Classroom meetings are an avenue created by the classroom teacher to create a safe and respectful learning environment. Creating this environment of mutual respect between the teacher and the students is essential to developing a positive classroom community. Wood (1992) believes that developing this type of classroom community also affords the students the opportunity to live their lives as productive citizens in the outside world.

Classroom meetings help support and promote a warm atmosphere where ideas are shared and concerns are resolved (Olweus, 1993). In conjunction with supporting a warm, safe environment, classroom meetings build and enhance the following (Flerx, Limber, Mullin, Riese, Snyder, & Olweus, 2009):

1. Creation of a positive classroom environment.
2. Students’ ability to identify and appropriately articulate feelings.
3. Development of positive peer relationships among students.
4. Promotion and appreciation of differences among students.
5. Students’ acquisition of active listening skills.
6. Increased sense of community among teachers and students.

Graduate students will study the history of classroom meetings and their importance to school culture through class discussion, case studies, inquiry-based learning, primary source analysis, and scholarly research. We will examine classroom meetings as it applies to students, families, and educators. This course will require that students apply critical inquiry into classroom meetings. Case studies and practical application of program specifications will be utilized in the study of this course.

The popular media regularly writes about sex and gender in contemporary education. Whether the subject is underserved girls, boys in crisis, or transgender students, the media and public remain deeply invested in the role of sex and gender in schools. Meanwhile, professional educators, guidance counselors, and nurses are juggling how these issues intersect in our schools.

This course defines sex and gender, evaluates contemporary gender roles in American society, gender roles in the classroom, child development and gender norms, the binary gender system, gender nonconforming students, and provides instruction on how to construct the gender inclusive classroom and school community. Educators will evaluate the latest research, popular media, Supreme Court cases, federal laws, and identify ways in which to apply this information to making their school culture more inclusive based upon gender diversity.

Successful technology integration, at its best, is the seamless use of technology in the classroom. Students and teachers do not think twice about the resources they are using (laptops, Ipads, computers, digital cameras, learning platforms, software, web tools, internet) to complete their work, projects and learning. The use of technology becomes more the norm. Technology is readily available in the classroom, and hopefully at home. The use of technology easily supports curriculum goals and the students’ ability to meet with success as they work towards those goals.

Research to support that full technology integration increases learning is quite sparse due to many factors (i.e., ability to evaluate full integration models, constantly changing technology, etc.), however much research supports the concept of blended learning – combining the typical face-to-face classroom instruction model with the latest in tech tools – with improving student learning outcomes that exceed learning on-line alone. (Cheung & Slavin, 2011; Cheung & Slavin, 2012; Means, Toyama, Murphy, Bakia, & Jones, 2009Tamin, Bernard, Borokhovski, Abrami, & Schmid, 2011)

Technology is every aspect of our daily lives. Students must gain the skills and technology to meet the trials of a world that continues to be challenging. Through effective technology integration students will be able to collaborate on a global basis, respond to effective feedback, participate in groups, and gain the knowledge from experts.

Graduate students will study the use of technology integration into their daily lesson plans. By focusing on social and emotional learning, students will be exposed to a variety of learning platforms, software and hardware, web tools, on-line collaboration, and social media. This course will require that students develop lessons that integrate technology into their current subject area. Research on new and developing technologies, evaluating lessons effectiveness with and without technology, and developing an ability to evaluate web tools, will be expectations for this class.

Given the complexity of crisis events and reactions, planning and implementing school-based crisis intervention require special expertise. The immediate goals of school staff after a crisis are to reestablish a sense of safety and restore the learning environment at the school. This course is designed to help classroom teachers develop a sophisticated understanding of preparing, preventing, responding to, and recovering from school crises.

The focus will be on how schools can promote mental health, resiliency, and coping skills for students who are affected by a crisis. This highly interactive course will examine school-based crisis intervention, strategic guides for response, addressing specific areas of crisis, law enforcement interventions during a crisis, examining available resources, and evaluating school crisis plans. There will be inclusion of the ways in which school crisis policies and response can reduce fear and the grieving process in schools.

Graduate students will study the history, policies, crisis and grief processes, and school culture through class discussion, activities, case studies, inquiry-based learning, primary source analysis, and scholarly research. We will examine school crisis prevention and coping as it applies to students, families, and educators. This course will require that students apply critical inquiry into various forms of school crises. Case studies and practical application of program specifications will be utilized in the study of this course.

Sexuality impacts the school community in many ways, including gender roles, sexual harassment, dress codes, LGBT students, LGBT families, media impact on youth, dating and domestic violence, mandatory reporting, and much more. The reality is that a tremendous level of responsibility, from mandatory reporting to sexual harassment prevention, is expected of teachers though most have undergone minimal training.

This course is designed as a practical tool for educators and school professionals to assist with the management of sexuality issues in the school community, and integration of sexuality issues into the curriculum. Teachers will evaluate primary resources, data related to sexuality and schools, and scholarly research. We will identify the implications of this information for our school community. Communication with colleagues, students, and parents about sensitive issues related to sexuality will be heavily integrated throughout the course.

Public schools are the only place in society in which students from diverse facets of our community come together. That diversity is a strength while it also creates unique challenges related to school law and culture. This course is designed to help classroom teachers develop a sophisticated understanding of school law and its intersection with school culture. The focus will be on how school law impacts the classroom, school offices, and larger school community. This highly interactive course will examine freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the school press, searches and seizures, compliance for special education, civil rights, and other civil liberties. There will be inclusion of the ways in which school law and policies can reduce bullying and aggressive behavior in schools.

Graduate students will study the history, law and policies, and school culture through class discussion, moot court activities, case studies, inquiry-based learning, primary source analysis, and scholarly research. We will examine school law as it applies to students, families, and educators. This course will require that students apply critical inquiry into school law. Case studies and practical application of program specifications will be utilized in the study of this course.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth 15 to 24 years of age in the United States. Suicide is also becoming more prevalent in children younger than 15 years old. As educators, we all need to be aware of the warning signs for depression and suicide to provide timely assistance to our students who are suffering. While it is important for school counselors and social workers to recognize these signs, it is also just as important for teachers to recognize these signs as teachers have the most contact with students, may see the signs sooner, and are therefore often in a key position to assist students in obtaining the help they need in a more timely manner.

This course is designed to assist participants in identifying risk factors associated with suicide in K-12 students, to provide attendees with available suicide awareness and prevention resources, and to help participants become more effective at supporting at-risk students. Attendees will also evaluate the latest research on suicide rates and prevention among youths and become familiar with applicable state reporting laws.

Mass media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion about youth culture and the various forms of social practices that young people engage in. Sociological research on young people and film has produced a number of theories to explain both the appeal and impact of images and text on the behavior, attitudes and overall outlook of youth cultures. This course is designed to help classroom teachers develop a sophisticated understanding of debates and issues raised by various media environments that characterize contemporary existence. The focus will be on how young people actually use, value, and find meaning in multiple media in different contexts. This course will also discuss the social and cultural implications of media. This highly interactive course will examine stereotyping, unhealthy images, violence, and inequality in film, television, and music, advances in communication, youths perspective on the media, and how to embrace media in schools.

Graduate students will study the advances in media and how it impacts adolescents through class discussion, activities, case studies, inquiry-based learning, primary source analysis, and scholarly research. We will examine modern media as it applies to students, families, and educators. This course will require that students apply critical inquiry into modern media. Current media outlets will be utilized in the study of this course.