The mission of the Professional Development Department is to ensure that the Crane Elementary School District provides students with effective first instruction in every classroom.

This is made possible through Professional Development training and coaching to support beginning teachers as well as the seasoned veteran.

Teach for Success with Mastery Teaching- 2 Credits

**Principal approval is required for registration**

This course syllabus is based on the Essential Elements of Instruction model of the late Dr. Madeline Hunter and is a requirement for all teachers in the Crane School District, specifically, teachers who have some experience in the classroom and are ready to take their teaching skills to the next level.

This class studies and applies teacher behaviors that enhance student learning such as writing effective academic objectives and using revised Bloom’s Taxonomy in lesson planning. This class also builds on the teacher’s ability to use the principles of learning which include anticipatory set, active participation strategies, motivation and retention theories, and closure techniques. In addition, teachers will be adding assessments into their lessons such as effective use of monitor and adjust strategies and how to engage students in formative and summative assessments.

 Positive Classroom Discipline & Instruction - 3 Credits

This class is designed to address discipline and instructional concerns using the work of Dr. Fredric Jones. While stressing the importance of the preventative power of effective teaching, Dr. Jones provides alternatives for those inevitable occasions when additional measures are needed. Participants will examine teaching techniques and strategies that are designed to increase academic learning time and time on task.

Thinking Maps (Workshop- District PDUs)

Thinking maps is a language of visual patterns based on eight cognitive skills: classifying, sequencing, cause and effect, describing, defining, comparing and contrasting, part to whole relationships, and seeing analogies.  Each visual representation links to a specific thought process.  Integrating these cognitive skills and mapping techniques into lessons can improve student achievement and promote critical thinking.  This class will teach participants how Thinking Maps can be used across every grade level and curriculum area as an integrated set of tools for life long learning. 

Assessment Techniques Class -1 credit

This course will study assessment as a tool for improving student achievement. Types of assessment will be studied with emphasis on formative assessment and checking for understanding. Participants will gain a variety of types of assessment for use in the classroom and will learn to match assessment tools with learning goals and objectives.

Cooperative Learning Structures - 1 credit

Do you want to unlock the door to successful teamwork? Boost academic achievement? Promote thinking skills in math (and other subjects)? This course explores a variety of cooperative learning structures to do all of this and more. Cooperative structures play the central role in cooperative learning. Structures empower teachers to efficiently build a variety of learning experiences using the best tool for the learning objective at hand  .

Teaching with Core Modification (Kinder - 3rd Grade) - 2 credits

**This class is required for all Kindergarten - 3rd Grade teachers new to Crane School District or new to these grade levels.** 

Primary Reading:

This class is designed for teachers using Harcourt Trophies as their core reading program.  For Kinder - 3rd Grade teachers, the class introduces the five components of reading and the research to support instruction in these areas.  The primary emphasis will be on explicit, systematic instruction of phoenic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, using effective instructional techniques