising at an alarming rate. Starting in kindergarten it continues to rise and progresses through elementary, middle, and the high school years. You can help. Learn to identify the key forms of anxiety: excessive anxiety; occasional anxiety; chronic anxiety disorder. Apply tools and strategies from this course to help K-12 students learn to manage their anxiety and succeed in school. Gain strategies for talking with parents about your concerns. Text is about $32 at Amazon.

Most lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) students do not feel safe in school. This course is designed to open up communication lines by sharing techniques and strategies to build safety within effective learning environments for students of all genders and sexual orientations. K-12 students will develop advocacy skills that will be reflected in their confidence and in their ability to thrive at school.

As a teacher do you ever feel overwhelmed? Burned-out? Do you feel as if you can’t get through to some students? That you lack administrative support? That you cannot connect with some parents? That you can’t get away from negativity when you go to the lunchroom or pass certain teachers in the hallway? That you lack important resources for yourself or your students? Perhaps you just can’t break out of your own rut.

When Teaching Gets Tough offers practical strategies teachers can use to make things better right away. The text offers specific and distinct examples and strategies for addressing a plethora of difficult situations, as well providing as reflective opportunities and specific sections designed for administrators. The supplemental readings offer even more ideas and opportunities for exploring solutions. Once the course is completed, teachers will feel back on top of their game, re-energized, and know that they are making a positive difference in their lives and the lives of their students.

Are kids at your school mean to each other? Of course they are. When kids are cruel to other kids not only does it do direct harm to the victims, it also affects the learning environment for everyone.

Today, we have English Language Learners in most K-12 classrooms, and it is imperative that all teachers know and understand effective instruction methods for language diverse classrooms. This course will focus on a holistic approach to teaching in language diverse classrooms.

As a teacher, there are so many different things you have to keep track of and organize.

Enhance your K-12 cultural competence in this course exploring White Privilege and its impact. After choosing a text, such as How to Teach Students who Don’t Look Like You or Every Day Anti-Racism, you will learn to mitigate the negative effects of race and cultural bias.

Psychologist Abraham Maslow noted specific human needs including safety and belonging. Unfortunately put-downs, gossip, and criticism abound throughout our schools leaving many students feeling isolated, picked-on and unsafe.