Natalie Madden | Online Learning for Teachers pursuing Continuing Education and Professional Development | The Connecting Link

 

Natalie Madden

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Natalie has a Master of Education degree and has taught 8th-grade physical science classes for 18 years.  Natalie has also developed and implemented the school district’s accelerated physics curriculum and taught it remotely and in person.  Natalie has worked with her school’s leadership team for many years, focusing primarily on truancy and student attendance, and has been a science curriculum member and science team leader for multiple years.

While teaching 8th graders all day and joining the TCL team, Natalie is married with 2 daughters.  Her daughters participate in Tae Kwon Do and are currently on the local swim team.  Natalie loves to stay active, including attending classes at OrangeTheory Fitness, swimming in the backyard pool, and playing basketball with her girls. 

Participants in this course will learn and explore research-based strategies and frameworks that foster a classroom climate (in both virtual and in-person settings) that maximizes each student’s full learning potential. Strategies for creating a high-functioning learning community can promote skills that are critical for success both inside and outside of the classroom. The course will provide participants the strategies and techniques to design and foster environments, which are conducive to a safe place for teaching, learning, and connecting the community to the school. Participants’ classroom leadership abilities are developed as a result of engaging in this learning experience. Participants will learn ways to create a students-centered approach to classroom rules, norms, managing disruptive behavior through positive discipline, increase student responsibility/accountability, how social and emotional needs impact classroom management, and how grading/assessment practices can add to their classroom management culture. Self-assessment and reflection are built into the course activities, projects, and discussions so that participants can examine their growth in fostering a better student-teacher relationship that improves the classroom environment.
Course #: IMS25547
Dates: 08/04/25 - 08/17/25
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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This course provides participants with a solid framework for planning, implementing and maintaining successful co-teaching relationships that improve the learning instruction of all students. Participants will reflect on the definition of co-teaching, components of the co-teaching relationship, examine a variety of co-teaching models and how they support student learning, and evaluate their current co-teaching programs. Participants will leave the course knowing several co-teaching practices between general and special education teachers, as well as, between two general education teachers in the same classroom, and how to effectively work as a co-teaching partner to create opportunities for success for all learners.
Course #: IMS25546
Dates: 08/11/25 - 08/24/25
Categories:

21st-Century Teaching Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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From looking beyond the ‘autism spectrum disorder’ label to preparing students for adulthood, this course is designed to empower educators with effective, research-based strategies to incorporate into their classrooms and professional practices. Course participants will examine nine strength-based mindsets necessary for navigating autism - as presented by Dr. Temple Grandin and psychologist Dr. Debra Moore. This course prepares educators by emphasizing strengths and assets of individuals with autism to maximize their potential inside and outside of school.
Course #: IMF25000
Dates: 09/01/25 - 09/28/25
Categories:

Equity & Diversity 21st-Century Teaching Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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This course is designed to help educators build a classroom structure where all students feel empowered and included in the classroom environment. Through the use of videos, readings, personal reflection, and online forum questions, participants will experience the multicultural classroom, as well as learn methods to implement strategies in their own classroom. Participants will learn to shape and maintain learning conditions that facilitate a multicultural perspective during instruction, including how to identify and promote diversity, multicultural learning styles, create culturally aware lesson plans and activities, using social emotional learning strategies to impact classroom management, and strategies/ideas to educate parents on the multicultural classroom. Participants will leave the course with resources and strategies to reach students in a variety of cultures and educate them on the importance of understanding a multicultural classroom and the benefits of being multiculturally competent.
Course #: IMF25005
Dates: 09/29/25 - 10/26/25
Categories:

Equity & Diversity Positive Classroom Management

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will examine research-based proactive practices and best practices of the alternative discipline. Strategies for improving classroom and school culture through the use of alternative discipline will be explored. Participants will reflect on their discipline philosophy to establish a framework for growth to effectively implement positive alternative discipline interventions and strategies. Participants will learn about alternatives to school discipline and the most effective ways to reach students and to reward positive behaviors. When students do misbehave participants will learn ways that students can still receive appropriate instructional time and be part of the classroom community. Participants will leave the course with a toolkit of resources to impact their classroom and school community through alternative discipline.
Course #: IMF25012
Dates: 10/27/25 - 11/23/25
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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