Professional Development

Pre-Algebra Support Curriculum

Target audience: Middle and high school pre-algebra and algebra teachers

This four-day workshop trains teachers to implement a problem-based pre-algebra curriculum, which is appropriate for a mathematics summer camp, an after-school program, or for use in a middle school classroom.  It focuses on pre-algebra skills, such as measurement, number sense, fractions/percents/ decimals, and simple equations. The curriculum integrates arithmetic, algebraic, and geometric reasoning to solve hands-on engineering and technology problems.

Algebra I Support Curriculum

Target audience: Algebra teachers

This four-day workshop trains algebra teachers to implement drop-in, problem-based curriculum units for Algebra I courses. These units can be used to supplement and reinforce major Algebra I standards from six chapters, including solving and graphing linear and quadratic equations, rational expressions, exponents, and polynomials using a hands-on, inquiry approach.

Train the Trainer for Math Support Curriculum

Target audience: Math teachers and district/county math specialists who have previously been trained in the ConnectEd math support curriculum

These day-long workshops prepare teachers and math specialists to become trainers for the two ConnectEd math support curricula (Pre-algebra and Algebra I).  We recommend that participants have previously attended the math support curriculum training, and have implemented the curriculum in the classroom for at least one year.

Multidisciplinary Integrated Curriculum Development 101

Target audience: Cross-disciplinary teams of pathway teachers

This one-day workshop introduces cross-disciplinary teacher teams to the integrated curriculum development process. Participants begin by watching a video of a team in action in order to unpack the elements critical to the development process. They are introduced to a framework with which to critique existing integrated projects, and then they begin work on their own units. The workshop guides teams through performance mapping, identification of a standards-based unit theme, development of essential questions, linkages to industry and post-secondary connections, and design of the culminating project.

Multidisciplinary Integrated Curriculum Development 201

Target audience: Pathway teachers who are working together and are read to create multidisciplinary units 

This 3-5 day workshop can be tailored for the needs of the pathway and is designed guide and facilitate teams through the entire process to design a project, prepare for implementation, and how to assess the project.

ConnectEd Studios

Target audience: Pathway teachers

This 3 hour workshop introduces teachers to ConnectEd Studios and focuses on how to integrate this online platform into the classroom. The workshop delves into the main components of ConnectEd Studios including a database of standards-based curriculum projects with multimedia resources, project planning tools, digital portfolios and publishing opportunities for students, connections to industry professionals and virtual work-based learning opportunities and media production tips and resources for students and teachers.

Integrated Curriculum for Health Science Pathways

Target audience: Health Science pathway teacher teams

This one-day workshop introduces cross-disciplinary teacher teams to ConnectEd’s model for multidisciplinary curriculum for health science.  Teachers rotate through lessons from a mini version of one of the ten ConnectEd integrated health science units, discuss the format, challenges, and implementation considerations of integrated curriculum. They are given tools to help with selection and adaptation of units for use at their school site.

Integrated Curriculum for Engineering Pathways

Target audience: Engineering pathway teacher teams

This series of one-day workshops prepares cross-disciplinary teacher teams to adapt and implement the ConnectEd multidisciplinary integrated curriculum units in their engineering pathways. In the workshops, teacher teams review the major lessons and curriculum connections and build a mini design project for each unit. Although the ConnectEd units are designed for use with the five of the Project Lead the Way engineering courses (Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering, Digital Electronics, Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Aerospace Engineering), they focus around common engineering pathway projects.

Digital Media Arts Year 1 Core Curriculum

Target audience: Arts, Media, Entertainment pathway teachers

This three day workshop introduces arts, media, and entertainment teachers to implementation of the year 1 course of ConnectEd’s Digital Media Arts core technical curriculum, Foundations in Visual Arts and Design. Created by EDC, the course covers video production, audio production, animation, and video game design. The curriculum also includes integrated lessons for academic teachers.

Digital Media Arts Year 2 Core Curriculum

Target audience: Arts, Media, Entertainment pathway teachers

This series of webinars introduces arts, media, and entertainment teachers to implementation of the year 2 course of ConnectEd’s Digital Media Arts core technical curriculum, Digital and Media Principles and Applications. Created by EDC, the course follows on the year 1 course, Foundations in Visual Arts and Design, and covers video production, audio production, animation, and video game design. The curriculum also includes integrated lessons for academic teachers.

Law and Justice Year 1 Core Curriculum

Target audience: Public Services pathway teachers

This four-day workshop trains teachers to implement ConnectEd’s year 1 law and justice pathway course, Foundations of Law.  The workshop introduces teachers to an inquiry-oriented, project-based approach to legal, government and protective services and careers. The curriculum provides an understanding of how and why governments and laws are formed, while examining democracy, justice and rights Participants will also explore curriculum integration strategies and become familiar with the associated integrated academic units.

Program of Study/Master Schedule for Pathways (Provided by Mike Neubig)

Target audience: Master schedule staff, pathway lead teachers and counselors

This 1 day workshop provides tips and strategies for developing the Program of Study and master schedule to support the pathways on a campus. Prescribing and reducing offerings to achieve cohort scheduling for teacher and students will be explored.

Instruction and Assessment Practices (Provided by Billie Donegan)

Target audience: Pathway teachers, site admnistrators and counselors

This one day workshop introduces teachers to designing units with an effective opening salvo, developing a classroom framework and unit design for engaging reluctant learners, and grading assessment practices as key instructional practices.

This series includes a summer kick-off event followed by a series of topic-specific convenings that focus on challenges to implementing a district-wide system of Linked Learning pathways. Topics include building a broad-based community coalition; developing, expanding, and improving pathways; supporting curriculum integration and project-based instruction; recruiting, training, and retaining qualified staff; supporting work-based learning; building a k-8 feeder system; scheduling to support Linked Learning; aligning with postsecondary; funding Linked Learning; planning facilities; and more. Participants also have access to online networking through a professional learning community of superintendents and other district administrators.

 

This series includes a summer kick-off event followed by a series of topic-specific convenings that focus on challenges to designing and implementing pathways at a school site. Topics include building and sustaining a professional learning community that fosters teacher collaboration; creating a master schedule to support pathways; creating a distributive leadership model; supporting curriculum integration and project-based instruction; using data to drive instruction; creating a system of student support services; working with industry and postsecondary partners; building a system of work-based learning experiences; and more. Participants also have access to online networking through a professional learning community of principals and other site administrators. (Not offered in 2011)

This series includes a summer kick-off event followed by a series of train-the-trainer sessions designed to facilitate the successful design and development of pathways. Training sessions focus on creating a common vision, theme, and culture; developing models for effective teacher collaboration; establishing a personalized learning environment; designing a rigorous and relevant academic core; building a demanding technical sequence of courses; establishing processes for identification, placement, monitoring, and evaluation of students in high quality work-based learning experiences; ensuring ample and appropriate student support services; and more. Participants also have access to online networking through a professional learning community of pathway directors and lead teachers.

 

 

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