Classes for Educators

This self-paced, 4-week online course invites educators to explore the power of poetry and storytelling as dynamic tools for developing literacy, building classroom community, and honoring student voice. Participants will engage in creative writing, text analysis, and culturally sustaining literacy strategies to bring poetry and storytelling alive in any classroom setting.

 

Rooted in identity, voice, and the belief that stories connect and heal, this course supports educators in designing authentic learning experiences that amplify students' lived experiences and strengthen literacy outcomes.

In a world where students bring their full selves to the classroom—identities, histories, languages, and literacies—English and Reading educators must be equipped to honor and sustain those identities through curriculum and instruction. This 4-week, online self-paced course introduces educators to the principles and practices of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) and offers practical tools to apply them in real-world classrooms.

 

Participants will critically examine whose voices are amplified in their current curricula, reflect on their own cultural identities and biases, and learn strategies to co-create inclusive, engaging, and equitable reading and writing experiences

This 4-week online, self-paced course explores the intersections of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and identity-affirming, culturally rooted teaching practices, emphasizing the role of culture, community, and self-awareness in creating emotionally safe and affirming learning spaces. Educators will examine how emotions, relationships, and social development are deeply influenced by students’ identities and cultural backgrounds, and how traditional SEL frameworks can be adapted to honor and uplift those lived experiences, languages, and ways of being.

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Through reflective practice, classroom examples, and action-oriented planning, participants will deepen their understanding of how to center student voice and cultural identity in both SEL and academic instruction, creating spaces where all learners feel valued and empowered.

In this four-week, self-paced online book study, participants will explore Personal & Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences that Impact a Lifetime by Thomas C. Murray and reflect on how to build deeper, student-centered, and relationship-driven learning environments. Through guided prompts, collaborative discussions, and application-based activities, educators will engage with the book’s core themes to reimagine their classroom culture and professional identity.

 

This course is designed to:

• Support reflection on one’s teaching practice

• Deepen understanding of student-centered learning

• Encourage authentic relationships in education

• Inspire personal and professional growth