Core Connection Course Catalog
Controversy in the Classroom 3: A Forum For Educators
The primary objective of this course is to foster a collaborative network where educators can share effective skills and strategies. Participants will leave with valuable resources and practical approaches to confidently address emerging and evolving controversies within the educational environment…
Book Study: Supporting Student Mental Health: Essentials for Teachers
In this timely study of the book, Supporting Student Mental Health: Essentials for Teachers, by Michael Haas and Amy Ardell, you'll gain foundational knowledge and ready-to-use strategies to support your students' mental health. This course equips all staff, including Teaching Assistants, with concrete tools you can implement immediately while building your confidence to recognize and respond to student mental health needs in today's classroom…
Summer Camp in January
Reconnect with the joy and curiosity of summer camp as you explore inquiry-based learning in this professional learning opportunity designed by our Math, Literacy, Science, and Special Education Coaches in partnership with NYS DEC educators. Through two immersive sessions at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and guided classroom application, all educators—across all settings—will learn to build environmental literacy, foster inquiry, and bring the outdoors into everyday teaching…
180 Days of Self-Care for Busy Educators Book Study
Everyone says that educators need to do better or practice more self-care…but how?! This book study of 180 Days of Self-Care for Busy Educators will help educators to explore self-care strategies and techniques that will help to improve their overall well-being inside and outside of the classroom…
Productive Math Struggle: A 6-Point Action Plan for Fostering Perseverance Book Study
This Book Study of Productive Math Struggle: A 6-Point Action Plan for Fostering Perseverance provides a practical, six-action framework to guide teachers in using challenges as growth opportunities. It includes actionable strategies, classroom tasks, grade-level examples, and real student work to illustrate how to implement productive math struggle. Centered on the belief that math is a way of thinking rather than simply finding answers, the book aims to empower students to persevere, develop strong learning habits, and apply these skills beyond the classroom…
Math for English Majors - A Book Study
Join us for this book study aimed to help math minded people understand how others see the subject, and vice-versa. Ben Orlin's book, Math for English Majors: A Human Take on the Universal Language, connects mathematics to the concepts of language and literature. By reframing mathematical principles through a familiar, humane lens, Orlin aims to demystify the subject for those who felt intimidated by it in school…
Quiet Wisdom: Continuing our Exploration of Contemplative Practices in Teaching
Inspired by Quiet Wisdom: Exploring Contemplative Practices in Teaching, this all new session of Quiet Wisdom will dive deeper into some previously explored contemplative practices for educators, as well as expand our repertoire of self-care for transitions, new seasons, and holidays. Both new and past participants are encouraged to attend…
Book Study: Motivating the Unmotivated by Rob Plevin (with excerpts from Motivational Interviewing in Schools)
Join us for a dynamic course that pairs a book study entitled Motivating the Unmotivated by Rob Plevin with PDF excerpts from Motivational Interviewing in Schools by Keith C. Herman, Wendy M. Reinke and Andy J. Frey in order to explore strategies that empower teachers to reach and have lasting impact with even the most challenging, disengaged students…
We Belong Book Study Follow up
Through structured reflection, discussion, and goal-setting, participants will analyze their experiences, refine their approaches, and create a plan for sustaining and enhancing a culture of belonging in their classrooms and schools. *This course is designed for educators who have previously explored and implemented the strategies in WE BELONG…
Making Thinking Visible: Transforming Content-Area Instruction with Thinking Routines (Grades 7-12)
This asynchronous professional learning course guides middle and high school content-area teachers through research-based approaches to teaching thinking, and practical implementation of thinking routines based on Ron Ritchhart and Mark Church's influential work, The Power of Making Thinking Visible…
BOOK STUDY: Distracted: Why Students Can't Focus and What You Can Do About It
In today's classrooms, student attention is more fragmented than ever, and traditional teaching strategies often struggle to compete with digital distractions. How do we regain students' attention and foster effective communities in the new cell phone free classroom? In this engaging book study, we will explore Distracted by James M. Lang, a practical guide for understanding why students struggle to focus and what educators can do to reclaim their attention…
Cultivating Mathematical Hearts: Culturally Responsive Mathematics Teaching in Elementary Classrooms Book Study
Cultivating Mathematical Hearts positions mathematics as a humanizing, joyful, and culturally grounded learning experience. The book introduces a framework and the Culturally Responsive Mathematics Teaching Tool (CRMT²) designed to help teachers create inclusive, student-centered math classrooms. Through this model, educators learn how to honor students' cultural backgrounds, elevate diverse mathematical ideas, ensure equitable access to rigorous learning, and foster agency, engagement, and curiosity…
Book Study: 100% Engagement by Brian Sztbanik and Susan Barber
This asynchronous book study of 100% Engagement offers practical lessons and strategies for English teachers to use in their classroom. It will help increase student engagement, motivation and success…
Mathematics Tasks for the Thinking Classroom Grades 6-12 Book Study
Join us for a study of Mathematics Tasks for the Thinking Classroom Grades6-12 by Peter Liljedahl and Kyle Webb. This text serves as a practical companion to the foundational Building Thinking Classrooms framework, specifically focusing on task selection and implementation to transform mathematics instruction. Teachers will find concrete guidance on how to choose appropriate tasks for their specific standards and learning goals, along with detailed implementation strategies that include task setup, facilitation techniques, and assessment approaches…
Outdoor Minds: Connecting Students with Nature Through Innovative Outdoor Education
Reimagine learning beyond the classroom walls as you explore how nature-based inquiry can transform teaching and deepen student engagement. This course equips educators with practical strategies and collaborative support to bring the natural world into everyday instruction…
Book Study: Untethered by Doug Bolton Ph.D.
Untethered by Doug Bolton, Ph.D., offers insight on the devastating and lasting impact of trauma on students and how educators can combat it through the power of community. The goal of this course is full implementation of the practical strategies outlined within this book to maximize student impact…
Book Study: Revolving Literacy by Lorraine M. Radice
Revolving Literacy is a practical guide applying a future skills framework into curriculum. It will help to increase student engagement and student agency. It will also help educators enhance 21st century skills in our students…