Blogs We are shifting our calendars to sunnier skies and warmer weather – a perfect time to share the hottest 5 courses educators are taking! Read on to find out why these courses are consistent teacher favorites!
5833: One Stop Shop: Online Docs, Spreadsheets, Slides, and Forms *recently updated!
What It Covers:
This teacher favorite is the perfect course for exploring commonly used Google Apps for Education and learning how Google’s AI chatbot, Gemini, can support planning and lesson design. Each module of this course includes tutorials on getting started, highlights key features, and guides you in creating a practical product you can use in your classroom right away. Whether you are new to Google for Education or simply looking to refresh your skills, this course is a great place to start.
Why We Love It:
This course is designed to meet participants where they are, with assignment options for both new users and more experienced Google users. Participants can tailor their learning experience to their comfort level while creating meaningful, relevant end products. The addition of Gemini AI really makes this course shine, offering practical ways to use Gemini as a teacher helper to streamline planning, enhance instruction, and optimize teaching practice.
5849: Raise the Bar: Positive Interventions for Students Who Challenge Us *recently updated!
What it Covers:
This course begins with basic knowledge of functions of behavior, moves through student engagement, self-regulation, and interventions, along with formal approaches to behavior assessment.
Why We Love It:
Raise the Bar boils down to the old (and true!) adage that “all behavior is communication.” This course focuses on eliciting positive behavior responses from students, which includes both important social skills and replacement behaviors. In addition, we offer resources on crisis management for when behaviors might escalate. Your understanding of positive behavior reinforcement will soar in this course, and you’ll have the tools to help students self-regulate and function more productively!
5286: Unlocking the Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Education
What it Covers:
Learn the basics of what AI really is; spoiler: not a scary overlord ready to replace our jobs! In fact, you probably already use AI in your day-to-day life. This course explores AI uses and considers important safety and ethics concerns. You’ll get hands-on experience working with common AI sites and be guided through prompts to communicate with a variety of chatbots to receive the most beneficial outputs.
Why We Love it:
Perfect for new and hesitant AI users, this is truly our AI 101 course! This learning experience takes you behind the curtain to learn how AI works, why it works, and its potential applications in education. Learn practical strategies for using AI to enhance efficiency and inclusivity in your teaching, and explore ways to integrate AI with students to promote greater engagement, creativity, and productivity. If you are looking for a gentle introduction into the vast world of AI, you’ve found it.
5102: Anxiety Awareness: Empowering Students with Help and Hope
What it Covers:
31.9% of students suffer from anxiety – what can educators do? This course is a fantastic look at what anxiety is, how it works, and how it can affect students. We’ve also included plenty of strategies and ideas for teaching anxiety coping skills.
Why We Love it:
The “engine” that makes this course run lives in the documentary Angst, which focuses on student anxiety. Through research and student and expert testimony, you’ll get a deep understanding of how anxiety manifests itself in our students, along with coping strategies you can use in the moment. The course also highlights ways social media can be involved with anxiety, how to talk with someone who is experiencing anxiety, and how to make accommodations for students with anxiety for tasks during the school day.
5643: Trust, Humor, Praise, and Connection for Meaningful Relationships with Students
What it Covers:
This course focuses on the relationships students build with their teachers that allow them to succeed. It is in these connections where students really thrive and feel safe to explore who they are and how they learn. The name says it all!
What we love about it:
We know connections with students influence engagement, behavior management, and student success. This course does a great job of highlighting teacher strengths to deepen relationships with students. Have a great sense of humor? Use it to make your students laugh and feel welcome. Provide authentic and productive praise to lift students when they need a win. Empower students to work harder than you within opportunities for agency. This course is a great boost, with strategies and ideas for creating meaningful relationships with your students.
If you’d like to take a bit of the guesswork out of choosing a superstar, start with the above courses! With so many great options to choose from, it’s impossible to go wrong with Teaching Channel!
About the Author
Betsy Butler (she/her) is a Professional Learning Specialist at Teaching Channel. She holds a B.A. in English, a Master’s in Education, and has been teaching since 1992. Betsy uses her three decades of teaching experience to write and revise our courses while selecting the perfect accompanying texts. Her specialty areas include ELA, special education topics, behavior management, and mental health.
Fun Fact: Betsy’s daily conquest is solving the New York Times crossword puzzle!
