Whether you are at home in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, or you are just simply enjoying the relaxing days of summer, us teachers are always looking for great online PD in our PJs.
As I write this article, we all are at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Schools are closed. Parents are trying to help their kids at home. Everyone is adjusting to the new reality. And we are just plain scared. [At least I am, you may be cool beans.] Thousands of us are at home taking care of our health and our families… and with this being said: we miss our students so so dearly.
I have been doing a couple of things to keep me occupied: I have been running on the treadmill, cooking my boys’ favorite meals, planning for digital learning, creating a new set of Kindergarten BUILD centers for my TPT store, and taking a lot of online PD. Today, I wanted to share the top seven online PDs that I have looked at during this time.
Google Certified Educator
Obtaining Google certification is quite a significant accomplishment. If you are up only for level 1, because let’s be honest… time, you will be able to show off your knowledge the G suite products adapted to your instruction. This is time consuming, a total of 85 hours! But oh-so worth it! You can receive DLCs [digital learning credits] from your district, and add a nice badge at the end of your email signature.
Seesaw Ambassador
Has anyone else been using Seesaw for a while? 🙋🏼♀️ Well, Seesaw has an ambassador program that is ALWAYS OPEN! The training is free, online , and super flexible so that you can adapt to you already busy schedule. You do have to get a refresher every year in order to keep the “ambassador” badge.
Go Formative Certified Educator
Formative is a website that allows you to create your own materials [quizzes], which you can use as exit tickets, formal assessment, or as a mean to make mid-course corrections if needed. In my opinion, Go Formative provides a top notch service because it not only allows you create an online quiz database, but it also provides data that allows you move your students forward with intention and precision. Their certification program is not always open. As of right now, it will be open during the summer months.
Certified BrainPOP Educator Program
Well, who doesn’t use and LOVE BrainPOP? I use BrainPOP Jr. clips as an activating strategy when I introduce anew concept or standard. However, BrainPOP is waaaay more than just 10 minute clips! And you will be able to learn the scope of services that BrainPOP provides and how they can help you differentiate in a engaging manner. You have to register to be BrainPOP certified, so stay tuned!
Actively Learn
This is the super duper McDaddy of close reading sites. It allows you to provide differentiated text for every level, tons of genres, and more! It has a translation tool [for your ELs], highlights, annotates… you name it. Their Ambassador program will require you to present to your staff, you get a full bag of swag, a $200 stipend, and recognition.
Kahoot! Certified for Schools
If you are interested in maximizing your students’ learning, Kahoot! is definitely a tool that can help. There are 3 levels of certification: bronze, silver, and gold. With each level you are expected to show more proficiency, they will show you from how to navigate the site, to differentiating and using Kahoot! for formative assessment. The certification is always open and each of the levels takes about 1 hr. to complete.
PBS Media Literacy Educator
I wanted to leave the best online PD for teachers last. This FREE certification program by PBS will teach you many skills including:
- evaluating, creating, and sharing media effectively to support their own learning
- designing and implementing instruction and assessing student learning of these same skills
This PD will take you about 90 hrs. to complete. You will have to master 8 micro-credentials before the media literacy educator badge is awarded.
I hope this post has been informational, and provides you with different online PD for teachers… which will help you grow as a teachie educator!
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