Listings

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 | 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.

Online Only | Outside of school, students live virtual lives that would astound their teachers and parents. They are active participants in social networking with “friends,” acquaintances and even strangers. Their online world is fraught with sexual predators and identity thieves. Many children are victimized by strangers or peers, and many victimize others. Some students are too trusting, and others don’t know where to draw the line in divulging personal information online. The perils of their lifestyles cannot be underestimated. Unfortunately, most of the adults in their lives are not nearly as tech-savvy as they are.

Online Only | Looking to explore the vast realm of art and culture in your classroom? Look no further! Google Arts & Culture is a program that can transport your history, physics, geography, foreign language, art, or music classroom into a different era through interactive 360-degree images and videos, games, virtual reality, and so much more. Have your students explore the rich history of humanity through artwork from around the world without ever having to leave the classroom. Whether you are looking for a quick hands-on activity or support for a semester-long project, Google Arts & Culture can help you and your students view the world in a new way. Let’s take the journey together! Suitable for Grades 2-12.

Online Only | Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills. Art education even improves student behavior and attendance. In this course, participants will gain practical ideas for the integration of the arts across all subject areas resulting in a deeper understanding of content and improved academic achievement. This course is suitable for teachers of first through eighth grade across all subject areas. Please plan to spend an average of 15 hours/week for successful completion of this course.

Online Only | “Students who don’t participate.” “Students that get off topic.” “Students that dominate every discussion.” “Students that use discussion time to socialize.” “Students that don’t back up their opinions with valid reasons or evidence.” These are the experiences of many teachers in their efforts to foster good classroom discussions. Now more than ever, developing good speaking and listening skills is essential. This course will help teachers eliminate the common pitfalls of classroom discussions and provide useful tools and protocols to make discussion of all kinds a routine in the classroom. Teachers will walk away with strategies for increasing participation in discussions as well as formats for partner, small group and whole group discussions.

Online Only | Unlock the full potential of Magic School AI in your classroom! This course is designed for educators of all grade levels who want to harness AI tools to enhance lesson planning, personalize student learning, and streamline administrative tasks. Through hands-on activities, real-world applications, and guided exploration, you’ll develop the skills to integrate AI into your teaching practices effectively. By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped with the confidence and resources to innovate in your classroom using Magic School AI. This course is suitable for teachers of all grade levels and subject areas.

Online Only | Why should students learn to collaborate? When working together, students practice communication, teamwork, compromising and leadership skills. Developing skills in these areas during elementary and high school prepares students for today's teamwork-based workplace environments. When teachers use collaborative learning within their classroom, they can help their students achieve together so they are balancing the work within the group, communicating, and learning together. In this course, teachers will also find ways to help their students self-assess so that they can objectively reflect back on their own work so they can identify any gaps in their understanding; but even more importantly look at how they can improve their skills in a social environment as they work with their peers to achieve a common goal. This course is designed for 4th-12th grade teachers.

Online Only | This course will provide educators with the foundational knowledge they need to successfully teach English Language Learners in their classroom. High quality content will be presented through the teaching of current theories and strategies, while also providing information on the different types of English Language Learners. Schools desire teachers who strive to support ELL students to develop and grow. This course will equip teachers with practical strategies to make a difference in their students’ lives. Application of what is presented in this course will ensure English Language Learners reach their full potential in the classroom! This course is suitable for teachers of all grades and subjects.

Online Only | Teaching young students how to actually write about something can be quite challenging. This course will provide content that will help guide and foster motivation and independence for writing in the primary classroom. You will learn simple techniques, routines, and strategies to incorporate writing every day. We will take a look at the developmental stages of writing to help guide and differentiate your instruction along with strategies that will help students get started. We will also discuss the different genres of writing and methods to help organize student’s writing. This course is geared towards students in grades kindergarten through 3rd grade. (It may be informative for teachers who teach pre-kindergarten or 4th-5th grade as you may be able to gain some ideas for differentiation in your classroom).

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.