SAS PD Center: Explore Professional Learning Opportunities

Pathways to Graduation: Guiding Students in Decision Making

Based upon Act 158, this two-hour module is designed for educators who recommend pathways for successful student graduation, with a focus on the CTE Concentrator, Alternative Assessment, and Evidence-Based Pathways.

 

SAS Overview - Using SAS Effectively

In this 5-hour module, participants will explore various components of PDE’s Standards Aligned System (SAS), how to utilize newer resources added to the SAS Portal, and how to effectively integrate these resources into their classroom to promote student achievement. The focus will be on examining targeted resources under the Curriculum Framework, Instruction, and Materials & Resources elements. Participants will identify and share how they can use these resources in their professional practice.

 

SAS Assessment Center

This five-hour module offers an in-depth look into the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Standards Aligned System (SAS) Assessment Center. Through the Assessment Center, you can build assessments by searching the database of standards-aligned items, create your own assessment item utilizing the step-by-step process, share your assessments, and examine the data once assessments are complete.

 

Educator Effectiveness: Supporting Student Achievement and Growth

This ten-hour module explores initiatives that are designed to improve professional practice and address the needs of today’s students and teachers in the following areas: remote learning, career readiness, research-based strategies, social-emotional learning (SEL), inclusion, cultural competence, and equity. An overview and strategies that can be used in the classroom to help meet the goals of each area are included in this module.

 

Curriculum Audit: Introduction

During this five-hour module, participants will explore what constitutes an equitable and culturally responsive curriculum, as well as key aspects of an effective curriculum. The differences between the written, taught, and assessed curriculum and tools for evaluating a curriculum’s equitability and cultural responsiveness will be shared. A user-friendly process for teachers to evaluate their own curriculum in order to make improvements and increase student achievement will also be examined. This module focuses on the foundations and preparations necessary for a successful curriculum audit. NOTE: Curriculum Audit: Introduction is the FIRST in a pair of two prerequisite modules. Since each subsequent module relies on the previous module's content and assessments, you need to take them in this order: Curriculum Audit: Introduction then Conducting a Curriculum Audit.

 

Conducting a Curriculum Audit 

In this five-hour module, participants will learn about curriculum design types and models to assist in understanding how the curriculum they will audit was developed and organized. Participants will review curriculum evaluation/audit tools presented in the previous module, as well as explore a new tool for evaluating the curriculum. Finally, participants will go through the steps of a curriculum audit, as well as use the tools presented, to conduct both a lesson and unit audit of their curriculum. Through this activity, participants will identify areas for improvement, prioritize them, and develop measures of success for the areas of improvement.

 

NOTE: This course is the second in a pair of two prerequisite modules. Since each subsequent module relies on the previous module's content and assessments, you need to take them in this order: Curriculum Audit: Introduction, and then Conducting a Curriculum Audit.

 

Deconstructing Standards

This five-hour module focuses on deconstructing learning standards so teachers can use the standards and learning targets (derived from the standards) in their daily practice. First, participants will have an overview of standards, why they are important for teachers and students, and how standards influence student achievement. Participants will explore what unpacking the standards means and how to do it. After unpacking the standards, participants will learn how to write learning targets from the unpacked standards. Finally, techniques addressing how to assess the standards will be shared.

 

Addressing Learning Gaps

This five-hour module focuses on addressing learning gaps of students. This module begins with a basic understanding of what learning gaps are, includes factors that contribute to learning gaps, and identifies different types of learning gaps. It then moves into strategies to identify learning gaps, as well as practical strategies to address learning gaps. The module concludes with offering ideas on how teachers can assist in preventing learning gaps.

 

Trauma-Informed Programs:

• Introduction to Trauma-Informed Practices (Module 1)

This one-hour module will introduce you to Pennsylvania’s approach to trauma-informed schools with a goal of developing common language and providing a comprehensive introduction to trauma and trauma-informed schools.

• Trauma-Informed Programs: Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Learning Environment (Module 2)

This one-hour module will discuss Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) with a focus on how they can impact development and learning, as well as introduce you to the concept of resiliency.

 

• Trauma-Informed Programs: Neuroscience (Module 3)

This one-hour module will discuss child development through a neurodevelopmental focus.

 

• Trauma-Informed Programs: Self-Care (Module 4)

This one-hour module will discuss self-care from an organizational and individual perspective.

 

• Trauma-Informed Programs: Building Trauma-Informed Schools (Module 5)

This one-hour module will discuss how to build and maintain trauma-informed schools with a focus on using the five trauma-informed care values throughout the implementation process.

 

Career Ready Skills:

• Planning and Integrating the PA Career Ready Skills into the School Environment (Module 2)

Participants will engage in examining and creating strategies to incorporate the PA Ready Skills into the school environment. Current initiatives and local data will be used to create an integration action plan.

NOTE: Planning and Integrating the PA Career Ready Skills Into the School Environment is the SECOND in a series of three prerequisite modules. Since each subsequent module relies on the previous module's content and assessments, you need to take them in this order: Social-Emotional Learning and Career Ready Skills, Planning and Integrating the PA Career Ready Skills Into the School Environment, and Creating a Culture for PA CRS Sustainability.

 

• Creating a Culture for PA CRS Sustainability (Module 3)

Based on the skills you gained and planning you conducted during and after the first two modules, this final module, Creating a Culture for PA Career Ready Skills (CRS) Sustainability, represents a culminating point for effective professional practice. This module provides resources to engage in long-term sustainability of integrated social-emotional learning (SEL) practices.

NOTE: Creating a Culture for PA CRS Sustainability is the THIRD in a series of three prerequisite modules. Since each subsequent module relies on the previous module's content and assessments, you need to take them in this order: Social-Emotional Learning and Career Ready Skills, Planning and Integrating the PA Career Ready Skills into the School Environment, and Creating a Culture for PA CRS Sustainability.