Survival Kit for New Teachers

Learn the keys to success from an experienced educator so you can thrive as a classroom teacher. This course is designed to help teachers build motivational classrooms, reach diverse learners, write engaging lesson plans, communicate clearly, and keep stress at bay.

6 Weeks / 24 Course Hrs

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Learning method

Self-Guided

$185

No instructor. Study on your own schedule

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Instructor-Moderated

$170

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Starting March 12 | April 16

Details + Objectives

Course code: skt

Feel a little trepidation before entering your classroom? You're not alone! Whether you're already teaching, a newly credentialed graduate, or a substitute looking to transition to full-time, this course will provide you with proven tools, tips, and tricks to make your early years in the classroom a breeze.

Teaching is a balancing act, and it requires a blend of subject expertise and classroom skills to reach all of your diverse learners. In this informational and interactive course, you'll learn how to run a motivational classroom that will feel like home to your students. You will discover how to write winning lesson plans, reach diverse learners through differentiated instruction, communicate clearly, plan memorable events, and keep stress at bay so you can feel good about going to work every morning. You will reap the benefits gained through many years of firsthand classroom experience!

What you will learn

Learn the fundamentals of surviving and thriving in your career as a professional educator
Examine the subject expertise and classroom skills you will need to reach all of the diverse learners in your classroom
Discover how to use your communication skills to bridge conflict and turn classroom problems into teaching opportunities
Learn a variety of time-saving tips on rules, routines, and organization that will help you add order to your classroom

How you will benefit

Reap the benefits gained through many years of firsthand classroom experience
Gain confidence in your ability to build and maintain relationships with students, parents, staff, and administrators
Learn useful strategies for managing stress and avoiding burn-out so you can enjoy a rewarding and fulfilling career

How the course is taught

Instructor-Moderated or Self-Guided online course
6 Weeks or 3 Months access
24 course hours

Outline

Do you ever stop to think about what inspired you to teach? Whether you're a brand new teacher looking for your first job, or a teacher with a year or two behind you, you'll take a look at the inspiration behind teachers of excellence. In the first lesson, you'll learn to draw on your inspiration as you face the academic (and not so academic) challenges ahead.

Preparing your first classroom can be daunting if you don't have an action plan. From color theory to desk arrangement and bulletin boards, do you know how you want to stimulate your students visually? In this lesson, you'll find out the best ways to bring that touch of home and warmth to your classroom.

If you've ever wondered exactly how to fill those six hours you'll spend teaching, look no further than creative, engaging lesson plans. In this lesson, you'll discover the differences between full and condensed sets of lesson plans and learn how to build student excitement with a strong anticipatory set.

You may not know it yet, but differentiated instruction is probably second nature to you. It's all about modifying your curricular objectives to meet diverse student needs. In this lesson, you'll find out how to use interest centers, cubing, and tiering as easy methods of differentiating instruction in your class.

Not so long ago, special needs students were relegated to different classrooms with their own teachers. These days, it's becoming more and more popular to include them in the regular classroom. This brings a host of new learning challenges and opportunities. In this lesson, you'll explore common special needs, IEPs, and smart ways to incorporate diverse learning objectives into your teaching routine.

Did you know that you shouldn't have more than five classroom rules? Are you prepared in the event of a fire drill? If you've been searching for the right rules, routines, and organization tips to make your classroom flow smoothly, look no further. This lesson will show you a bunch of time-saving tips that will help you add order to your classroom.

The key to teaching is building strong relationships between school and home. This starts with your students and ideally extends across the campus, into the home, and out to the community. In this lesson, you'll learn tactics to win students, engage parents, and impress the school as you set an example as a strong communicator.

One of the biggest classroom dilemmas is how to handle discipline and rewards—striking that balance between overreaction and fair play can be tricky. Luckily, you can use your communication skills to bridge conflict and turn classroom problems into teaching opportunities. In this lesson, you'll learn how to do just that.

Writing assignments and tests is never a thrill, even when you know exactly what learning you want to measure and how you want to do it. In this lesson, you'll discover the power of rubrics, tests that account for a wide range of student diversity, and creative assignments that bring out the best in all your learners.

Does the thought of public speaking make you cringe? It's natural for new teachers to be nervous about milestone events like Back to School Night, parent-teacher conferences, and field trips into the community. However, with planning, organization, and a little bit of homework on your part, you'll be able to pull off smooth events that look like they were planned by a pro.

It's common for teachers to reach a burn-out point some time in those first few years. In this lesson, you'll learn to build balance in your life so that the job will never overwhelm you too much. From classroom strategies to make your life less hectic to after-hours relaxation tips that help veteran teachers let loose, you'll learn the best ways to keep stress at bay.

When you're ready to advance your career to the next level, you'll need to showcase not just what you've done, but what you're ready to do in a new classroom. It has to do with how you package your skills. In the final lesson, you'll discover what administrators are looking for and how to wow them with your creativity.

Instructors & Support

Cheryl Dick

Cheryl Dick has more than 25 years of teaching experience and is currently a classroom teacher. She's taught 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade and has previously worked as an instructional coach. She graduated from Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in elementary education, with a focus on early childhood education. Cheryl also holds a master's degree in elementary education from Texas-Wesleyan University and a second master's degree in educational administration from Lindenwood University.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Requirements

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

PC: Windows 8 or later.
Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

FAQ

Instructor-Moderated: A new session of each course begins each month. Please refer to the session start dates for scheduling.

Self-Guided: Your course begins immediately after you enroll.

Instructor-Moderated: Once a course session starts, two lessons will be released each week for the 6 week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends. You will interact with the instructor through the online discussion area. There are no live sessions or online meetings with the instructor.

Self-Guided: You have 3 months of access to the course. After enrolling, you can learn and complete the course at your own pace, within the allotted access period. You will have the opportunity to interact with other students in the online discussion area.

Instructor-Moderated: The interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes two weeks after each lesson is released, so you're encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release. However, you will have access to all lessons from the time they are released until the course ends.

Self-Guided: There is no time limit to complete each lesson, other than completing all lessons within the allotted access period. Discussion areas for each lesson are open for the entire duration of the course.

Instructor-Moderated: Students enrolled in a six-week online class benefit from a one-time, 10-day extension for each course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.

Self-Guided: Because this course is self-guided, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.

Reviews

Best class I have taken online! LOVED IT and will be able to use all the ideas. Thanks!

Excellent coverage of relevant topics for new teachers. I will refer to the material often. Great internet resources, also.

I brought several of the lesson assignments with me as I interviewed for teaching positions. I was organized and focused because of this course. Your last section on interviews also helped me to understand the interview process better. Next time I try for a job, I will refer back to that section! This course was very helpful!

I have enjoyed this course even though I've been teaching for several years. I wish it had been offered at the beginning of my career. Thank you for sharing your expertise and insights!

I used this course to assist me as a mentor for new teachers in our district. It was helpful.

I've been home for the last 9 years raising my children. It was a great refresher course. I feel I will be able to slide back into teaching feeling very confident. I loved the class and learned some new information that I will gladly use when I return to the classroom.

This course is highly recommended for prospective teachers. I enjoyed the contents of the lesson. I felt as if I was really in a classroom.

This was a great course. Full of vital information that is useful to me NOW. I appreciate the effort this instructor puts into her lessons and her classes.

This was a great 'nuts & bolts' course for teachers. I am transitioning into teaching and this helped me to better focus on the day to day issues that teachers encounter in the classroom. Great course! Kudos.