This course focuses on children’s language and literacy development from birth to age eight. Students examine theories of language development; explore strategies for engaging children in integrated listening, speaking, reading, and writing experiences. This course provides early childhood teachers with a foundation of knowledge they will need to develop classrooms and learning environments. Emphasis will be placed on:
- teaching students to work with young children and their families;
- maintaining professionalism and developmentally appropriate practices;
- implementing observation techniques;
- developing and maintaining a learning environment;
- using assessment to evaluate early childhood language and literacy.
- Teacher: Dorothy Small
This course guides students in preparing to teach English Language Arts in secondary school classrooms by studying and practicing a repertoire of teaching/learning strategies based on principles research. This course is designed to examine, incorporate, and support the development of reflective, professional, collaborative, and research-based practitioners in the field of English/language arts.
- Teacher: Dorothy Small
Science Methods is a core teaching methods course for elementary and middle school science. Through 15 mystery stories, this book memorably illustrates science concepts for students and reinforces the value of learning science through inquiry. Each mystery presents opportunities for students to create questions, form hypotheses, test their ideas, and come up with explanations.
This methods course is for high school science teachers. Emphasis will be placed on effectively using various teaching methods for both middle and high school science. This course offers “specific ways to enhance the curriculum, making it relevant, current and personal to students”
Both theoretical and practical applications will be covered.
- Teacher: Dorothy Small
Description: This methods course is for middle/high school Social Studies teachers. Emphasis will be placed on effectively using various teaching methods for both middle and high school Social Studies. This course offers “specific ways to enhance the curriculum, making it relevant, current and personal to students.” Theoretical and practical applications will be covered.
- Teacher: Dorothy Small
“Thematic Units, Online and Recharged" is intended for PreK-6 educators and provides hands-on experience integrating online technologies that improve student learning and support instruction with Thematic Units of Study. Participants will study and use Backwards Design to create and/or recreate thematic units that utilize online activities and tools. Participants will learn to use an online environment to host and implement their unit of study.
- Teacher: Dorothy Small
This course prepares participants to teach Foreign Languages in Elementary through Secondary classrooms. A variety of teaching/learning strategies, methods, and activities will be examined and shared. Emphasis will be placed on teaching meaningful, grade-level appropriate language and real communication skills. Participants will learn the integrative approach to modern language instruction in which language is presented, taught, and assessed in meaningful contexts.
- Teacher: Dorothy Small
Early Childhood Development is a study of physical, emotional, social and cognitive factors of growth and development of children birth to five designed for Early Childhood teachers. Emphasis will be placed on:
- teaching students to work with young children and their families;
- maintaining professionalism and developmentally appropriate practices;
- implementing observation techniques;
- developing and maintaining a learning environment; and,
- using assessment in the Early Childhood classroom.
- Teacher: Dorothy Small
Teachers in the 21st century face the challenge of keeping up-to-date on the latest methods of teaching, new technology for the classroom, current trends affecting business education programs, and new learning styles. This course will cover 1) business education perspectives; 2) instructional concepts for business education; 3) business education curriculum, including methods and resources; and 4) organizational and professional responsibilities.
Please contact me at dsmall54@gmail.com or dsmall@msad54.org
- Teacher: Dorothy Small
This course is designed to provide participants with an understanding of effective instructional practices for gifted and talented students in the enrichment and general programs. Strategies for utilizing differentiation and developmental approaches that best address the educational characteristics, intellectual needs and creative imaginations of gifted and talented learners will be explored. A facilitator of learning for gifted or high ability students in the classroom must develop an ability to provide classroom experiences that stretch students further than they can comfortably go on their own. Adapting a learning environment to engage and encourage these learners involves a deep understanding of the needs of all students as they learn to use their gifts and talents to understand the world they live, learn and work in. This course examines strategies that appropriately serve to support and extend the academic needs and creative thinking skills of all students as well as those that have been identified as gifted and talented learners.
- Teacher: Dorothy Small