Listings

Online Only |The Chicago Teachers Union Foundation Quest Center offers an opportunity to learn more Google Slides, a free web-based presentation app connected to the Google account of every CPS teacher. Participants will create engaging presentations, import slides from PowerPoint, comment on student presentations, use special tools during presentations, such as auto transcription and audience questions. Attend later seminars in this series to pursue the Google Certified Educator (Level 1) exam. This valuable certification will show competency with core G Suite apps. This is an ASYNCHRONOUS class; there is no video meeting at a specific time. You can engage with the content whenever you would like. This offering is aligned to the CPS Framework for Teaching Domain 1 and 3 – 1d, 1e, 3a, 3c, 3d.

Online Only | Join Modern Classrooms Project’s Fully-Funded Professional Learning this Summer + earn LPCs! Looking for a way to meet every learner’s needs? Join Chicago’s next Modern Classrooms Project cohort Virtual Mentorship Program. The self-paced, virtual PD teaches you practical strategies to increase student engagement and differentiation. You’ll also work with a personal mentor to help you apply what you learn to your classroom immediately. Thanks to philanthropic funding, this is a free professional development opportunity for all Chicago educators and includes 2 LPCs and 30 ISBE hours upon completion of the course.

Online Only | GoGuardian is a web application for all CPS teachers and students that give teachers some control of students' activity on CPS Chromebooks. The Teacher console allows teachers to monitor student digital activity, open websites on student computers, temporarily lock student computers, keep them focused on a Chrome tab, close student tabs, limit students to specific teacher-selected websites, block certain websites, communicate with students, take snapshots of off task behavior, and share a screen to specific students. The Chicago Teachers Union Foundation Quest Center offers an opportunity to learn more about GoGuardian. This is an ASYNCHRONOUS class; there is no video meeting at a specific time. You can engage with the content whenever you would like. This offering is aligned to the CPS Framework for Teaching Domain 1 and 3 – 1d, 1e, 3a, 3c, 3d.

Online Only - Asynchronous | This course introduces differentiated instruction as an approach to meet the needs of all students in the classroom. It will cover both theoretical and practical perspectives to develop answers to the following questions: What is differentiated instruction? Why implement a differentiated instruction approach? How is instruction differentiated? Teachers learn strategies for differentiating instruction that focus on how content learning experiences and assessment can be designed to address the unique needs, learning styles, interests, multiple intelligences, and skills of all students. This offering is aligned to the CPS Framework for Teaching Components: 1a, 1b, 1d, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4d, 4e.

Online Only - Synchronous | This is a 10-session interactive course with a communicative approach in which you will develop Spanish skills as you practice communicating in the language. We will be using a variety of language teaching methods such as Total Physical Response, task-based instruction, and content-based instruction. In this course, you will learn much more than isolated grammatical structures that are impossible to remember or apply. You will develop Spanish communicative skills through meaningful interactions in a fun and safe environment.

Online Only - Asynchronous | In this professional development offering, participants will learn about games and ways that learning can be mediated by games and playfulness. We will engage in analyzing basic elements of game design, such as what are game mechanics and game aesthetics. We will also explore different approaches to using games to foster learning. By the end of this offering, participants will have under-the-hood knowledge of what makes a game and will have a better understanding of how games can mediate learning experiences. This offering addresses the following CPS Framework for teaching components: 1b, 1e, 1f, 3c, 3e.

Online Only | This 3 hour course will introduce teachers to Google Forms, a free survey administration and quiz app connected to the Google account of every CPS teacher. Participants will learn how to create and build forms, gather data from parents, build self-grading quizzes, and share forms with collaborators. Special attention will be given to the use of these tools in distance learning. This is an ASYNCHRONOUS class; there is no video meeting at a specific time. You can engage with the content whenever you would like.

Online Only | Are you ready to embark on a journey that will catapult your teaching into the digital age? Join us in "The Digital Classroom Revolution: Mastering Educational Technology." In this course, you will discover the art of seamlessly integrating cutting-edge tools into your curriculum. Learn how to unlock the power of free and user-friendly educational technology tools that will elevate your teaching to new heights. From interactive multimedia content creation to student response systems, you'll gain the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to reshape your classroom for the 21st century. By the end of the collaborative course, you'll not only have mastered the art of technology integration but also have a treasure trove of engaging, interactive, and effective resources at your disposal.

Online Only | There are five essential elements of reading. The elements include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. These five pillars build the foundation for structured literacy in the classroom. This course is designed to help you learn more about these components in conjunction with the latest research from the Science of Reading. Each week participants will be provided with an overview of each component along with best practices, strategies, and ideas to enhance student’s reading skills so that they can become successful readers early on. Participants will benefit from sharing and discussing practices and strategies that they are currently using in the classroom. This course is suitable for teachers of kindergarten through third grade.

Online Only | 21st Century students face academic demands never seen before. Gone are the days of walking home for lunch, a long recess and an afternoon nap; here to stay are longer school years, extended school days, and students sitting in their seats for longer periods of time. Children spend more of their free time in front of TV and video games. The research-based result is an overweight, sluggish population. Getting students up and moving helps not only their physical well-being, but it can also positively affect academic success! You will learn how to make it happen in this course.

Online Only | Do your students dread studying? Do they know how to study effectively? Jumpstart your student’s study skills here! Designed for K-12 teachers, this course aims to equip educators with effective strategies to help students take charge of their own learning while also making classroom review fun and engaging! The course covers a range of study skill techniques tailored to be suitable across all grade levels and content areas, with emphasis on fostering critical thinking, time management, and organizational skills. Teachers will also explore creative and interactive review games designed to make the learning process enjoyable and memorable for students. With a practical approach, this course empowers educators to create dynamic and effective classroom environments that promote academic success and student participation in the review process.

Online Only | Teachers spend their days focused on helping their students develop skills in reading, writing, math, science and social studies. Schools collect and analyze data to drive instruction, revamp curriculum, address individual learning needs, and challenge high achievers. While these are essential to our students’ education, we often overlook the development of life skills that are most important in developing accomplished students and members of society. This professional development activity is aligned to the ISTE Standards and to the CPS Framework for Teaching Components: 1b, 2a and 2d.

The “EdTech Pioneers” course series offered through Teacher’s Teacher seeks to push the boundaries and possibilities of educational technology to new heights. In this series, Video Production & YouTube Branding for Education, you will gain the skills needed to become the instructor you commonly see on the other side of the video screen. Learn how to professionally record, edit and publish your own video content AND create a unique brand to host a YouTube channel allowing other teachers and students from around the world to engage with your content. Collaborate with other trailblazing educators in real time as you learn to leverage this technology to meet the needs of your current and future students. Stop spending time searching for that “perfect” video and instead feel knowledgeable and confident enough to create it yourself. With the input of imagination and innovation the possibilities are truly endless. What will you create? I can’t wait to find out!

Online Only | As Early Childhood educators, we have a great challenge in being some of our students very first teachers and helping them all achieve their highest potential, knowing that we are paving the way for their educational future and attempting to foster a true love of learning in each of them. In this course, we will discuss some of the most crucial components of Early Childhood education and share resources, strategies and ideas for each area. I am very excited that we have the opportunity to focus on grades PreK -1st together here. This activity is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and the CPS Framework for Teaching Components: 1c, 1d and 2b.

Online Only | In this two-week course, educators will explore how to use Canva, a versatile graphic design platform, to enhance teaching practices and create visually compelling educational materials. Participants will learn Canva fundamentals such as navigating the platform, using educational templates, and creating custom graphics. They'll also discover advanced techniques like educational branding, interactive presentations, and crafting infographics to boost learning outcomes. Throughout the course, educators will collaborate, share insights, and receive personalized guidance. By the end, participants will be equipped to integrate Canva seamlessly into their teaching, revolutionizing classroom visual communication. Join us to transform your teaching materials with Canva! This course is suitable for teachers of all grade levels and subject areas.

Online Only | The challenge of keeping 21st Century Learners engaged and on-task is significant. Not all attention issues are related to ADHD. Students are impacted by anxiety, trauma, and also by their lives in a digital world where they receive instant gratification and are continually stimulated by multimedia and social media. Without the ability to focus their attention, students may miss important learning and fail to achieve to the highest level. This course presents the many factors that impact student attention and provides proactive strategies for teachers to improve instruction in the classroom environment.

Online Only | Our students live in an ever-developing multimedia world. The engagement with social media and the Internet offers an avenue to a vast amount of content coming from many different perspectives. Fake news, misinformation and disinformation are rampant. Implications on values, beliefs and principles are developing within our students, and it's important they learn to decode and analyze media. This course will aid teachers across all content areas to equip their students with tools necessary to critically engage with the information they interact with so frequently. Teachers will learn how to teach their students HOW to think rather than WHAT to think. Course participants will gain an understanding of the value of media literacy, work with norms to establish a critical thinking classroom environment, tools to explore bias and analyze source material along with acquiring resources to help students become lifelong critically thinking consumers of information.

Online Only | Join a dynamic community of educators committed to making a difference. "Turning Pages, Changing Lives" is more than a course; it's a call to action. This course is designed to empower educators in grades 5-12 to utilize children's literature as a powerful tool for teaching political, social justice, and societal issues. Participants will explore carefully selected books and engage in hands-on activities to create inclusive, thought-provoking, and empathetic learning experiences for their students. Learn how to empower your students to become compassionate, engaged citizens ready to shape a brighter tomorrow. For teachers of grades 5-12.

Online Only | Transform your teaching with cutting-edge AI tools! Our course is tailored for educators who are eager to dive into the world of artificial intelligence, even with minimal prior exposure. You'll explore top AI platforms like MagicSchool AI, Eduaide, and Diffit, unlocking their potential to revolutionize your classroom. Discover how to use these tools to provide personalized learning experiences that captivate and inspire your students.We'll also introduce you to groundbreaking AI tutoring and coaching platforms like SchoolAI and Class Companion, designed to deliver tailor-made support for every learner. Through lively discussions, hands-on activities, and collaborative projects, you'll hone your skills in creating dynamic, adaptive classrooms that foster student engagement and drive achievement.

Online Only | Colorism is a form of discrimination that places a hierarchy on the way people look according to a European esthetic. A subset of racism, colorism is a form discrimination based on appearance that includes skin tone, hair, facial features and body type that can lead to inequalities in education and beyond. This class is designed to bring awareness to the issue of skin color bias in the classroom by defining and seeing examples of colorism and its subsets (texturism and featurism). Teachers will learn to recognize the Halo effect and its impact in the classroom as well as work through and discuss different scenarios. This will enable teachers to develop strategies for eliminating appearance-based bias thus helping students build better self esteem. This course is suitable for teachers of all grades.