NEW FREE MOOCs from Stanford Online Learning

Hola Gente! I've been away, learning my new curriculum for a few weeks, but I'm back with a whole new series of blog posts for you over the next few weeks! Most urgently, I wanted to share with you some new MOOCs that are free to anyone from Stanford Online Learning. All of the MOOCs I have taken from them have been high-quality and extremely relevant. Please take a minute to look at what's available. If you plan on signing up for one, let me know in the comments! Late to the game? Don't fear, you can always sign up after the start date (though within the first two weeks is preferable). EDUCATION

CONSTRUCTIVE CLASSROOM CONVERSATIONS: MASTERING LANGUAGE FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS (ELEMENTARY) Starts October 1 This fourteen-week course looks closely at student-to-student conversations and addresses ways to improve students' abilities to engage in the types of interactions described in the new standards. It consists of four sessions with three weeks between each session. Learning in this course relies heavily on participant contributions and comments, especially in the team collaboration setting. Learn More >

CONSTRUCTIVE CLASSROOM CONVERSATIONS: MASTERING LANGUAGE FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS (SECONDARY) Starts October 1 This fourteen-week course is focused on the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, which emphasize improving the quality of student-to-student discourse as a major feature of instruction. The sessions and assignments are designed for participants who teach or have access to classrooms in which they can gather samples of students’ conversation during lessons, and learn ways to improve students' abilities to engage in the types of interactions described in the new standards. The course includes resources and tasks for instructional coaches and others who support teachers and build school-wide capacity. Learn More >

SUPPORTING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS UNDER THE NEW STANDARDS Starts October 1 In this seven-week course, participants will use a range of practical tools for gathering and analyzing language samples that show how students currently construct claims supported by evidence and/or reasoning. Learn More >

New MOOC from Understanding Language at Stanford University - FREE!

Happy Thursday colleagues and friends!

I wanted to share some information with you about a free online class I will be taking from Stanford University. I thought you might be interested in it too, since we're going full throttle into Common Core next year. Information about the course is below. It's FREE and the first assignments aren't due until March 20th, so there is still time to sign up. Please let me know if you choose to participate! I would love to have a study buddy for the course!

From Understanding Language at Stanford University:

A team from the Understanding Language initiative at Stanford University that includes Drs. Kenji Hakuta, Jeff Zwiers, and Sara Rutherford-Quach, is launching their second set of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on Thursday, March 6th. These MOOCs cover similar material but are split into two separate courses, one designed for elementary educators (i.e. PreK-5 grades), Constructive Classroom Conversations: Mastering Language for the Common Core State Standards (Elementary) and the other targeted at secondary educators (i.e. 6-12 grades), Constructive Classroom Conversations: Mastering Language for the Common Core State Standards (Secondary). The courses focus specifically on how educators – and particularly educators of English language learners- can foster the kind of rigorous student-to-student academic discussions required by the Common Core State Standards. An original version of these courses was offered last fall, with more than 2,000 teachers actively participating. Potential participants should have access to a K-12 classroom, as the course assignments will require them to listen carefully to real conversations among their students, reflect upon this discourse, and plan instruction accordingly. Both courses are free of charge, but if a participant would like to receive an official record of completion from Stanford University with the approximate number of professional development hours to which the course is equivalent, he or she may pay a modest fee to do so.