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NEARI Professional Development Program
NEA Rhode Island is proud to offer professional development to members in order to support your work in the classroom/workplace.
2024-2025 PD Requests for Proposals
NEARI is looking for Proposals for 90 minute to 2 hour sessions for Professional Development for our members.
NEARI is 12,000 members strong, we are classroom teachers; education support professionals; higher education faculty, staff, and graduate assistants; and municipal and state workers.
In your responses, please be as specific as possible regarding what you will be presenting, the type of activities and/or interaction, and for whom the session is targeted.
Additionally, if you are willing to present your session via zoom, in person at NEARI HQ, or on the road at one of our locals, please let us know. Stipend for work provided is based upon length of session and planning time. Please reach out to Amanda Scott with any questions.
2024-2025 Professional Development Offerings
Don't forget to check out the Learning Portal for asynchronous options for PD too!
NEARI Learning Portal
NEARI has a new registration and learning management system that will help centralize trainings and workshops and allow learners to access their portfolio throughout the year. Upon completion of a PD course, you can generate a PLU certificate right from the system and look back at your training history.
The link below will bring you to our new LearnUpon system. When you reach the NEARI Learning Portal sign-in page:
- Find "Don't have an account?" and click Register now.
- You will be prompted to enter your email address and create and confirm a password.
- Once logged in as a learner, you can view the full catalog of offerings by selecting "Catalog" in the top navigation bar.
In addition to live and virtual course registration, the Learning Portal houses self-paced trainings from both NEARI and NEA to advance your professional development and sharpen your organizing skills.
Climate Micro-credentials
NEA partnered with members in the Arizona Education Association and worked with internal partners in NEA Teacher Quality (TQ) and the Center for Racial and Social Justice (CRSJ) to develop a stack of six climate and environmental justice micro-credentials. We also worked with external partners, Subject to Climate and the Aspen Institute’s This is Planet Ed. These micro-credentials include:
- Climate Change 101
- Climate Justice
- Mitigating Climate Change
- Adapting to Climate Change
- Community Outreach for Climate Change
- Integrating Climate Change into Classrooms
Access them on the NEA's Certification Bank or directly at the button below.
The NEARI Virtual Calming Room
The NEARI Virtual Calming Room is a place for students, families, faculty and staff to find tools to help manage stress, anxiety, feelings and emotions.
Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence Partnership
The National Education Association Rhode Island together in partnership with Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, Rhode Island Foundation, the Office of Governor Raimondo and the RI Department of Education are pleased to participate in this statewide offering of the highly-regarded Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence social and emotional learning course.
All preK-12 and afterschool program staff in Rhode Island will now have the opportunity to take "Social and Emotional Learning in Times of Uncertainty and Stress: Research-Based Strategies." This course is delivered by leading experts in the fields of psychology, education, and research at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. There is no course fee.
More on the Yale program
RISAS Trauma 101 for Educators
Rhode Island Student Assistance Services (RISAS) provides evidence-based programs in schools and communities to prevent substance use and promote mental health.
Rhode Island Student Assistance Services (RISAS) has made available video resources on their YouTube Channel centered on Trauma 101 for Educators. The RISAS YouTube Channel is an archive of on-your-own-time, at-your-own-pace professional development opportunities.
Step Up Your Remote Learning Skills
NEA launched seven new online courses to help you take your virtual classroom to the next level! In about 3 hours or less, you can get started with Seesaw, Google Classroom, or even become a better collaborator with colleagues from home. And best of all, you can complete each course (or all of them!) at home, for free, as part of your NEA membership.
NEARI Paraprofessionals PD Hub
This site organized by Tabitha Watjen (EPEA) offers a wide variety of online professional development offerings, professional reading materials, education related podcasts, Ted Talks, instructional tools and resources to meet the professional development needs of paraprofessional.
Self-Paced PD Playlists
PD Playlists offer a series of self-guided professional development opportunities on the following topics: Parents as Partners, The Power of Knowing Your Students, They Keys to Successful Collaboration and Formative Assessments. When the required tasks are completed, members will receive a certificate from NEARI: Each is 1.5 hours of PD credit
Professional Development Resources During Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic Distance Learning
Below you will find online professional development resources curated by the NEARI PD Committee. Links are provided for members by category.
Online Professional Development for Teachers
Many of these microcredentials were curated during Covid-19 distance learning, but may still be relevant learning experiences!
A micro-credential is a short, competency-based recognition that allows an educator to demonstrate mastery in a particular area, such as creating a safe learning environment for LGBTQ students or education policymaking. Our micro-credentials are grounded in research and best practice and designed to be:
- Personalized: You can create your own learning journey, based on your interests and career goals; gaps in your skills; and the specific needs of your students, school, and district.
- Flexible: You can study when it’s convenient for you, alone or with your peers.
- Performance-based: Unlike “sit-and-get” certifications, NEA micro-credentials are awarded based on demonstrated mastery of the subject matter, not just for showing up.
Full description of NEA Microcredentials: cgps.nea.org/micro-credentials/how-it-works/
Each Microcredential has detailed resources that can be used for Professional Development in addition or apart from the Microcredential.
RI Distance Learning Helpline
During this uncertain time, we are here to support you. The Fuse RI Fellow network is available to address your concerns, answer your questions, and provide troubleshooting advice as we all take on the challenge of creating distance learning environments. Please complete this brief form to share some contextual information about your question/need/issue and select the best time to chat. Thank you!
Technology can be a powerful tool to assist students with special needs or any sort of learning challenge. In particular the Chrome web browser allows users to install a wide variety of web extensions that provide tools that can help all learners, regardless of ability level.
Distance Learning Tips From One Teacher to Another
MTSS Rhode Island uses blended professional learning to support districts, schools, and individual educators in the implementation of a multi-tiered system of support framework. Onsite, face-to-face training and technical assistance is strategically paired with online learning to support Rhode Island educators with building and sustaining a multi-tiered system of support framework. BRIDGE-RI, MTSS Rhode Island's dedicated learning management system, allows educators to search for and enroll in high quality online professional learning on a variety of topics related to MTSS. Explore the sections below to learn more about MTSS Rhode Island's online professional learning opportunities through BRIDGE-RI.
Introduction to Anxiety Management in Schools
This one hour self-paced course is designed for educators and will provide a general introductory understanding of anxiety and the impact it has on children and teens. It is a foundational course that will introduce the basics of anxiety--including facts about anxiety, the physiology of anxiety, and how to understand the relationship among thoughts, feelings and behavior. It will also take a look at factors that maintain anxiety. Subsequent course(s) will provide evidence-based interventions that can be utilized with students in the classroom and this course will be a prerequisite.
Supporting Language Development in Mathematics
In this one hour self-paced course you will learn about the importance of vocabulary in math, understand the challenges of word problems and discover instructional practices to support language and vocabulary development through easy to implement practices you can do tomorrow.
Reading Foundational Skills: Phonological Awareness
This is the 3rd course in the Reading Foundational Skills pathway and it focuses on Phonological Awareness. Intended for elementary educators, para professionals, and administrators, the 3 hours self paced course connects to the Science of Reading and gives video examples of high quality instruction and assessment in phonological awareness. The course Introduction to Reading: Foundational Skills is a prerequisite. Other courses in the pathway include: Print Concepts, Phonics (in development), and Fluency (future).
RIASP & BRIDGE-RI Community of Practice (2nd Cohort)
On December 1st, 2020, RIASP held a webinar introducing BRIDGE-RI, the (new) Home of MTSS in Rhode Island to educational leaders. Then, we dug in deeper with our first Community of Practice. The Community of Practice is a series of opportunities for principals, assistant principals, and district folks to dig into a BRIDGE-RI course and discuss how they would use it and listen/learn from one another starting Thursday, July 8th and running weekly from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for five weeks (until early August). This Community of Practice group size will be capped at 25 participants.
BRIDGE-RI New Family Engagement Resources
To encourage effective family-school partnerships, MTSS Rhode Island has aligned with the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships (Mapp & Kuttner, 2013; Mapp & Bergman, 2019). This framework is built on the knowledge that collaborative family-school partnerships can lead to improved student outcomes, but only when both schools and families have the capacity to engage effectively. Check out MTSS Rhode Island’s new webpages designed to help schools and districts in creating effective family-school partnerships.
Here’s a list of digital tools and resources available to teacher/staff for Distance Learning.
Join NCTM as we celebrate our Centennial with 100 Days of Professional Learning with live 60-minute webinars presented by selected speakers from the NCTM Centennial Annual Meeting & Exposition program that was to take place in Chicago.
Each webinar will be held at 7 p.m. Eastern time on 100 selected days from April 1 leading up to the October NCTM 2020 Annual Meeting & Exposition in St. Louis. A variety of speakers and topics are geared to meet all grade bands and interests. Webinars will be recorded and made available at www.nctm.org/100 up to the St. Louis Annual Meeting.
Specifically see: PBS Learning Media: PreK-12 Resources for Emergency Closings
As teachers, students, and families deal with school closures, PBS LearningMedia producers and educators have come together to curate a special collection of resources organized by grade and subject area. Find videos, lesson plans, and activities that support learning at home. Create a free account to save and organize content.
Featured lesson plans in this collection contain full contextualization for the media they include. Plan and adapt our lessons in creative ways, using the Lesson Builder tool, Google Classroom, Remind, and more.
For early educators, we’ve assembled packets of printable activities to download and share with parents and students.
Spanish-language content:
Content coordinators from the San Diego County Office of Education curated this subject-specific list of resources to support distance learning.
The Smithsonian has launched a central portal highlighting an array of distance learning resources, from STEM webcasts to American history podcasts and comprehensive lesson plans. Offerings range from low- or no-tech (interviewing family members for oral history projects) to high-tech (diving into an interactive exploration module).
Online Professional Development for Paraprofessionals/Teacher Assistants
https://nea.certificationbank.com/NEA/Stack_Library
The micro-credential implementation support model brings educators together in collaborative groups, such as professional learning communities (PLCs), to focus on common learning goals. NEA's micro-credential offerings vary from Bully Free Schools, Supporting LGBTQ Students, to Classroom Management. Micro-credentials allow ESP the opportunity to move along the ESP Professional Growth Continuum through online professional development.
Link to full description of NEA Microcredentials: cgps.nea.org/micro-credentials/how-it-works/
Each Microcredential has detailed resources that can be used for Professional Development in addition or apart from the Microcredential
NEA ESP Quality Department in the Center of Great Public Schools, in collaboration with various professionals in the education workforce, have created a wide variety of professional development webinars designed to support the professional growth of Education Support Professionals (ESP).
Education Support Professionals (ESP) play a key role in ensuring student success, and their positive impact can be enhanced when there are clear expectations, when they are valued, and when they have opportunities for professional growth. To help ESP reach their professional potential, we’ve developed the ESP Professional Growth Continuum (PGC) through participatory action research and with the active involvement of ESP and other stakeholders. The PGC provides clear pathways for professional learning and growth throughout the careers of ESP.
The ESP Professional Growth Continuum (PGC) consists of eight Universal Standards within three Levels of Practice. The three Levels of Practice begin with Foundational, moving to Proficient, and working toward an Advanced/Mastery level of professional practice. These three Levels of Practice span across all nine ESP career families with opportunities for ESP to enhance their professional standing by being a role model, mentor, and/or leader at each level.
This podcast brings you advice from educators who have been there, done that. Get classroom management tips, lesson plan ideas, and other life-hacks to help inspire your career. Many episodes are ESP specific.
These trainings are designed to provide practical information regarding educational methods and resources that may be used by special education paraprofessionals working with students in a variety of educational settings.
Each AFIRM module focuses on an Evidenced Based Practices for learners with ASD and includes:
- engaging case examples that demonstrate the behavior or practice in use,
- multimedia presentation of content with audio and video clips, and
- interactive assessments that provide you with feedback based on your responses.
Trauma Sensitive Schools Online Professional Development
Welcome to DPI’s TSS Online Professional Development System. This is a free, online, on-demand system consisting of three primary components. Through this system, learners will understand the prevalence and impact of toxic stress on youth and those who care for them. Additionally, participants will understand how to infuse the values of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment into various aspects of their existing equitable multi-level system of support. This infusion is what we call the trauma-informed lens.
Build Your SEL Expertise
The purpose of this page is to provide an array of resources on various topics for educators to broaden their understanding of social and emotional learning. Topics listed will have current articles, videos, websites, and more to support those who wish to build their social and emotional learning expertise.
MTSS Rhode Island uses blended professional learning to support districts, schools, and individual educators in the implementation of a multi-tiered system of support framework. Onsite, face-to-face training and technical assistance is strategically paired with online learning to support Rhode Island educators with building and sustaining a multi-tiered system of support framework. BRIDGE-RI, MTSS Rhode Island's dedicated learning management system, allows educators to search for and enroll in high quality online professional learning on a variety of topics related to MTSS. Explore the sections below to learn more about MTSS Rhode Island's online professional learning opportunities through BRIDGE-RI.
Online Professional Development for Secretarial and Clerical Staff
Microcredential Library:
nea.certificationbank.com/NEA/Stack_Library
Create an Account to Access Microcredentials here:
nea.certificationbank.com/
Education Support Professionals: Professional Growth Continuum:
nea.certificationbank.com
You will learn how to use The Universal Standards and Levels of Practice to reflect on current levels of skills and knowledge, and map out the area(s) that can be strengthened or improved upon in order to move along the continuum of professional growth.
Online Professional Development for Custodian and Maintenance Staff
Microcredential Library
nea.certificationbank.com/NEA/Stack_Library
Education Support Professionals: Professional Growth Continuum
You will learn how to use The Universal Standards and Levels of Practice to reflect on current levels of skills and knowledge, and map out the area(s) that can be strengthened or improved upon in order to move along the continuum of professional growth.
Protecting Yourself from COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases
2-Hour Virtually Delivered, NO-COST Training
The New England Consortium, based at UMass Lowell, offers a 2-hour awareness training in protecting yourself from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. TNEC is a worker health and safety training program funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and since 1987 has delivered training to workers in New England in hazardous materials and emergency response, disaster preparedness, infectious disease preparedness, and general workplace health and safety. This no-cost training is delivered virtually with live instructors.
This course will be offered from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on specific dates, click below for details.
Highlander Institute
RI Distance Learning Helpline
During this uncertain time, we are here to support you. The Fuse RI Fellow network is available to address your concerns, answer your questions, and provide troubleshooting advice as we all take on the challenge of creating distance learning environments. Please complete this brief form to share some contextual information about your question/need/issue and select the best time to chat. Thank you!
Young Educators Society Virtual Teaching Resources
Google for Education Training
Registration
If registration is full to capacity and closed to new registrants, please email Amanda Scott to be added to a waitlist.
Join the PD Committee!
Get involved in planning the Professional Development calendar! Any and all members are welcome to join the PD Committee - Contact Amanda for more information