Summer Learning Academy
Overview
The VCU Summer Learning Academy explores critical topics in education, preparing educators to create a culture of educational excellence and equity in schools through innovative and practical techniques. This summer, we are offering over 50 different sessions covering 23 topics, with a variety of formats to suit everyone's schedule. View the 2021 session offerings listed below. For questions or more information, please email Leslie LaBrie, Program Operations Coordinator, at labrielu@vcu.edu.
Summer Learning Academy 2021 Sessions
This summer we are pleased to offer 4 different session formats. Please note that all formats and sessions are virtual, so you will need to ensure that you have an internet connection, and a computer with sound and microphone capabilities during each session, in order to participate.
All sessions require a $50 deposit upon registration,and payment for the remaining balance for each session is due the Friday before the week of the session(s) you registered for. Session deposits can be made here: https://www.pubapps.vcu.edu/ipay/SOE/IPayment.aspx?ipayEvent=126
Session format options:
Explore Sessions are week-long and take place Monday-Friday between 8am-4:30pm, with 4 hours synchronous + 4 hours asynchronous per day. Participants who complete each session will earn a total of 40 professional development hours. Cost per Explore Session is $250.
Navigate Sessions are offered once a week for 6 weeks between 6pm-8:30pm, with 2 hours synchronous + 3 hours asynchronous per week. Participants who complete a Navigate Session will earn a total of 30 professional development hours. Cost per Navigate Session is $190.
Accelerate Sessions are offered during a one week period Monday-Thursday, 6pm-8pm, with 2 hours synchronous + 2 hours asynchronous per day. Participants who complete an Accelerate Session will earn a total of 16 professional development hours. Cost per Accelerate Session is $100.
Investigate Sessions are offered over a 4-week period during a designated day, from 6pm-8pm, with 2 synchronous + 2 asynchronous per week. Participants who complete an Investigate Session will earn a total of 16 professional development hours. Cost per Investigate Session is $100.
Click the session title to learn more details.
Facilitator: Tracy Beckford, Elementary Educator, Richmond Public Schools, and Instructional Coach and Professional Development Facilitator, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement
Explore: August 2 - 6, 2021
Cost: $250
This session will help build and support the needs of the 21st Century learner by helping educators build a toolkit of resources that encompass communication, citizenship, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking or the 5Cs. Each educator will build their own toolkit daily with 5C based engagement and supportive resources. Each day will focus on a different component of the 5C learner, and how to adequately support this learner in hybrid learning environments.
Facilitator: Tiffany Stevens, Exceptional Education Instructional Coach, Department of School Quality, Henrico County Public Schools and Instructional Coach, and Professional Development Facilitator, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement
Navigate: Tuesdays July 13, 2021 - August 17, 2021
Cost: $190
This session will focus on Elena Aguilar's book Coaching for Equity. It will provide you a foundation for understanding what it means to be a coach for equity.
With a balance of history, adult learning theory, coaching tools, and personal stories, Coaching for Equity is grounded in the theories, practices, and direct experiences that will help you build knowledge of Transformational Coaching and begin to understand how to address, interrupt, and shift inequities when they arise.
Reading this book in the community will allow you to connect with practitioners across a range of experiences and roles; you will have an opportunity to process learning together, make meaning from what you read, and identify next steps for your learning.
Facilitator: Laura Domalik, M.Ed, Assistant Professor, VCU School of Education, Teaching and Learning
Navigate: Mondays July 12, 2021 - August 16, 2021
Cost: $190
Research tells us that multiple opportunities with this concept helps students build understanding, confidence, and connections! Games are the perfect way to have students engage in mathematics and develop these important skills. Join me as we dive into a variety of math standards and see how we might engage students in each with GAMES! Each week we will explore a different strand in math, talk about how games help to support this learning and then we will build a collection of games to practice and support these concepts. This should be a fun time working with fellow K-3 teachers to learn and develop a library of games to play with your students!
Facilitator: Laura Domalik, M.Ed, Assistant Professor, VCU School of Education, Teaching and Learning
Navigate: Thursdays July 15, 2021 - August 19, 2021
Cost: $190
Daily routines help students build number sense over time! We will look at traditional number talks as well as some other creative number routines that you can use with K-5 students to develop number sense, communication skills, strengthen math confidence, shape a classroom community of mathematicians and informal assess students. We will work each week to learn about new routines and then work together to build a library of resources that can be used and shared. You will be ready to start your year with a plethora of number talks and routines that help support all strands in math.
Facilitator: Brandi Daniels, Adjunct Faculty, VCU's Honors College, and Instructional Coach, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement Petersburg Partnership
Explore: July 19 - 23, 2021
Cost: $250
Wouldn't it be awesome to promote students' creative and critical thinking in any classroom environment? In this session, join us to learn design-thinking strategies to supplement your course toolbox for student learning. Explore ways to promote student thinking and help support "hands on" student stamina in classroom contexts. Engage and collaborate with other professionals to enhance your own creative "teacher formula" in an intentional way.
Facilitators: Stephanie Poe, Principal, Hopewell High School; Erinn J. Green, Assistant Principal, Prince Edward County Elementary School; Kirk Eggleston, Principal of Gayton Elementary School; Shawn Abel, Principal, Midlothian High School
Navigate: Mondays July 12, 2021 - August 16, 2021
Cost: $190
*Please note that participants will be required to purchase a book/e-book (cost is approximately $14 - 48 depending on the format that the participant chooses) for this session. Participants will be provided with a discount code for purchase.
Building on comprehensive research conducted in US schools, this course offers an effective model of school leadership to develop and implement school-wide, trauma-responsive approaches to student discipline. Recognizing that challenging student behaviors are often rooted in early experiences of trauma, the course builds on a model from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to walk participants through the processes of realizing, recognizing, responding to, and resisting the impacts of trauma in school contexts. Instruction will model an educational reform process and explain how a range of differentiated interventions including Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), social-emotional learning (SEL), restorative practices, and family engagement can be used to boost student resilience and pro-social behavior. Practical steps are supported by current theory, resources, and stories of implementation from superintendents, principals, and teachers. Participants interested in education, school administration, school psychology, trauma studies, and trauma counseling with children and adolescents will benefit from this course and the book written by the instructors.
Facilitators: Stephanie Hooks, Ph.D, Title I Math Interventionist, Richmond Public Schools; Tracy Beckford, Elementary Educator, Norfolk Public Schools, and Instructional Coach and Professional Development Facilitator, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement
Explore: July 12 - 16, 2021
Cost: $250
As accomplished teachers, we understand the importance of aligning lessons and activities with the Standards of Learning. This session will engage teachers in unpacking standards to better understand:
- The key concepts
- Learning targets
- Big ideas
- Essential Questions
During this session, teachers will also be engaged in better understanding how the leaves included in the standards translate into inquiry based activities in the classroom.
Facilitator: Dimitria Roberts, Ed.D, Instructional Coach and Professional Development Facilitator, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement
Explore: August 2, 2021 - August 6, 2021
Explore: August 9, 2021 - August 13, 2021
Explore: August 16, 2021 - August 20, 2021
Cost: $250
Accelerate: August 2, 2021 - August 5, 2021
Accelerate: August 9, 2021 - August 12, 2021
Accelerate: August 16, 2021 - August 19, 2021
Cost: $100
This session will encompass practical strategies to assist in the development of practical pedagogy to navigate the terrain of successful equitable differentiated instruction. This institute will allow for a development of wellness strategies to increase equitable differentiation for both the teacher and student as the teacher copes with the current trends of our society. This program will serve as a refresher and an enrichment opportunity for teachers that VCU serves to increase their professional stamina within their respective educational roles.
Facilitator: Laura Domalik, M.Ed, Assistant Professor, VCU School of Education, Teaching and Learning
Navigate: Wednesdays July 14 - August 18, 2021
Cost: $190
Let's get students doing GREAT Math! What makes a good math task? How do we facilitate a great dialog about math? We will spend our time looking at different strands in math and sharing good tasks for each where students can "dig into" the math and develop their understanding. At the end of our time together you will have a library of tasks and questions to help you facilitate GREAT math conversation.
Facilitator: Misti Mueller, Ed.D, Assistant Professor, VCU School of Education, Teaching and Learning, Program Coordinator, Health and Physical Education
Explore: July 12, 2021 - July 16, 2021
Explore: July 19, 2021 - July 23, 2021
Explore: August 9, 2021 - August 13, 2021
Explore: August 16, 2021 - August 20, 2021
Cost $250
During this session teachers will develop a concrete understanding for the importance of infusing movement opportunities throughout the day for themselves and their students. Creating a school-wide culture of wellness is dependent on the support of administration, staff, teachers, and families. Strategies for gaining that support will be discussed.
Teachers will first explore the connection between the brain, learning, and movement along with the many other mental and physical benefits associated with having an active classroom. Second, sample active lessons for math, science, language arts, and social studies will be shared and teachers will work to develop their own active lessons throughout the week.
Facilitators: Sylvia Clutes, President, Alliance for Unitive Justice; Sara Daves, Intuitive Purpose Coach
Explore: July 12 - 16,2021
Cost: $250
*Please note that participants will be required to purchase an ebook (approximately $25) for this session
This course explores the role of teachers in implementing Restorative Justice in their classrooms as the foundation for school culture change that fosters positive behavior, racial equity, strengthens relationships, supports social-emotional learning and provides trauma-informed care. Students explore the philosophy and practice of Restorative Justice and how RJ can be used to create safe and uplifting classrooms, not by layering more on top of what is now done, but by learning new ways of achieving desired outcomes. They learn the program elements that form positive relationships with racially and ethnically diverse students. The course includes training in using Restorative Classroom Circles and restorative interventions to create a safe, stimulating and welcoming learning environment for all students, including those with a history of trauma.
Facilitator: Susan Harding, Director of the Office of Student Wellbeing, Salem College
Explore: July 12, 2021 - July 16, 2021
Explore: July 19, 2021 - July 23, 2021
Explore: July 26, 2021 - July 30, 2021
Cost: $250
Leading from Within is experiential, designed to offer time and space to explore one’s
health and well-being and apply that which is learned, recognizing self-awareness to be the foundation of leadership development. Grounded in the social change model of leadership and using a strengths-based approach, the eight dimensions of wellness, including emotional, physical, community, environmental, spiritual, occupational, financial, and intellectual dimensions, are discussed and integrated throughout the course.
Facilitator: Facilitator: Tiffany Stevens, Exceptional Education Instructional Coach, Department of School Quality, Henrico County Public Schools, and Instructional Coach and Professional Development Facilitator, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement
Investigate: Mondays July 12, 2021 - August 2, 2021
Investigate: Wednesdays July 14, 2021 - August 4, 2021
Investigate: Thursdays July 22 , 2021 - August 12, 2021
Cost: $100
You do not want to miss this opportunity! Join this course where reflection will meet action as we attempt to best serve our students with housing instability. We plan to grow and challenge one another together.
Course objectives include:
- The educator will recognize key concepts of the Mckinney-Vento Act as it relates to The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
- The educator will create a reflective journal to address previous misconceptions and document shifts in mindset through this Professional Learning Experience.
- The educator will customize a personal action plan for students experiencing housing instability should they show up to your classroom.
Facilitator: Ashley Williams, Founder and Owner, BareSOUL Yoga
Explore: July 12, 2021 - July 16, 2021
Explore: August 9, 2021 - August 13, 2021
Cost $250
Investigate: Tuesdays July 13, 2021 - August 3, 2021
Cost: $100
Mindfulness is being present in the moment with an attitude of curiosity, acceptance and non-judgment. Educators will be introduced to a variety of mindful-based practices and strategies to support their own personal well-being to be used for self regulation, stress management and social emotional learning in everyday life. Participants will understand the concept of mindfulness as a restorative and trauma-responsive practice to integrate into the student-teacher relationship and classroom environment to improve stress management, self regulation and classroom operation. Strategies will include breathing practices, sensory awareness and conscious communication techniques. *Both the Explore and the Investigate sessions will include didactic content, experiential activities and interactive discussion.
Facilitator: Rachel Gómez, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, VCU School of Education, Teaching and Learning
Explore: July 12, 2021 - July 16, 2021
Explore: July 19, 2021 - July 23, 2021
Explore: July 26, 2021 - July 30, 2021
Explore: August 2, 2021 - August 6, 2021
Explore: August 9, 2021 - August 13, 2021
Explore: August 16, 2021 - August 20, 2021
Cost: $250
"When discussions arise around race and culture in education, oftentimes youth/people of Color are the subject— or even the “issue”. Lacking is the acknowledgement of White racial identity. Racial Identity Development: Pathways Toward Transformative Pedagogy will workshop critical self-reflection, self-actualization & racial identity development with K-12 professionals. We are working under the premise that this growth in mindset is essential for the practice of culturally sustaining pedagogy in the classroom.
Facilitators: Sylvia Clute, President, Alliance for Unitive Justice; Nicholas LeReche, Assistant Principal, Thomas Jefferson High School
Explore: July 26, 2021 - July 30, 2021
Cost: $250
*Please note that participants will be required to purchase an ebook (approximately $25) for this session.
In this course, school administrators explore the philosophy and practice of Restorative Justice and how RJ can be used to create a school culture that upholds the dignity of all stakeholders: students, teachers, parents, support staff and administrators—with a focus on the administrator’s role in that process. They explore how a balance between preventative, proactive restorative practices (creating connection and relationship building) and RJ interventional and reactive practices (addressing identified group issues and resolving conflicts that occur) can foster positive behavior, racial equity, strengthen relationships, support social-emotional learning and provide trauma-informed care, significantly reducing reliance on suspensions and expulsions. The course includes theory, experiential learning and guest speakers with system change experience. Mr. LeReche’s training and experience with school system change as an Asst. Principal in middle school and high school will ground the training in the administrator’s role.
Facilitator: Laura Domalik, M.Ed, Assistant Professor, VCU School of Education, Teaching and Learning
Navigate: Tuesdays July 13, 2021 - August 17, 2021
Cost: $190
K-3 teachers spend a lot of time focusing on the development of addition and subtraction fact understanding and mastery. Join me while we will develop a shared pacing of teaching these facts. For each fact cluster we will create expectations, activities, tasks, games, and assessments. At the end of our time together you will have a plan and the resources to guide your K-3 students in mastering the basic facts!
Facilitator: Brandi Daniels, Adjunct Faculty in VCU's Honors College, and Instructional Coach, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement Petersburg Partnership
Accelerate: August 9, 2021 - August 12, 2021
Cost: $100
Finding your purpose, especially as an educator, can be a tough task. Searching for clear understanding in the classroom can sometimes be even harder. Let's accelerate best strategies to have teacher clarity in any learning atmosphere. In this session, we will take a "deep dive" in creating instructional tools that promote interactive instruction in a robust manner.
Facilitator: Kathryn Starke, Urban Literacy Consultant
Explore: August 2, 2021 - August 6, 2021
Explore: August 9, 2021 - August 13, 2021
Cost: $250
Accelerate: July 12, 2021 - July 15, 2021
Accelerate: August 9, 2021 - August 12, 2021
Accelerate: August 16, 2021 - August 19, 2021
Cost: $100
Now more than ever, our teachers need support in reading education. Our elementary school students are experiencing significant gaps in literacy and learning. This session focuses on a deeper understanding of differentiated reading instruction and how the five pillars of reading are essential in creating effective reading instructional practices. Urban literacy consultant and author Kathryn Starke will provide strategies, techniques, and tips that can instantly be implemented into differentiated reading instruction across curriculum to support every child’s literacy journey.
Facilitators: Virginia Palencia, PhD, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Virginia Commonwealth University; Carolyn Waters, PhD, ESL Teacher, Chesterfield County Public Schools, Affiliate Scholar, VCU School of Education
Explore: July 19, 2021-July 23, 2021
Cost:$250
This course is designed to help practitioners understand the unique assets and challenges of being an English learner (EL) in a US public school. By the end of the session, practitioners will: understand the different ESL program models, use research-based ESL teaching methods and strategies to support ELs, be able to modify lessons plans, be familiar with policies affecting immigrant students and resources for English language acquisition, and have resources for distance education and advocacy.
Facilitator: Stephanie Burr, Community Working Group Member for RVAgreen 2050, and Instructional Coach and Professional Development Facilitator, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement
Explore: July 12, 2021 - July 16, 2021
Cost: $250
Navigate: Thursdays July 15, 2021 - August 19, 2021
Cost: $190
History is much more than a set of discrete facts to be memorized – it is organic and dynamic, and it bears heavily on our past, present, and future. In this session, teachers will learn strategies for engaging the student mind, heart, and conscience in the work of exploring the complexities of history. Special emphasis will be placed on incorporating higher order thinking skills (HOTS) and social-emotional learning (SEL) into content-rich activities.
Facilitator: La-Neka Brown, M.T., M.Ed, Instructional Coach, and Professional Development Facilitator, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement
Explore: July 12, 2021 - July 16, 2021
Explore: July 19, 2021 - July 23, 2021
Explore: July 26, 2021 -July 30, 2021
Cost: $250
*Please note that participants will be required to purchase Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Dr. Monique W. Morris (cost is approximately $10-20 depending on the format/vendor that the participant chooses).
In this session, participants will focus on how zero-tolerance policies, explicit and implicit biases, and the intersection of racism and sexism create systems where Black girls are suspended, criminalized, and herded into the criminal justice system at disproportionate rates of their peers.
Facilitator: Mark James, Instructional Coach and Professional Development Facilitator, VCU School of Education, Office of Strategic Engagement
Accelerate: July 26, 2021 - July 29,2021
Accelerate: August 2, 2021 - August 5, 2021
Cost: $100
We will examine how teachers can navigate, survive, and thrive in an urban setting. We will examine how to create strategic remedies to reduce vicarious trauma and remove layers to increase teacher projections.
Facilitator: Monica Grillo, Ph.D, Student and Graduate Assistant, VCU School of Education, Special Education & Disability Leadership; Jarrod Hobson, Ph.D, Student and Graduate Assistant, VCU School of Education, Special Education & Disability Leadership; Michelle Hicks, Ph.D, Student and Graduate Assistant, VCU School of Education, Special Education & Disability Leadership; Regina Howard, Ph.D, Student and Graduate Assistant, VCU School of Education, Special Education & Disability Leadership
Investigate: Tuesdays July 13, 2021 - August 3, 2021
Investigate: Wednesdays July 14, 2021 - August 4, 2021
Despite a focus on transition in research, policy, and practice, young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience the least successful post-school outcomes among transition-aged youth (Sanford et al., 2011). This continues despite identified research predictors that lead to improved outcomes (Mazzotti et al., 2020) including a focus on academic and transition goals, general education inclusion, diploma status, work experience, vocational education, and self-determination. Special educators, however, struggle with addressing each of these goals, which are frequently viewed as competing priorities (Scott et al., 2019). This presentation will provide a framework and training resources for linking transition and academic goals for secondary special educators and transition specialists. The Universal Design for Transition (UDT; Thoma et al., 2009) framework builds on the three principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL; CAST, 2012) and then adds components related to best practices for transition planning (Thoma et al., 2009).