Steve Novak | Online Learning for Teachers pursuing Continuing Education and Professional Development | The Connecting Link

 

Steve Novak

Instructor photo

Steve brings over thirty years' experience in K-12 education ranging from teacher, assistant principal, elementary school principal, administrator, project manager and executive coach. His graduate degrees are in Educational Administration and Supervision, and Music Education. Steve has designed professional development and workshops for teachers, directors, and parents on student assessments, 21st-century learning, Common Core Standards, Danielson Framework for Teaching and best practices. In his free time, he enjoys writing, listening to music, taking long walks, biking, and kayaking.

Educators today are tasked with improving student learning. This course equips educators in K-12 classrooms to do so. Participants in this course will examine many methodologies of different brain researched-based frameworks to help educators improve student learning and educate parents on their child’s learning strengths and weaknesses. Participants will gain knowledge of how the brain works and how educators can use brain-based strategies to improve memory and retrieval of information. The course will center around the research of Dr. Judy Willis, Dr. Eric Jensen, and others on understanding brain processes that can help educators rethink how they engage students in their own learning. Additional topics include developing lesson plans and activities with brain-based research in mind, critical thinking methodologies, teaching students to self-reflect on their own learning process and how they learn, looking at how social and emotional learning impacts learning, the impact learning styles have on thinking strategies, developing assessments built around brain-based learning principles, and connecting parents/home to brain-based learning to aid in their child’s cognitive development at home.
Course #: IMS23514
Dates: 07/10/23 - 07/23/23
Categories:

21st-Century Teaching Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will examine methodologies to facilitate the development of a culturally relevant classroom centered around research of Gloria Ladson-Billings, Geneva Gay, Django Paris, and H. Samy Alim, among others. Participants will reflect on their own teaching practices and explore strategies and frameworks that incorporate a student’s and school community’s cultural heritage and experiences; fostering a much more wholistic educational experience for all children. The foundations of culturally responsive teaching will be researched. Strategies for helping students, teachers, and parents understand what culturally relevant teaching is and how it is effectively implemented will be explored. Participants will learn how to create a culturally welcoming classroom, development and implement strategies for fostering relationships between different cultures in one’s classroom, and how to help students understand differences between cultures in a respectful manner. Additional topics include culturally responsive classroom management and discipline, including students with special needs in the culturally responsive classroom, and connecting parents/home to the culturally relevant classroom.
Course #: IMS23515
Dates: 07/10/23 - 07/23/23
Categories:

Equity & Diversity Positive Classroom Management

Format:

Interactive

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This course is designed to give educators at all levels (K-12) an overview of the complexities of bullying that include the bully, victim, and bystander. Bullying occurs in a variety of forms in every school and not only does it impact students, but parents and teachers as well. In this course, participants will explore current research and learn how to effectively combat a variety of bullying (physical, verbal, social, and cyberbullying), and construct a classroom culture of growth and mutual respect. Educators will develop effective tools for the identification and prevention of bullying behaviors, as well as tools to deal with the bully, victim, and bystanders to create opportunities for change which can positively influence student relationships and achievement.
Course #: IMS23516
Dates: 07/10/23 - 07/23/23
Categories:

Equity & Diversity 21st-Century Teaching

Format:

Interactive

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This course provides participants with a deep understanding of the value and benefits involved with incorporating a comprehensive approach to school health and wellness. With an emphasis on physical health, physical activity, nutrition, mental health, and social/emotional learning, this course is designed to help educators implement wellness practices and policies to make schools healthier places where both students and staff thrive. Participants in this course will also focus on the value of partnerships with fellow educators, school leaders, families/caregivers, and community leaders to provide consistent messaging and meaningful learning experiences intended to build a foundation for lifelong health and wellness.
Course #: IMS23517
Dates: 07/10/23 - 07/23/23
Categories:

Social & Emotional Learning Positive Classroom Management Teacher Health

Format:

Interactive

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This course is designed to provide educators with an in-depth understanding of how to foster the cognitive development of today’s children in PreK-2nd grades. From a focus on innovative tools and resources for teaching science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) to incorporating a multi-sensory approach to learning early literacy skills – teachers will discover valuable research-based instructional and assessment practices designed to help all students maximize their learning potential in both virtual and in-person classrooms. This course also includes an emphasis on the roles healthy lifestyles, social and emotional learning (SEL), family engagement, and the great outdoors play in building strong cognitive foundations for student success in school and beyond.
Course #: GMW23504
Dates: 04/24/23 - 05/21/23
Categories:

Early Childhood Education Content-Area Teaching Instructional Strategies

Format:

Online Structured

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This course will educate participants on the difference of a fixed or growth mindset, and how Appreciative Inquiry (AI) can cultivate the classroom environment into a place of risk taking and success. Participants will learn about their own mindset and how it impacts students, as well as techniques for evaluating the growth mindset, strategies for reframing failures to successes, and devising lesson plans with the growth mindset in mind. Participants will also learn about Appreciative Inquiry and how it is among the growing trend of approaches to human development and organizational change. Focus on the power of positive question and imagery, sharing stories, and implementation of Dr. David Cooperrider’s 4-D cycle will be reviewed, along with implementation strategies. Participants will leave the course understanding how to create a dynamic classroom that fosters growth and compassion; that will create bonds with students to push them further and increase test scores.
Course #: IMS23521
Dates: 07/24/23 - 08/06/23
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 #: IMW23005
Dates: 04/03/23 - 04/30/23
Categories:

Instructional Strategies 21st-Century Teaching

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will learn the history of the LGBTQ movement, key terminology, how preconception and discrimination impact the LGBTQ community and review strategies for fostering LGBTQ-inclusivity in schools. Participants will examine myths and perceptions, as well as curriculum and best practices associated with LGBTQ students. Participants will be provided multiple opportunities to engage in discussions and activities that refine and define strategies and practices focusing on meeting the comprehensive needs of LGBTQ students. 
Course #: IMW23006
Dates: 04/10/23 - 05/07/23
Categories:

Equity & Diversity 21st-Century Teaching

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will learn about the multi-tiered Response to Intervention (RTI) model and how it can assist in increasing student achievement, foster classroom engagement, be an alternative avenue for student identification of special services, and learn practical strategies and tools to implement essential components of Response to Intervention (RTI) in a variety of classroom and school settings. The course will expose participants to needed skills and techniques to develop a partnership to use RTI strategies and explore researched-based methodologies to remediate students. A comprehensive roadmap will be followed to learn how to implement RTI, assess students in a variety of mediums, and differentiate instruction using a plethora of RTI interventions.
Course #: IMW23007
Dates: 05/01/23 - 05/30/23
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management 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 #: IMW23010
Dates: 04/10/23 - 05/07/23
Categories:

Equity & Diversity 21st-Century Teaching Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will learn how to build academic success by exploring and developing tools to increase K-12 students’ soft skills (communication, work ethic, leadership, personal responsibility, and listening.) They will recognize and prioritize their students’ soft skills that will be valuable in reaching future goals, remaining optimistic, and dealing with conflict in their schooling. Participants will explore a series of strategies for reaching and helping students learn appropriate behaviors, strategies for the future, and ways to help prepare them for college and career readiness. Research is based on the works of Robert W. Gaines, II, Ph.D., Meca B. Mohammed, Ph.D., Cheryl Talley, Ph.D., and Marcheta Evans, Ph.D., among others. Foundational work in this course will include the research on understanding soft skills, strategies to develop soft skills, bringing students' soft skills to reach within the classroom, and the different types of soft skills: communication, work ethic, leadership, personal responsibility, and listening. Participants will synthesize these paradigms and develop a new understanding of the role that soft skills can play in student learning, along with new tools and techniques for cultivating students’ soft skills.
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.
Participants in this course will learn how to build academic success by exploring and developing tools for cultivating their students’ attention and designing active learning experiences for all learners. Participants will explore creative strategies for reaching students from distractions to regaining and focusing their attention for learning. Research is based on Caitrin Blake, Neil Bradbury and Jaren Cooney Horvath, among others. Foundational work in this course will include the research on understanding distraction, strategies to decrease distractions, bringing students' attention within the classroom, and the different types of attention: curious, divided, structured, sustaining, mindful. Participants will synthesize these paradigms and develop a new understanding of the role that attention can play in student learning along with new tools, strategies and techniques for cultivating students’ attention along with a state-of-the-art approach in learning to meet their educational goals.
Participants in this course will learn the history of the LGBTQ movement, key terminology, how preconception and discrimination impact the LGBTQ community and review strategies for fostering LGBTQ-inclusivity in schools. Participants will examine myths and perceptions, as well as curriculum and best practices associated with LGBTQ students. Participants will be provided multiple opportunities to engage in discussions and activities that refine and define strategies and practices focusing on meeting the comprehensive needs of LGBTQ students. 
In our ever-changing world, a consistent focus on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) can enhance teaching and learning while supporting the overall well-being of students and educators in the classroom – both in the traditional brick and mortar and in virtual settings. In this course, educators will recognize the evolving role of SEL in 21st century classrooms by exploring research-based strategies, assessment methods, and resources focused on empowering students with essential life skills. Educators will also discover the powerful influence SEL can have in their own professional and personal lives.
This course is designed to help educators build a classroom structure where differentiated instruction can occur on a daily basis for varying abilities. Through the use of videos, readings, personal reflection, and online forum questions, participants will experience differentiated instruction as well as learn methods to implement strategies in their own classroom. Participants will learn to shape and maintain learning conditions that facilitate differentiated instruction, including how to identify learning styles, create tiered activities, differentiation strategies, effective classroom management, and design the physical space for classroom differentiation scenarios. Participants will leave the course with resources and strategies to reach students of varying abilities, grades, and learning styles and help them take ownership of their education.
This course is designed to help teachers understand school law as it pertains to the rights of students, the rights of teachers, and the legal expectations of today’s public schools; thereby improving their effectiveness.  Participants in this course will develop an overall sense of the spirit of school law so that they may not only teach students to become good citizens, but also to ensure that their rights are protected in the educational process.  In addition, participants will learn about their rights as government employees regarding Freedom of Speech and employment issues.
Course #: SPC16120
Categories:

Instructional Strategies

Format:

Online Self-Paced

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Poverty, suicide, abuse, divorce, and community violence are some of the many traumatic, yet common, life experiences and events students of today’s society face. In addition, factors including social media and high stakes testing have been linked to the increasing rates of stress and anxiety among youth. This insightful course provides practical applications on how to understand, connect with, and accommodate students and their families experiencing the adverse effects of trauma, stress, and anxiety. Participants will research the short and long-term outcomes associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), learn how to incorporate effective trauma-informed practices, and build relationships with students and their families based on respect, trust, and empathy. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stress management, suicide prevention awareness, students living in poverty, and educational procedures used to respond to traumatic events are additional topics accentuated in this course. Finally, educators will focus on their own well-being and discover ways to strengthen resilience and manage stress and anxiety associated with the soaring demands of the profession. Course participants will become better equipped to effectively respond to students’ complex needs.
Poverty, suicide, abuse, divorce, and community violence are some of the many traumatic, yet common, life experiences and events students of today’s society face. In addition, factors including social media and high stakes testing have been linked to the increasing rates of stress and anxiety among youth. This insightful course provides practical applications on how to understand, connect with, and accommodate students and their families experiencing the adverse effects of trauma, stress, and anxiety. Participants will research the short and long-term outcomes associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), learn how to incorporate effective trauma-informed practices, and build relationships with students and their families based on respect, trust, and empathy. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stress management, suicide prevention awareness, students living in poverty, and educational procedures used to respond to traumatic events are additional topics accentuated in this course. Finally, educators will focus on their own well-being and discover ways to strengthen resilience and manage stress and anxiety associated with the soaring demands of the profession. Course participants will become better equipped to effectively respond to students’ complex needs.
Course #: GMS23509
Dates: 07/31/23 - 08/27/23
Categories:

Social & Emotional Learning Positive Classroom Management

Format:

Online Structured

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This course is designed to teach participants the importance of metacognition, provide background knowledge of the core executive function processes, and help apply their knowledge of executive function processes to help students better understand themselves as learners. Participants will learn how executive functioning skills are the cognitive powers that help develop good habits which leads to effective school and life management. The course will also look at the process of how to create effective assessments. Assessments are essential to the learning process, as evidenced in that assessments inform the instructor on the effectiveness of their instruction, as well as they provide a way to measure students' mastery of the course's educational learning targets. The course will explore how to identify course goals for assessment, determine test structure and design, write effective questions, and apply a variety of testing methods to differentiate testing methods.
Course #: IMS23500
Dates: 05/08/23 - 06/04/23
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management 21st-Century Teaching Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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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 #: IMS23501
Dates: 06/05/23 - 06/18/23
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

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Participants in this course will examine methodologies to facilitate the growth of curiosity and creativity in their students. Participants will learn how developing a classroom culture of curiosity and creativity can foster engaged and effective learning. Research suggests that increasing curiosity and creativity in a classroom can lead to a more student-centered classroom. Techniques to develop curiosity and creativity that leads to student engagement and achievement will be researched and explored. Foundational work in this course will include the research on developing creativity and curiosity strategies from simple to complex, lesson planning, and using project-based learning to enhance the classroom. Participants will synthesize these paradigms and leave the course with a better understanding of how to assess and develop creative and curious thought in their students, improve classroom culture through use of innovative strategies, develop an expertise in their own classroom to foster a creative environment, and foster the growth of curious learners to solve problems creatively.
Course #: IMS23502
Dates: 06/05/23 - 06/18/23
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

View Course
Poverty, suicide, abuse, divorce, and community violence are some of the many traumatic, yet common, life experiences and events students of today’s society face. In addition, factors including social media and high stakes testing have been linked to the increasing rates of stress and anxiety among youth. This insightful course provides practical applications on how to understand, connect with, and accommodate students and their families experiencing the adverse effects of trauma, stress, and anxiety. Participants will research the short and long-term outcomes associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), learn how to incorporate effective trauma-informed practices, and build relationships with students and their families based on respect, trust, and empathy. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stress management, suicide prevention awareness, students living in poverty, and educational procedures used to respond to traumatic events are additional topics accentuated in this course. Finally, educators will focus on their own well-being and discover ways to strengthen resilience and manage stress and anxiety associated with the soaring demands of the profession. Course participants will become better equipped to effectively respond to students’ complex needs.
Course #: IMS23503
Dates: 06/05/23 - 06/18/23
Categories:

Social & Emotional Learning Positive Classroom Management

Format:

Interactive

View Course
Participants in this course will learn how to build academic success by exploring and developing tools for cultivating their students’ attention and designing active learning experiences for all learners. Participants will explore creative strategies for reaching students from distractions to regaining and focusing their attention for learning. Research is based on Caitrin Blake, Neil Bradbury and Jaren Cooney Horvath, among others. Foundational work in this course will include the research on understanding distraction, strategies to decrease distractions, bringing students' attention within the classroom, and the different types of attention: curious, divided, structured, sustaining, mindful. Participants will synthesize these paradigms and develop a new understanding of the role that attention can play in student learning along with new tools, strategies and techniques for cultivating students’ attention along with a state-of-the-art approach in learning to meet their educational goals.
Course #: IMS23504
Dates: 06/05/23 - 06/18/23
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management Social & Emotional Learning

Format:

Interactive

View Course
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 #: IMS23508
Dates: 06/19/23 - 07/02/23
Categories:

Equity & Diversity 21st-Century Teaching Instructional Strategies

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 #: IMS23509
Dates: 06/19/23 - 07/02/23
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

View Course
Participants in this course will learn how to build academic success by exploring and developing tools to increase K-12 students’ soft skills (communication, work ethic, leadership, personal responsibility, and listening.) They will recognize and prioritize their students’ soft skills that will be valuable in reaching future goals, remaining optimistic, and dealing with conflict in their schooling. Participants will explore a series of strategies for reaching and helping students learn appropriate behaviors, strategies for the future, and ways to help prepare them for college and career readiness. Research is based on the works of Robert W. Gaines, II, Ph.D., Meca B. Mohammed, Ph.D., Cheryl Talley, Ph.D., and Marcheta Evans, Ph.D., among others. Foundational work in this course will include the research on understanding soft skills, strategies to develop soft skills, bringing students' soft skills to reach within the classroom, and the different types of soft skills: communication, work ethic, leadership, personal responsibility, and listening. Participants will synthesize these paradigms and develop a new understanding of the role that soft skills can play in student learning, along with new tools and techniques for cultivating students’ soft skills.
Course #: IMS23510
Dates: 06/19/23 - 07/02/23
Categories:

Positive Classroom Management Content-Area Teaching

Format:

Interactive

View Course
This course is designed to provide educators with an in-depth understanding of how to foster the cognitive development of today’s children in PreK-2nd grades. From a focus on innovative tools and resources for teaching science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) to incorporating a multi-sensory approach to learning early literacy skills – teachers will discover valuable research-based instructional and assessment practices designed to help all students maximize their learning potential in both virtual and in-person classrooms. This course also includes an emphasis on the roles healthy lifestyles, social and emotional learning (SEL), family engagement, and the great outdoors play in building strong cognitive foundations for student success in school and beyond.
Course #: IMS23511
Dates: 06/19/23 - 07/02/23
Categories:

Early Childhood Education Content-Area Teaching Instructional Strategies

Format:

Interactive

View Course