The VCU Summer Learning Academy explores critical topics in education, preparing both aspiring and practicing educators to create a culture of educational excellence and equity in schools through innovative and practical techniques. This summer, we are offering 14 different sessions covering 8 topics, with a variety of formats.
All sessions will be held between June 26, 2023-July 27, 2023.
Virtual seating is limited and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, so register early! For questions or more information, please email Summer Learning Academy Coordinator: Leslie LaBrie at labrielu@vcu.edu
This summer we are pleased to offer 3 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. Session format options are as follows:
Offered 1x a week for 4 weeks, for a total of 4 sessions. Sessions are offered Monday - Thursday, and session meetings will be held for 60 minutes between either 8:30-10:30 am or 2:30-4:30 pm. Each session will require approximately 60 minutes of asynchronous activities, including critical reflection and a survey. Participants who complete each session will earn a total of 5professional development hours. Cost: $120.
Offered 1x a week for 4 weeks, for a total of 4 sessions. Sessions are offered Monday - Thursday, and session meetings will be held for 90 minutes between either 8:30-10:30 am or 2:30-4:30 pm. In addition to the synchronous class meetings, participants will have 90 minutes of asynchronous work to be completed outside of class meetings each week, and will need to pass an assessment at the end of the Session. Participants who complete each Micro-credential session will earn a total of 12professional development hours, and will receive a digital badge. Cost: $250
Offered 2x a week for 2 weeks for a total of 4 sessions. Sessions are offered Monday - Thursday, and session meetings will be held for 60 minutes between either 8:30-10:30 am or 2:30-4:30 pm. Each session will require approximately 60 minutes of asynchronous activities, including critical reflection and a survey. Participants who complete each session will earn a total of 5professional development hours. Cost: $120.
Participants who successfully complete a session will earn a certificate reflecting the professional development hours for each session they complete that can be submitted for recertification points per your school district's discretion.
Session Descriptions
Be Well, Lead Well
How do we keep going?! The woes of being caring, skilled educators continue. Perhaps we thought that once the pandemic lessened, our world would ease up. For many of us, that just hasn't happened. We are told to "practice self-care," "be mindful of our self-care," and maybe even given articles to read about stress and burnout. The irony is being told to relax as we are actually being given more work to do and more puzzles to solve, often with fewer human and financial resources
Building Impactful Relationships with Students
Educators will learn how to increase student accountability by building relationships.
Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Educator Practices
Culture strongly influences the attitudes, values, and behaviors that students and teachers bring to the instructional process, making culturally responsive educators necessary for the equitable achievement of today’s increasingly diverse student population. Culturally responsive educators see the diversity in their classrooms as an asset and use their knowledge on students’ backgrounds to enrich educational experiences. This professional learning opportunity will help you form a thorough understanding of the specific cultures of the students you teach, how culture affects student learning behaviors, and how you can change classroom interactions and instruction to embrace the cultural differences and transform your students' experience. Participants will leave the session with instructional approaches and strategies that allow students to see themselves and see others. Educators will understand the importance of cultural competence by accessing students' background knowledge of families, communities, and lived experience while integrating academic concepts.
Empowering Special Education Students through Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Practices
The Office of Strategic Engagement is pleased to offer a dynamic professional learning opportunity designed to enlighten and engage educators and leaders on their journey towards inclusive practice. The series, Teaching Leading and Learning in Culturally Responsive Environments will provide a thought-provoking and inspiring space for individuals to think critically about what it means to be an inclusive educator. These sessions will provide participants with a deeper understanding of challenges faced by special education students and practitioners, and will foster ways of thinking that ensure inclusive educational spaces for diverse learners. Collectively, you will learn how to center identity and foster inclusive learning in educational environments. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to bolster your teaching practice with introspective and sustained inclusion efforts. Join us for this interactive, highly engaging, and reflective journey.
Introduction to Unitive Justice Theory and Process for Classroom Application
Unitive Justice removes punitive elements from the classroom so that learning can happen. Unitive Justice is a model that falls within the broad umbrella of Restorative Justice, but at the best practices end of the spectrum. When implemented with fidelity, Unitive Justice is free of punitive elements. In this course, we begin to imagine how to create a viable school culture grounded on the moral principle of lovingkindness/do no harm—we address harm by finding mutually beneficial solutions, and not by answering harm with more harm.
Participants will learn the 14 arcs of Unitive Justice and why Unitive Justice Theory is an important ingredient in developing safe spaces for learners to blossom. They will also learn the process of leading various classroom circles that will help teachers keep their students on track and uncover solutions to (class or individual) conflicts that once seemed unsolvable.
The indirect benefits of the UJEd approach are many. A Unitive school culture gives our students an understanding of values, the skill of self-governance, the experience of equality and inclusion without exception. This fosters connection, trust and a safe environment.
Reaching All Readers K-5 in Quality Literacy Instruction
Reaching All Readers K-5 in Quality Literacy Instruction focuses on how both research and best practice inspires reading and writing success. National literacy consultant and author, Kathryn Starke, will provide practical tips, techniques, and strategies to ensure that K-5 students are set up for success in literacy.
Truth be told, we do need to practice self-care but it's very challenging to find the time to do so! This course offers the gift of time and space to reflect upon all that we have been through. It also offers strategies to move forward using a strengths-based approach.
We will celebrate who we uniquely are, our resiliency and all that we have accomplished, and we will learn to lead ourselves and others into a better future.
Supporting Foundational Skills in the Literacy Classroom
The sessions will provide professional learning on the research/evidence based practices with regard to the foundational literacy skills and strategies of phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, and automatic word recognition.
VCLA Test Prep the VCU Way
This four-session test preparation will provide participants with VCLA test-taking strategies. The study sessions will help participants increase their knowledge, and build confidence before the day of the exam.
