Take these courses anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace. They have been designed for busy educators with short videos, compelling thought exercises, and opportunities to get as much out of them as you want.
If you are a school or district leader and want to discuss group rates, contact Mike Anderson directly at mike@leadinggreatlearning.com.
Featured Courses: Hugging Porcupines
Due to the popularity of the original Hugging Porcupines course, there’s now a companion! These courses can be taken in either order, and both offer tons of practical strategies for supporting kids who struggle with challenging behaviors in school.
Boost Student Motivation
Check out these three courses–all packed with practical strategies for boosting students’ motivation and engagement!
Social and Emotional Learning
Note: The following four courses are actually one course with adjustments made for each grade level range.
Other Great Courses
How are some schools and districts using these courses?
Over the past year, many schools and districts have used these courses in a variety of ways. Here are some examples. If you’d like to hear more details about any of these, contact me at mike@leadinggreatlearning.com.
In early 2021, school districts in both Alabama and New Hampshire used courses for in-district PD days. Each district structured their work a bit differently.
In one district, I delivered an online keynote for all staff to kick-off their work with educator wellness. I both gave a few ideas to consider and then explained how the Beat Teacher Burnout Institute courses work. District leaders then facilitated small group discussions to help people share reflections on the keynote talk. Teachers were then given the option to sign up for the Beat Teacher Burnout Institute to either take on their own or as part of a study group.
Another district had me kick off the day with a keynote (again, about teacher health and balance), and then gave all staff two hours to dig into any of the Beat Teacher Burnout Institute courses. We then all reconvened at the end of the morning for me to walk everyone through a simple goal-setting activity.
Yet another district gave all 550+ staff members an entire day to dig into courses of their choice. Several times during the day, teachers joined together in small groups to share what they were learning. Several principals reported that teachers sought them out at the end of the day saying things like, “This was one of the best PD days I’ve ever had! Can we please do this again?”
Some schools are (and have been) using these courses to support schoolwide initiatives. Several schools in New Hampshire engaged in school-wide professional development during the 2020-2021 school year using the Teach Social and Emotional Learning Through (not instead of) Academics course. (Staff got to pick the grade level option that best suited their role. Some special education and special area teachers explored more than one!) A school in Arizona is using this same course for summer PD with plans to use a back-to-school PD day to discuss how to apply this work during the new school year.
How often to paraeducators and other “nonprofessional” support staff actually receive high-quality professional development?
In the past year, schools in New Hampshire, Maine, and Oregon have offered the Hugging Porcupines course to paraeducators to help them gain new insights and strategies for their work with children who struggle with emotional regulation.
This work has been incredibly well-received. One administrator reported than a few weeks after paras in her school has completed the course, a group of paraeducators got together voluntarily to continue to talk about what they’d learned.
At several schools in New Jersey, teachers signed up to be part of a small cohort that explored a course together. One group took on Teaching Democracy in Action and another dug into Teaching Social and Emotional Learning Through (not instead of) Academics. For both groups, I Zoomed in for a kick-off session, teachers then spent several weeks taking the courses individually while touching base a few times, and then we wrapped up with another remote session—to share big take-aways and consider questions that came up.
Some schools have offered these courses as options for on-going individualized professional development. Teachers can take courses if they’d like to, and they can choose the courses that are the best fit for them. In one Maine district, we’re going to offer a series of 1.5-hour reflection sessions that I’ll facilitate near the end of the summer—one for each choice of course teachers can take.
Testimonials
Teach SEL Through (not instead of) Academics (Grades 9-12): From educators new to SEL to teachers who could use a refreshing take on SEL, this course will have you looking at your academic content through the lens of SEL skills. By the end your head will be full of ways to integrate SEL into what you already do with your students.
Monica Rogers, Timberlane, NH
The best thing about Mr. Anderson’s courses is that his stories, suggestions, and instruction come from the experience of a real teacher. You can tell he was and still is a teacher. His ideas, topics, and instruction are applicable, and he speaks to all the concerns that teachers have or deal with continually. And he even speaks to administrators about the heart of the teacher, reminding them of the challenges of the classroom.
Jennifer Shoemaker, Mountain Brook, AL
Just knowing that administration made this (Beat Teacher Burnout: Refresh Your Spirit) available to staff, has already given me the feeling of being understood. If they implement one of the many practical suggestions for improving our sense of belonging and fun, it’s a slam dunk for staff morale and retention.
Jane Shields, Pelham, NH
This course (Democracy in Action in Elementary School) is incredibly well thought out, organized, engaging, and full of practical ideas to include in daily classroom practice. It had me thinking, taking notes, laughing at times and energized to shift in many ways – particularly around equity, voice, choice and my own language. Highly recommend for all educators, school leaders and parents of young kids.
Nawal Q. Casiano, Education Consultant, Chicago, IL
“Hugging Porcupines” is an excellent way to get educators (not just teachers–these ideas apply to administrators, tutors and paraprofessionals, and other support staff as well) thinking about how we respond to the “challenging” students who need our support and empathy the most. This course helps you through processing your own skills and methods and provides you with tools and ideas to actually implement change! As someone who works in special education (primarily with those “challenging” kids who don’t quite fit elsewhere), I can’t recommend this course enough. The way Mike presents information and ideas keeps everything from getting overwhelming, and I felt like I came out of it energized and readier than ever to build compassion into the classroom!
Talia Follansbee, Special Education Educator, SAU 29
As educators we need to be reminded that what we teach daily in the classroom reaches far beyond the time we spend with our students. The lessons of responsibility, consequences, having a voice, belonging and respect are life lessons. These children are the future leaders of our world.
Mike Anderson ends this course by stating: “As educators we can raise a generation of kids who are ready to participate respectfully and responsibly as citizens in our country.”
Thank you for reminding us of one of the reasons why we have chosen this profession.
Eve Sorkin, West Orange, NJ