Description
In early childhood and elementary classrooms, it is essential for classroom teachers and special education teachers to maximize instructional time and provide quality resources as they facilitate students’ inquiries in the classroom. Through this professional development course, teachers will not only explore various ways to organize time and space to implement a variety of instructional frameworks to support students in reading and writing, but they will also incorporate their foundational knowledge to design and implement a balanced, comprehensive content integrated curriculum. This professional development course is designed to empower educators to make complex instructional decisions that connect theory, practices, and student achievement. Teachers will have an opportunity to develop shared beliefs and align those beliefs with research-based practices. Based on relevant and recent research, this professional development offers a context for teachers to study, develop, share and learn effective instructional methods to meet their students’ diverse needs.
Course Outline
Week 1: Student Orientation
Week 2: Background: Balanced Integrated Curriculum
Week 3: Differentiating Instruction
Week 4: Inquiry and Critical Literacy
Week 5: Strategies that Make a Difference – Part 1
Week 6: Strategies that Make a Difference – Part 2
Week 7: Making it Work – Gradual Release of Responsibility
Prerequisites
This is an intermediate level course for teachers, literacy coaches, curriculum specialists, professional development specialists, or other school personnel. Participants are expected to have regular access to computers with Internet access. In addition, participants should be proficient with browsing the Internet, uploading and downloading content, navigating to computer files, and with using word processing software, email, and attachments.
Required Materials
All materials in this course are the property of the South Carolina Department of Education Office of VirtualSC PD. All course materials needed/required for the workshop are available online.