Professional Development for Teachers

Online 4-module program for Lateral Entry Teachers

The North Carolina State Board of Education expects that all Lateral Entry teachers will participate in two weeks of professional development prior to their work with children. Western Carolina University has designed quality instruction to be delivered in four online modules. These 4 modules focus building classroom community, classroom management, working with parents and other school community members, lesson and unit planning around content, instructional strategies, and assessment. Veteran professionals will facilitate each module.

REGISTER ONLINE NOW
An option is available for Purchase Orders or paying by check which must be received prior to the class start date.

All online students must read and agree to the terms of the Online Learning System User Agreement before enrolling. Agreement is indicated within your online registration.
If you are a coordinator or administrator and need to register multiple teachers at the same time, you can do so online OR by contacting Bobby Hensley at hensley@wcu.edu.

Teachers must register for all 4 modules at the same time at a cost $125.00.

Instructors: Dianne Chadwick ( dchadwick@email.wcu.edu)
& Knox Hardin ( knoxchardin@bellsouth.net)

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Module #1 - Building Community and Professionalism

• Read and reflect on the North Carolina Professional Standards
• Read and reflect on Professional Teaching Standards
• Research the importance of the first days of school
• Explore the best practices that make for rich teaching and learning experiences
• Plan activities for the first days of school
• Build a sense of classroom community and ways to establish positive interactions with students
• Examine elements of school culture
• Investigate professionalism

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Module #2 - Classroom Management and Parents as Partners

• Develop classroom rules and consequences
• Develop procedures for student movement, behavior, and participation, for handling assignments and individual/group work
• List ways to establish a positive classroom climate
• Identify appropriate interventions to address problem behavior
• Complete a classroom management plan
• Explore ways to communicate effectively with parents
• Examine steps to ensure positive parent conferences
• Determine ways to use parents as support in your classroom

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Module #3 -- Instructional Planning

• Become familiar with the Common Core/Essential Standards in their subject
• Discover the importance of planning for successful teaching
• Understand the difference between long-term and short-term planning.
• Differentiate between and review samples of such instructional tools as pacing guides, unit plans, and lesson plans
• Examine the different types of planning and lesson plan formats
• Develop pacing guides, unit plans, and daily lesson plans
• Locate and identify resources, manipulatives or tools available in your school.
• Share websites/resources on planning with other beginning teachers

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Module #4 -- Effective Instructional Strategies & Assessment

• Identify current classroom practices
• Discover the importance of differentiating instruction and examine elements to guide differentiated instruction in the classroom
• Develop effective strategies and best practices for working with diverse learners
• Become familiar with the ABC’s accountability plan and state-mandated tests.
• Identify the key points in the NC Testing Code of Ethics.
• Identify the role of assessment in the instruction process
• Differentiate between formative and summative classroom assessment
• Identify effective alternative assessment strategies for classroom instruction