Core Connection Course Catalog
AI Thought Leaders: Building Leadership for AI-Enhanced Teaching and Learning
Ready to become the AI champion your school needs? This advanced professional learning course transforms experienced AI practitioners into confident instructional leaders who guide colleagues with clarity, credibility, and care through the complexities of AI integration in K-12 classrooms…
Book Study - 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People
This asynchronous book study explores the cutting-edge research from psychologist David Yeager, as detailed in his book 10 to 25. We will explore the neuroscience of the adolescent brain, focusing on how puberty sparks a deep need for social respect and an aversion to shame that lasts into the mid-twenties. Participants will develop effective and easy-to-learn practices to reduce a wide variety of behavior problems, including school dropout, stress, and mental health struggles…
Canva for Teaching: Connect & Innovate
This course will empower you to use AI for instant lesson generation, build collaborative whiteboards for real-time student engagement, and design interactive activities that promote independent learning. You will move from simply creating materials to designing a dynamic, AI-enhanced learning environment that saves you time while boosting student participation…
Choral Counting & Counting Collections, K-5 Book Study
In this course, you will learn how to deepen your student's understanding of mathematics through the use of choral counting and counting collections. The open-ended counting allows for students to build academic and social skills while engaging in hands-on activities that build mathematical thinking skills…
Made in America: Teaching 250 Years of History through the Arts
This 15-hour asynchronous, self-paced professional learning course is designed exclusively for New York State visual arts, music, dance, theater, and media arts educators who believe that the arts are not a supplement to history, they ARE history. Through engaging video content, thought-provoking readings, interactive activities, and a culminating applied project, you will build a complete, ready-to-teach instructional unit that honors the semiquincentennial through the discipline(s) you know best…
Number Talks: Whole Number Computation, Grades K-5 Book Study
Using the book, Number Talks: Whole Number Computation, we’ll explore what classroom number talk is, why to do number talks and how a number talk flows. Gain insight into how to establish and set expectations for your number talks as well as how to use tools to support student strategies during this time. The course will allow teachers to focus on K-2 classrooms or 3-5 classrooms once we've covered the basics…
Studio to Classroom: Reclaiming Your Artist Identity
Studio to Classroom: Reclaiming Your Artist Identity is a dynamic professional learning experience designed specifically for K-12 art teachers. This course centers personal artmaking as a powerful tool for transforming classroom practice. Participants will engage in meaningful, low-supply studio challenges that mirror the creative constraints students experience every day…
Teaching Phonics & Word Study in the Intermediate Grades
In this 15-hour asynchronous course, participants will explore Wiley Blevins' book Teaching Phonics & Word Study in the Intermediate Grades. Participants will love the practical, research-based strategies for strengthening phonics and word study instruction in grades 3-6…
Thinking Beyond Dates and Facts: Integrating Historical Thinking Across the Curriculum (Grades 7-12)
In today's classrooms, students need more than content knowledge-they need the ability to think critically, evaluate information, and understand context. Thinking Beyond Dates and Facts: Integrating Historical Thinking Across the Curriculum (Grades 7-12) is a 3-week asynchronous course that empowers educators to embed these essential skills into any subject area. By the end of the course, educators will leave with practical strategies, fresh perspectives, and ready-to-use lessons that promote critical thinking, engagement, and meaningful, real-world connections…
We Shall Overcome: Integrating Music, Art and Social Justice in the Classroom
This course explores the powerful role of music and visual art in movements for social change. Through collaborative dialogue and hands-on planning, participants will explore how integrating music and visual art can deepen student understanding of historical and contemporary justice movements. Designed for music and art educators, this course invites thoughtful conversation, critical thinking, and meaningful collaboration…
Echoes and Expressions: An Advanced Invitational Summer Institute
The Advanced Invitational Summer Institute will include educators in or out of the classroom who have completed any of our 20+ ISIs, participating in a 5-day experience of writing in community…
New Mentor Training - Online and Asynchronous
This rigorous course guides veteran teachers through the analysis of the knowledge and attributes critical to teacher mentoring as well as fundamental instructional practices. Participants will practice primary mentor actions including listening, observing, monitoring and coaching while continually reflecting on their own growth as measured by the NYSED standards for mentoring…
Skidmore Jazz Institute Teacher Summit
On Thursday, July 9th, The Skidmore Jazz Institute will present a day-long program of master classes with the Institute's faculty including Todd Coolman, Dennis Mackrel, Bill Cunliffe, Russell Haight, James Burton III, Tatum Greenblatt, Brian Carucci, and Drew Lammly. Topics will include rhythm section, brass section, and saxophone section fundamentals. Participants will attend the Institute classes as well as the concluding concert featuring the Skidmore Jazz Faculty All-Stars…
Everyday Teaching Activities for Social Emotional Learning
This 5-week asynchronous book study of Nurturing Students’ Character - Everyday Teaching Activities for Social-Emotional Learning will guide you in understanding the components of social, emotional learning (SEL) and character development (SECD)…
Back to School with Canva
This 15-hour asynchronous course lets you design back-to-school materials you'll actually want to use. With Canva, you'll create a refreshed syllabus, a "Meet the Teacher” poster, a September newsletter template, a daily agenda, and classroom procedures visuals. Walk into the first day with confidence, style, and materials that make your classroom look as amazing as your teaching…
Building a Trauma-Informed Restorative School
Join us for a summer book study entitled Building a Trauma-Informed Restorative School: Skills and Approaches for Improving Culture and Behavior by Joe Brummer. Participants will engage in weekly reflections and will leave this course equipped with specific strategies to implement restorative and trauma-informed practices to maximize student impact…
Fostering Creativity in the Science Classroom
While educators universally agree on the importance of creativity, research shows a troubling trend: 98% of kindergarteners demonstrate high creative capacity, but that number plummets to just 12% by age 15. This asynchronous professional learning course provides science teachers with a practical, evidence-based framework to reverse this trend and systematically develop students' creative capabilities alongside content mastery…
The Science of Reading for Multilingual Learners Toolkit
The Science of Reading for Multilingual Learners Toolkit presents research on teaching literacy to ELLs and MLs, and provides guidance on how to put these ideas into practice. In this five-week, self-paced online course, participants will explore the Toolkit and related resources to deepen their understanding of evidence-based literacy instruction…
NYSSLS Chemistry Storyline Collaborative: Summer Planning Session
Are you looking to transition your chemistry instruction away from traditional topic-by-topic coverage and toward genuine student sensemaking? Join other dedicated educators in developing NYSSLS-aligned storyline curricula for New York State high school chemistry classrooms. Participants will develop robust chemistry storyline components independently, sharing progress and insights with the group for feedback…
The Need to Read Books Series Part 6
Some young adult books have become canonized and are revisited and taught over and over again by educators. This course will examine 25 of the most influential Young Adult books from the past 25 years (canon-worthy list from School Library Journal) and analyze how they have aged over time and if they are still must-teach books…