Teacher Training Institute

Professional Development and Training 

Week 1 Workshop
Equity and Inclusion: Benefitting from differences in the classroom and culturally responsive pedagogy

Teaching for change through equitable, culturally responsive pedagogy is and will continue to be a priority of educational institutions moving forward. This workshop introduces participants to a range of sustainable, culturally-responsive, and equitable strategies for intentional student support, while furthering an understanding of social identifiers, implicit bias and their existence in the classroom and curriculum.  Participants will learn specific design considerations to curate content, create conditions that support students in accessing and engaging in learning, offer feedback, and leverage students’ stories and voices to foster a sense of belonging in the “classroom.” This workshop will make room for participants to reflect on prior learning experiences, set personal goals, and empower them to act on their takeaways.
 

Week 2 Workshop
Community by Design: A guide to build and maintain a sense of belonging

With the shift to remote and hybrid learning, educators have been challenged to more intentionally create and maintain robust communities of learners and peer collaborators. Whether a classroom is remote, in-person, or hybrid, fostering peer-to-peer collaboration and social interaction must be purposely integrated into curriculum design so that classrooms are equitable for and inclusive of all students. This workshop provides strategies to develop more purposeful, intentional collaborative learning experiences that teachers can use and adapt across disciplines, while taking into consideration the increasing challenge to mindfulness and mental health in our new fast paced environment. Participants will engage in a range of activities and exercises, short readings, and conversations that address the diverse racial, cognitive, and cultural needs of learners.
 

Week 3 Workshop
Curriculum for Today and Tomorrow: Designing curriculum leveraging technological tools for the future, addressing your students’ needs today

This workshop lays out the fundamentals of designing quality and engaging learning experiences for a variety of settings and disciplines. Participants will be introduced to learner-centered teaching strategies and approaches that could be implemented in their classrooms. By introducing a range of cutting edge classroom technologies to leverage their use in enhancing student engagement and subsequent achievement, participants will learn how to facilitate student learning and inspire creativity. Furthermore, participants will design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments, and promote model digital citizenship and responsibility. This workshop culminates with a project that demonstrates participants’ learning.    
 

Teaching Practicum with Mentoring

The Teaching Practicum with Mentoring allows aspiring teachers to put what they have learned in the Professional Development and Training workshops into practice. Aspiring teachers will be matched each by the TTI Program Director with two experienced teachers who will serve as their mentors. Aspiring teachers will work closely with their assigned mentors to co-teach two online courses based on their areas of study and interest. They will benefit from their mentors’ experience and advice aimed at empowering them with the knowledge, abilities, and attitudes, in an integrated way, necessary for the development of their profession. The aspiring teachers/mentees will design lesson-plans and synchronous and asynchronous activities and assessments. Furthermore, they will teach and offer feedback to their students. They will also plan and manage the goals and directions of their professional path.