Course Description

Educators new to the profession (six years or less teaching experience) will learn practical skills that will help them develop strategies to successfully meet the needs of their diverse learners, become an educational leader in their school community, and engage in meaningful dialogue around what is needed to be a successful educator. Participants will learn specific communication skills and techniques for engaging with families and students. Participants will: - Develop and share strategies for meeting the needs of all learners. - Know and understand the best strategies for how to engage and interact with students and families for successful teaching and learning. - Develop and utilize strategies for handling a range of classroom and workplace challenges. Survive and Thrive participants will meet for 3 hours a session over the course of the school year (4 sessions total). Participants will need to attend at least 1 complete session to earn 3 clock hours. If they attend all 4 sessions, they can earn up to 12 clock hours. During each session, participants will participate in professional development, chosen by the members, that relates directly to their own classrooms. The first session is set up as a question and answer session with master teachers and administrators representing elementary through high school. Then the participants break out into groups by Elementary, Middle School, and High School to discuss issues relevant to their jobs. The remaining three sessions are set up as professional development sessions. The content of these sessions is voted on and decided after the first meeting. The topic areas they can choose from are: TPEP/Evaluation, Special Education, Classroom Management, Communication, Organization, Collaboration, SEL and Education Law. Generally, they may choose any topic under those headings. For example, under Special Education, they may choose Autism, Special Ed and the law, dealing with IEP’s and 504’s, etc., under TPEP/Evaluation, they may choose Writing Student Growth Goals, Evidence and Artifacts, or Assessment, and so on and so forth for each category.

Course Objectives

To offer an opportunity for members new to the profession to connect and collaborate with others new to the profession and provide training to develop communication, listening, and knowledge of issues that will allow them to find the greatest success in their first few years of teaching.

Participants will:

- Develop and share strategies for meeting the needs of all learners.

- Know and understand the best strategies for how to engage and interact with students and families for successful teaching and learning.

- Develop and utilize strategies for handling a range of classroom and workplace challenges.