Engaging Students in Learning
This micro-credential is designed to provide educators with a Level 2 NM Teacher License with a greater understanding of how students learn and how to value student backgrounds and experiences in the classroom. Courses within the micro-credential emphasize strategies to increase the intrinsic motivation for learning and engaging students with peers.
The mastery component assignment will require you to develop a 1-hour professional development workshop/presentation on a strategy or strategies to engage students in their learning. You are expected to present this to your peers/colleagues and gather their feedback.
Mentoring and Coaching Teachers
This micro-credential will require you to identify a colleague to mentor/collaborate with.
Mentorship in education is a professional development strategy that involves an experienced educator providing guidance and support to a less experienced colleague. This mentorship aims to enhance the mentee's teaching skills, instructional strategies, and overall professional growth. Through this micro-credential you will learn how to set up regular meetings, observations, and constructive feedback, the mentor assists the mentee in navigating challenges, refining classroom practices, and fostering a positive and effective learning environment.
Trauma Informed Classroom
This micro-credential provides a holistic introduction to trauma-informed education. Participants will explore its foundations, its intersections with issues of equity, its implementation at the classroom and whole-school level, and its implications for educator well-being. Upon completion, participants will have the knowledge and skills to enact trauma-informed principles and practices in their own work.
The mastery component will consist of creating a slide deck (PowerPoint) and a video presentation. The mastery component needs to address three major areas: Knowledge, Reflection, and Action.
The mastery component needs to be developed for sharing your knowledge, reflections, and recommended actions in the area of trauma-informed practices with your administration or colleagues.
Building and Sustaining Collaborative and Inclusive Teams AVAILABLE FOR Q2 Oct 1, 2024
This Micro-credential aims to increase collaboration between general education and special education teachers by providing a framework for understanding and implementing inclusive practices. Educators know that a flourishing and healthy school environment is collaborative and inclusive of all learners, and students with disabilities are no exception.
The micro-credential builds foundational knowledge to cultivate the appropriate mindset and practices to make inclusivity a fundamental component of a school and classroom. Each course digs into the work of collaboration and inclusive practices and equips participants with the tools necessary to make positive, lasting, changes that impact students with disabilities. Through a deep analysis of a framework, participants will assess their current state, develop a vision, and create an action plan for making Inclusive Practices a cornerstone of their school community.
Restorative Practices in the Classroom
This micro-credential will address current practices and solutions to addressing student behavior in a supportive and respectful way through the Lens of Restorative Practice framework. Restorative practice is a whole school teaching and learning approach that encourages behavior that is supportive and respectful. It puts the onus on individuals to be truly accountable for their behavior and to repair any harm caused to others as a result of their actions.
The mastery component will require you to create an action plan to introduce a restorative framework into your classroom and teaching practices. Creating a Restorative Practice in Education Action Plan involves defining your objectives, outlining specific steps, and setting a timeline for implementation.
Fostering Vocabulary Connections in English and Spanish
This micro-credential focuses on teaching strategies for teaching students learning Spanish or English cognates. Teachers will be provided a Teaching Cognates/ Cognados through Picture books database listing over 3,000 award-winning picture books. The database can be used by all teachers, regardless of their knowledge of Spanish. Teachers will also receive access to 300 classroom tested lesson plans. For the culminating mastery component, you will be creating a lesson plan using the Cognate Lesson Plan Template for a multicultural picture book of your choosing from the multicultural database.
Best Practices for Meeting the Academic Needs of Students With Mild To Moderate Disabilities AVAILABLE FOR Q3 January 6, 2025
This micro-credential focuses on the best practices for improving services for students with special needs and students who struggle. These best practices have been widely embraced by both general and special education leaders and staff across the country.
The Micro credential shall include 4 courses, with 12 modules in total. We anticipate it will take 20 -25 hours to complete over 10-12 weeks.
Course 1: The need for new approaches Module 1a: Micro-credential overview Module 1b: The needs of students and the world are growing and changing Module 1c: Past practices haven’t closed the achievement gap, best practices have.
Course 2: The three best practices Module 2a: The importance of core instruction Module 2b: The benefits of extra instructional time for students who struggle Module 2c: The need for content strong staff Module 2d. How best practices differ from common practices
Course 3: Implementing the best practices Module 3a: Writing IEPs that support the best practices Module 3b: Forging stronger special ed - general ed collaboration Module 3c: Addressing any compliance concerns
Course 4: Crafting a personal theory of action Module 4a: What is a personal theory of action and why have one? Module 4b: Developing your personal theory of action
Transformative Leadership AVAILABLE FOR Q4 April 7, 2025
This micro-credential provides a comprehensive toolkit for teacher-leaders, empowering them to create inclusive, effective, and ethical learning environments. It covers essential aspects of leadership, focusing on developing a student-centered approach crucial for transforming education for all students.
Participants will start by crafting a student-centered vision and understanding its impact on the environment and culture. They will then explore engaging with stakeholders and making ethical decisions, followed by an in-depth examination of cultural responsiveness. These skills and insights are essential for confidently navigating the modern education landscape.