Summer II

Showing 26 Results

  • Research proves that understanding poverty and its relationship to education can help open up a world of achievement for students and adults. In order for that to occur, one must first have a clear understanding of the definition of poverty and the hidden rules that divide the social classes. Students will learn about the role of language and the hidden rules related to poverty in order to understand what resources are missing and which ones are needed to make a change in the lives of the impoverished. The challenge this course brings is not only to learn the information but also to utilize this knowledge.

    Fay Garrison

  • Trauma has a severe, lasting, and pernicious effect on the brains and learning of students, from young children to adolescents. The educational community is awakening to the realization that they must address the underlying effects on learning readiness in students impacted by trauma. In many cases, this must happen BEFORE the student can effectively learn. In effect, we have to go back before “square one” to SQUARE ZERO, the thing that happened to the student before he or she ever entered the classroom, and that must be understood and treated before making erroneous assumptions about behavior or study habits. This course is designed to introduce educators to those effects, give them tools to recognize students who may be impacted, offer suggestions for connecting with professionals and resources who can help, and help them to better understand the needs of impacted students.

    William Allison

  • If you are working in the field of education it is likely that you will encounter a student with autism sometime during your career. This course is designed to help educators understand autism and how it impacts students educationally and socially in the school setting. The course will also introduce you to some basic strategies and interventions that have been proven effective in teaching and supporting students with autism. The focus will be on practical information that can be applied immediately. This is an introductory level course. The information provided would be beneficial to special education teachers(with limited knowledge of the subject), general education teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and parents.

    Cindy Bates

  • Providing 21st-century learners with engaging, meaningful learning experiences can be challenging. By providing digital learners with opportunities to use technology, instructional content can be reinforced and retained. The Google Apps for Education course provides teachers with opportunities to learn about and use Google Apps in an educational setting. Teachers will begin the course with an introduction to Google Apps followed by an in-depth look at each specific Google App. Included in the course are helpful ideas and strategies for utilizing Google Apps in the classroom. Finally, an exploration into the Chrome Web Apps, followed by helpful guides for following copyright laws and policies is provided.

    Daniel Vanover

  • This course is designed to help educators target struggling readers in their classrooms and examine the different areas that could be causing their individual weaknesses. The course content will include exploring techniques and strategies that target the five main components of reading: phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. The course will provide an online community where educators can explore these areas together and begin to formulate new and exciting ways to target specific areas of reading difficulty in their classrooms.

     

    Heather Short

  • This course focuses on using social media within the classroom setting. It will include a brief history of social media and its current role in society. Portions of the course will concentrate on how to use social media with students and parents for communication and learning. The course will also address using social media for professional development and the advancement of instructional skills for the educator. Digital citizenship and best practices for using social media in the classroom setting will also be discussed.

    David Ellena

  • The majority of the nation’s students will complete their education without ever being touched by peer violence. Nevertheless, televised images of frightened and injured students fleeing school grounds have imprinted themselves on the American consciousness. Compared to the other types of violence and crime children face both in and outside of school, school-based attacks are rare. Statistics indicate that few students will fall prey to serious violence in school settings.

    However, highly publicized school shootings have created uncertainty about the safety and security of this country’s schools and generated fear that an attack might occur in any school, in any community. Increased national attention to the problem of school violence has prompted educators, law enforcement officials, mental health professionals, and parents to press for answers to two central questions: "Could we have known that these attacks were being planned?" and, if so, "What could we have done to prevent these attacks from occurring?"

    Scott Addison

  • Instruction in this course focuses on the techniques, methods, and materials that can be used to effectively diagnose reading difficulties/deficiencies and strengths in students in grades K through 8. Course content will include a study of both formal and informal assessment measures with emphasis placed on the procedures for administering and interpreting an Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) and how to use results from this inventory to prescribe and then deliver appropriate reading instruction to students in grades K-8. 

    Sharon Moore

    Kimberly Williams

  • Skills in this area shall be designed to impart a thorough understanding of the complex nature of language acquisition and reading, including phonemic and other phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and comprehension strategies for adolescent learners. Additional skills shall include proficiency in writing strategies, as well as the ability to foster an appreciation of a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts and independent reading for adolescent learners.

    Kimberly Williams

  • The content of this course is designed to help special education teachers develop an understanding and application of service delivery, curriculum, and instruction of students with disabilities in reading and writing. Students will develop knowledge of the general curriculum, English requirements and expectations, and how to provide access to the curriculum based on student characteristics and needs. Students will assess, interpret data, and implement instructional practices to address the identified reading needs of the students. Skills in this area include the ability to identify, understand, and implement a range of specialized instructional strategies and research-based interventions that reflect best practices in reading and writing instruction for students with disabilities. Students will align instructional practices and intervention with the Virginia Standards of Learning and state assessments. Students will be guided to build knowledge and the ability to utilize current assistive and instructional reading and writing technologies to promote learning and independence for students with disabilities in the general curriculum and the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of the technologies. Students will develop and use curriculum-based and standardized reading and writing assessments to conduct ongoing evaluations of instructional materials and practices to determine effectiveness and assess student needs as they relate to the curriculum design and delivery. Students will model and directly teach reading and writing instructional strategies in a variety of settings, collaborate and co-teach with general educators to develop and implement instructional practices that meet the needs of students with disabilities in the general curriculum, and monitor student progress.

    Sundy Adams

  • The content of this course is designed to provide information on various approaches and techniques for utilizing and teaching reading/writing strategies within grades 6-12 content areas (i.e. literature, history/social science, mathematics, science, etc.). Emphasis is placed on procedures for evaluating textbooks, strategies to help students develop comprehension and study skills, and methods for teaching vocabulary and concepts. The student will learn, practice, and internalize strategies that are essential life–long learning skills for reading, writing, understanding, and interpreting content-specific materials. 

    Brenda Baker

    Todd Bennett

  • In this course, students will learn about the characteristics of students with learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities, their specific learning disorder related issues(E.G. medical aspects, physical aspects; assessment; early identification; learning and teaching theories; reading, oral language, writing, math, social-emotional behavior, and study skills) and the related teaching methods. The course also provides a study of the characteristics of intellectual disabilities, related teaching and training approaches, service programs for children with such disabilities.

    Lara Kennedy

  • A survey of the field of special education. Emphasis is on techniques for integrating students with intellectual, emotional, social, and physical handicaps into the least restrictive educational environment. Students will review legal aspects that include an understanding/application of regulatory requirements and expectations associated with the identification, education, and evaluation of students with disabilities. 

    Priscilla Brame

    Lara Kennedy

  • This course is designed to provide special education candidates an extensive study of the components of effective transition education curriculum and service models, service guidelines, parents’ involvement, transition assessment, job placement, training and supervision, the transition to adult life, instructional strategies and community resources. Candidates will also learn to develop skills as case managers, develop an individualized transitional curriculum relevant to vocational training, life skills, and functional skills domain. 

    The course emphasizes techniques for fostering motivation to acquire basic academic and social/personal skills as well as meeting the long term goals of transition education in the special education collaboration and consultation procedures. Fundamentals of collaboration, applications of collaboration (i.e., consultation, and teamwork, co-teaching, working with paraprofessionals, staff development, interpersonal problem solving, pragmatic issues of collaboration, techniques in interpersonal communication, etc.) and issues in collaboration are also studied.

    Cindy Bates

  • In this course, participants will examine a research-based trajectory for the development of calculations, reasoning, and problem-solving skills needed for students to have an in-depth understanding of mathematical concepts required by the Virginia Standards of Learning for Mathematics. Participants will create and implement lessons to reach students with disabilities in a variety of settings while balancing concepts and procedures for effective learning. Participants will acquire the ability to assess, interpret data, and implement instructional practices to address the needs of students.

    Tara Piper

  • The purpose of this course will be to examine and discuss elements of teaching history and social sciences in the elementary and middle school grades. Participants will discuss methods of instruction based upon the knowledge, skills, and processes of history and the social sciences that are necessary for teaching content in the classroom. Assignments will address a variety of strategies of instruction, observation of the history and social science classroom at the elementary and/or middle-level grades, construction of lesson plans for daily, unit and semester planning, and completion of a textbook critique.

    Gequetta Bright

  • The purpose of this course will be to examine and discuss elements of teaching science in the elementary and middle school grades. Participants will discuss methods of instruction based upon the knowledge, skills, and processes of sciences that are necessary for teaching content in the classroom. Assignments will address a variety of strategies of instruction, construction of lesson plans for daily, unit and semester planning.

    Angela Turley

  • A study of the mathematical topics for those seeking licensure for teaching PK-8. Methods of teaching mathematics for elementary and middle school math will be investigated. Topics to include: number sense, operations, fractions, decimals, ratios, and proportions.

    Ann-Delyse Hopkins

  • This course will address students’ understanding and application of classroom and behavior management techniques, classroom community building, and individual interventions. It will include techniques that promote emotional well-being, teach and maintain behavioral conduct and skills consistent with norms, standards, and rules of the educational environment. Content will address diverse approaches based upon behavioral, cognitive, affective, social and ecological theory and practice that support professionally appropriate practices and promote positive redirection of behavior, development of social skills, and of self-discipline. In addition, students will explore the relationship between age and behavior management as well as appropriate classroom management techniques and behavioral intervention when working with students who have disabilities.

    Heather Askea

    David Lee

  • Organizational and Instructional Procedures for Pre-Kindergarten-6th Grade: Principles and techniques of planning and teaching at the Pre-6 levels are presented. 

    Selena Kiser

  • This course is designed to provide future special education teachers extensive practice in developing skills necessary to collaborate or consult effectively with school professionals, students and their families, and outside agencies in order to provide the most beneficial educational services for students with disabilities. Students will also develop necessary case management strategies.

    Stacey Sturgill

  • This course is designed to prepare students to teach at the middle and high school level by developing the necessary knowledge & skills to design, implement, & evaluate instruction. In this course, the student will learn about a number of critical issues and topics that teachers must understand and be able to skillfully apply in order to successfully overcome the challenges of today’s classrooms. The emphasis will be on providing participants with practical advice and strategies to deal with real-world problems that teachers face every day. 

    Danny Dixon

    Fay Garrison

  • This course will prepare students to teach Career and Technical courses effectively by developing the necessary knowledge and skills to design, implement, and evaluate instruction. This course will provide prospective CTE teachers with resources and curricula for teaching CTE courses in the field they have chosen. Prospective teachers in this class will learn the process for planning, developing, and evaluating curricula that will prepare their students in today’s classroom for future careers and/or higher education. 

    Russell Street

  • This course is designed to prepare future teachers who are planning to teach in PK-12 endorsement areas such as music, art, health, and P. E, etc, by developing the necessary knowledge and skills to design, implement, and evaluate instruction. In this course, the student will be introduced to the concepts of curriculum and instruction with a focus on the interaction of the two. The class will consider a number of issues and topics that teachers must understand and skillfully apply in addressing the day-to-day adventures and challenges inherent in modern classrooms. The emphasis will be on providing participants with practical advice and strategies to deal with real-world problems that teachers face every day.

  • This course is designed to prepare students to teach a foreign language by developing the necessary knowledge & skills to design, implement, & evaluate instruction. In this course, the student will learn about a number of critical issues and topics that teachers must understand and be able to skillfully apply in order to successfully overcome the challenges of today’s classrooms. The emphasis will be on providing participants with practical advice and strategies to deal with real-world problems that teachers face every day.

    Joseph Kern

  • Math C407 is designed to refresh your conceptual knowledge of geometry while gaining technology tools to enhance your geometry classroom. Explore geometry concepts through real-world applications that combine technology and problem-solving skills to make math exciting and challenging for today's learners. Throughout the course, we will also discuss various methods of teaching these geometric topics. This class is designed to be a truly supportive learning community where students can learn and work together in an online format. Since there are no face-to-face meetings, students are required to post on a teaching tip forum each week to share activities and ideas. Students are also required to submit homework weekly or biweekly.

    Ann-Delyse Hopkins