January 21st, 2011 
jvremec
Art Collections …” width=”136″ height=”200″ border=”0″ style=”padding-left: 5px;”/>Continuing Education for Teachers
Author: Erik Johnson
Learning is a lifelong process. Nothing is more apt than that proverb which applies to teachers and educators across the world all over. Teachers undergo courses in continuing education as an annual ritual. The purpose is to ensure that obsolescence doesn’t creep into their knowledge and that it is current. Additionally, continuing education courses are targeted at equipping teachers with methodologies that assist students in learning in multiple and innovative ways. For teachers, the upside is in sharing best practices and managing behavior of students and classrooms effectively.
In the past, continuing education for teachers was nominal. It usually contained self serving slides or presentations and similar other tools that educators just needed to click and complete. There was no follow-up, collaboration or discussion to test their effectiveness. However, this has changed in recent times with tools for continuing education becoming more robust and effective. Consequently, the tools of today not only provide self learning but also assess and measure effectiveness through several touch points such as additional learning materials, working with peers and experts, completing assignments and participate in discussions on related subjects within specified time frames. Examples of this online technology that is blended with offline learning is Michigan’s LearnPort and PBS Teacher’s Line.
The focus is not just on eLearning in isolation but also through interaction actively with groups both through online and offline forums using the latest internet technologies across the county and world. Web 2.0 tools are also being used more often in current times such as Twitter, Wikis, Podcasts, Skype, Moodle, Ning, Flat Classroom and Google Docs. These social networking tools are quite useful in professional development of teachers and educators. They facilitate removal of barriers such as territorial boundaries and time zones.
Additional forums of continuing education for teachers include seminars, webinars, workshops and conferences along side courses provided in college campuses and school districts in-house. Non-profits and governmental associations also provide continuing education in relevant areas and subjects for teachers. Examples are courses conducted by Connecticut Education Association, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and American Association of Physics Teachers. Such organizations deploy continuing education either state-wise or subject-wise as appropriate. Private companies are also known to join the fray offering continuing education courses for teachers.
Continuing education for teachers may be focused on specific teaching subjects such as Mathematics and Physics could be meant for enhancing their educational methodologies. The latter also covers latest technologies that can be brought into the class rooms. Virtual class rooms are an example. Additionally, they could also equip teachers with heightened capabilities in classroom management and related tasks.
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I need to find a web site offering free continuing education credits for professional development for teachers
Try searching on google.com
I am a special education teachers assistant and want to continue my education in this field where do I start?
Do you have a teacher’s certification already? If not, attend a local college or university to get a BA in Special Education. If you already have your teaching cert, look into getting a Masters Degree. Look into local colleges and universities and see if they offer additional degrees and classes for teachers. Even if you just take additional classes without earning another degree, you might still learn plenty of new, helpful stuff. Ask the school(s) that you work for if they’re willing to help pay for additional schooling. You can also look into conventions and stuff to go to during the summer. I just took Intro to Special Ed for my teaching cert and I loved the class. My professor used to teach Spec Ed and she used to go to all kinds of conventions out-of-state and she learned a lot. She said that looks really good on resumes.
Do plenty of volunteer work too. Education is great, but experience is even better. See if there is a Special Olympics organization near you that you can work with. I worked with the swimming division of Special Olympics in my hometown for 6 years before going off to college. It was one of the greatest experiences in my life. I’m sure there’s plenty of other options that will get you out there working with people in the community with disabilities.
Good luck!!
Which do you favor more, the diagnosis of a Developmentalist or a Special education teacher?
I went to a Developmentalist/Pediatrician and my son’s diagnosis was Global Developmental Delay. The Developmentalist suggested that my son should go to a regular school with a ratio of only 10 students plus 2 Teachers next school year for him to be able to imitate what a normal child does but I told her that my son is enrolled in a sped school right now. In my own opinion, I feel and believe that my child enjoys where he is now. However, I do respect what the Doctor said. Is it alright if I just continue my child’s education in the same sped school?
“Global developmental delay” is a very vague diagnosis. It means that a child has delays in all areas of development. It is a common diagnosis, but it is not nearly as specific as a diagnosis of Down syndrome, or cerebral palsy, or autism.
The developmentalist is qualified to make the diagnosis, and the special education teacher is not.
However, the developmentalist seems to be recommending a placement for your son that may very well not exist. You did not say how old he is, but it is quite rare in general education (“regular” classes) to have 10 students and 2 teachers. Even in kindergarten, a more common ratio would be 20 students, 1 teacher, and a part-time assistant.
Your child enjoys the school he is in right now, and that is important. A more important consideration is how much progress he is making. You should have had a hand in developing his IEP. Is he making progress on his goals? Is his teacher keeping you informed on how he is doing? If you ask the teacher for suggestions on how you can help your child at home, does he or she have useful suggestions?
In a perfect world, kids with disabilities would get a wonderful education “fully included” in regular ed classes with a trained and skilled one-to-one assistant. In the real world, though, the general ed teachers are very focused on preparing the students to do well on the achievement tests that “prove” that kids are learning. Many general ed teachers have had only one course in their training to teach them how to work effectively with students who have special needs. And many one-to-one assistants have had virtually no training. As a special education teacher, I have had numerous students come to my class after being in full-inclusion for a year or 2. School is a lot different now than it was when today’s parents were students, and there is not much time for non-academics such as art, music, physical education, etc. It’s very hard for a kid with global delays to achieve success in purely academic areas compared to the other children of his age, and it can get to be very frustrating for the special needs student, especially if the teacher and one-to-one are not highly skilled.
All in all, I say to go with your instinct as a parent. You know your child best, and you care more about his happiness and welfare than any professional, no matter how well-trained or caring. You have far more experience with the educational program your son is receiving that the developmentalist does, and if you feel it is right for your child, then stay with it.
Teachers only!! I need input for a personal project of mine.?
Please, I only want input from teachers (current or retired). I am a software developer (web applications) and I working on a personal project to help me learn a new type of programming (windows applications). I have an idea for some software that will help out teachers keep track of all the things they do in a class room. I know that there are several types of programs out there already but this is more-or-less for me to learn windows application development.
My idea is to create a program where teachers can keep track of student assignments, scores, grades, syllabus etc. I have designed it to allow a teacher to have several courses that they teach each semester/year (like Geometry and Trig) and then assign a homework/quiz template that is for that type of course. They then, each semester, create classes for them (like 2 classes of Geometry, and 1 class of Trig). Each will have their own assignment lists based on the course template and the teacher can then add students to the class. The teacher can then print out a syllabus that is specific to that class with due dates, requirements, etc.
The problem that I am having is that I only have a general idea of what a teacher needs to keep track of and what kind of reports the teacher needs to get. This is solely based on a student’s perspective. I want to know what other information teachers need to keep track of, and what kind of reports they would need. I want to make this flexible enough for primary school teachers (elementry, junior high and high school) as well as continued education teachers (college and university). I do not know what kind of information pre-school teachers keep track of, so if you do have education requirements, I would appreciate them too.
If you have a specialty like special education or something else, your input would be greatly appreciated. I do not think this will rock the teacher software industry and I have no idea if I can even complete it since I have full-time work, but this is the best idea I have right now for a software application.
You can either put you input in here or send me a message. Thank you… and thank you for being teachers, I know you are under appreciated for all the extra work you have to do.
Behavior charts (number and severity of infractions), Parental Consents and Forms (personal information including contacts and medical), Academic progress (daily, weekly and quarterly), Number of times met wih a parent, Absences, Tardies, and Professional/ organizational meetings and workshops.
Looking to get a degree in education, but can you explain these 4 choices?
I’m looking at the University of Phoenix in Ohio and I was looking at their website and they gave me four choices in the educational field:
Associate of Arts in Elementary Education
Associate of Arts in Paraprofessional Education
Continuing Teacher Education
Early Childhood Education Endorsement Certificate
Now, I’m just going to be a freshman…and as of right now I’m under the impression that you have to get a Master’s Degree to teach high school in the U.S., so which one of these do I choose so that I am set up to continue on to some variation of higher education?
I hope that makes sense…
**But also, if someone could explain what “paraprofessional education” is…even if that’s not the option best for me?
Thanks!
paraprofessional on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraprofessional
the way teaching works, at least in my state, is that you get a degree in a specific subject, then you get a teaching endorsement.
You do your normal 4 year degree, for example: Math, or English.
Then you do a 1 year program with teaching courses and student teaching. Many of those courses will fit into the senior year of your bachelor’s degree.
Then you can go teach, and if you want, you can get a Master’s Degree in Teaching, or in your specific field. That is not required, but will earn you more money.