This course is designed to support educators with practical tools to deliver feedback that promotes student growth while addressing the often-overlooked impact of perfectionism in the classroom. Participants will examine how different types of feedback can either hinder or empower learning (Schunk & Ertmer, 2025) and explore strategies for fostering a classroom culture that encourages risk-taking, resilience, and self-confidence (Reid, 2025; McCabe, 2024). Through research-based practices and real-world examples, teachers will learn to recognize signs of perfectionism and intervene in ways that support healthier learning mindsets (Ganimian, Fryer, & Dweck, 2022). The course prepares educators to craft feedback that motivates rather than discourages, shifting the focus from flawless performance to meaningful progress (FeedbackFruits, 2023; Xu, Chen, & Zhao, 2023). Participants will engage in reflective practice, collaborative discussions, and the development of actionable plans tailored to their own teaching contexts. Ultimately, this course equips educators to create inclusive, growth-centered environments where all students can thrive.

Course #: IMW26013
Dates: 03/02/26 - 03/29/26
Categories:

Social & Emotional Learning Positive Classroom Management Content-Area Teaching

Format:

Interactive

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This course equips K–12 educators with the tools and understanding necessary to support the emotional regulation of students and transform the student-teacher relationship. Rooted in the latest research in neuroscience and child development, participants will examine how emotional regulation is closely tied to brain function, executive skills, and the impact of trauma. They will explore how dysregulation affects learning, behavior, and student-teacher relationships, and how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and chronic stress can manifest in the classroom. Drawing from the groundbreaking work of Dr. Marc Brackett (Permission to Feel) and Dr. Susan David (Emotional Agility), the course highlights how emotions influence decision-making, attention, and academic success. Educators will gain practical strategies to recognize signs of emotional dysregulation, co-regulate with students, and build a classroom environment that fosters psychological safety, trust, and student voice. Emphasis will be placed on the intersection of trauma, SEL (social-emotional learning), and emotional regulation to help students develop resilience and self-awareness. The course emphasizes emotional regulation strategies that are adaptable for both younger and older students, ensuring relevance across all grade levels (K-12). Participants will learn how to design proactive classroom systems that promote structure and empathy, use de-escalation strategies to respond to challenging behaviors, and implement restorative practices such as community-building circles and restorative conversations. They will also reflect on their own emotional regulation habits and develop self-assessment tools to strengthen their responses to student behavior. Rather than relying on punitive measures, educators will be empowered to distinguish between consequences, punishment, and meaningful accountability that encourages growth. Throughout the course, participants will create a toolkit of resources, including co-regulation visuals and routines, trauma-informed behavior response plans, and a customizable emotional regulation guide for classroom use. As a culminating activity, educators will design an implementation plan or presentation that applies these strategies in a real-world setting, ensuring they are prepared to lead with compassion, support student well-being, and build emotionally supportive classrooms where every learner can thrive.

Course #: IMW26015
Dates: 04/06/26 - 05/03/26
Categories:

Social & Emotional Learning Positive Classroom Management

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will examine methodologies to facilitate the development of a culturally relevant classroom centered around research of Gloria Ladson-Billings, Geneva Gay, Django Paris, and H. Samy Alim, among others. Participants will reflect on their own teaching practices and explore strategies and frameworks that incorporate a student’s and school community’s cultural heritage and experiences; fostering a much more wholistic educational experience for all children. The foundations of culturally responsive teaching will be researched. Strategies for helping students, teachers, and parents understand what culturally relevant teaching is and how it is effectively implemented will be explored. Participants will learn how to create a culturally welcoming classroom, development and implement strategies for fostering relationships between different cultures in one’s classroom, and how to help students understand differences between cultures in a respectful manner. Additional topics include culturally responsive classroom management and discipline, including students with special needs in the culturally responsive classroom, and connecting parents/home to the culturally relevant classroom.

Course #: IMW26022
Dates: 05/04/26 - 05/31/26
Categories:

Equity & Diversity Positive Classroom Management

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will examine how social media is an integral part of the school community. The positive and negative impact of social media on the school community will be discussed and explored. Participants will learn strategies to navigate social media concerns and issues. The course will help educators learn about norms in digital citizenship and how to plan and integrate social media tools in their classroom and school community. Social media frameworks for projects, lesson plans, and school functions will be reviewed. Participants will leave the course with social media tools to engage their students in new learning mediums and improve the classroom and school community environment.

Course #: IMS26532
Dates: 06/15/26 - 06/28/26
Categories:

21st-Century Teaching

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will learn how to build a learning environment that embodies the goals necessary for teaching social tolerance and thoughtfulness. This course is intended to help navigate areas of social comprehension that are critical to the growth of today’s students and school communities. Participants will learn to design opportunities that will assist their students in recognizing and appreciating both their own identities and the identities of their peers. Self-reflection is a crucial step in realizing the need for anti-bias education, and it will inspire participants to take innovative steps toward doing so. Participants will also analyze how they and their school community can create inclusive and respectful learning environments. Participants will learn to create a classroom that is free of prejudice and teaches children to celebrate the diversity of those around them. Participants will leave the course having learned to use teaching tolerance and thoughtfulness goals to build and solidify a socially responsive culture within their school community. Participants will develop a new understanding of educators’ role in the classroom, along with the latest tools, strategies, and techniques for cultivating students’ learning and a state-of-the-art teaching approach to meet their educational goals. Educational research in the course is based on renown psychologists, inclusive specialists, and educational leadership experts such as Julie Cuaston PhD., Joseph A. Durlak PhD., Allison B. Dyminicki PhD., Nancy Frey PhD., Ross W. Greene PhD., Paula Kluth PhD., Rebecca D. Taylor PhD., and Roger P. Weissberg, PhD. Throughout the course, participants will engage in interactive dialogue through a variety of mediums to receive valuable feedback to reflect on from their instructor. All formative and summative projects are reviewed and graded, and feedback from the instructor will be provided allowing the participant to enhance their portfolio of educational tools/resources to impact their classroom or school community.

Course #: IMS26531
Dates: 06/15/26 - 06/28/26
Categories:

Equity & Diversity Social & Emotional Learning Diverse Learners Positive Classroom Management

Format:

Interactive

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Differentiated assessment is the key to helping every student have success within their own learning style. This course is designed to help educators discover new ways to assess students from a variety of different learning styles. A focus on strategies for performing pre-assessments, formative assessments, and summative assessments as well as alternative assessments such as performance-based assessments, portfolios, presentations and more to give options for students to have success other than the traditional pen-and-paper assessment. Classroom examples will be reviewed to help see how differentiated assessment can provide direction for improvement, promote confidence, and motivate students to do their best. Participants will leave the course with a better understanding of assessment practices and a wealth of resources to effectively differentiate assessments in their classroom.

Course #: IMS26534
Dates: 07/06/26 - 07/19/26
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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In today's diverse educational landscape, it is crucial for teachers to be well-equipped with the knowledge and skills to recognize and address the unique needs of students. This course will provide an overview of common neurodivergent conditions, including specific learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, mental health conditions, as well as anxiety disorders. Throughout this course, evidence-based strategies and classroom interventions to support students with neurodivergent conditions will be emphasized. Tapping into a variety of valuable resources such as Psychology Today, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Child Mind Institute, and Neurodivergent Insights - educators will be empowered with practical tools and techniques that can be immediately applied to their professional practices including effective goal setting, mindset, and the use of assistive technology to enhance learning. Course participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to create a supportive and effective learning environment conducive for students with neurodivergent conditions. Finally, educators will explore strategies to prevent burnout in this demanding profession, as well as enhance one’s mental health and well-being inside and outside of school. Throughout the course, participants will engage in interactive dialogue through a variety of mediums to receive valuable feedback to reflect on from their instructor. All formative and summative projects are reviewed and graded, and feedback from the instructor will be provided allowing the participant to enhance their portfolio of educational tools/resources to impact their classroom or school community.

Course #: IMS26533
Dates: 07/06/26 - 07/19/26
Categories:

Equity & Diversity Positive Classroom Management Diverse Learners

Format:

Interactive

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