Not advocating that they drop Human Development, Differentiation, or Strategies for At-Risk Learners, but here's a list of classes that - AFTER a few years of teaching - I realize my teaching prep program really should have incorporated, because I felt woefully unprepared:
- Basic Classroom Cleanup and Repair (how to remove permanent ink from desks & smartboards, mitigate glitter/Starbucks spills, contain germs/vermin ….)
- The Care and Maintenance of Antiquated Technology (HVAC, Smartboards, old laptops, buggy software & apps ….)
- Cultural Media for Teachers of Teens (slang, pop culture references ...)
- Understanding the Social-Emotional Impacts of Social Media on Youth
- Strategies for Building Student Curiosity, Engagement, and Internal Motivation
- Behaviour Management Strategies for “Those Students”
- Chaos Theory and Management
- How Schools Have Changed Since You Were a Kid
- Maintaining Work/Life Balance (protecting your prep time, managing inappropriate expectations, avoiding decision fatigue, recognizing and processing toxic positivity, self care ....)
- Stress Management: Recognizing and Mitigating Common Sources of Anxiety (maintaining work/life balance, coping with moral injustice, dealing with disrespect ….)
- Strategies for Working Smarter, Not Harder (differentiation, feedback, grading ….)
- Navigating Challenging School Cultures (teacher cliques, bad admins, rogue PTAs ….)
- De-Escalating Conflicts With Students, Parents, Coworkers, and Admins
- Introduction to Educational Fads (past, present, future)
- The Hidden Curriculum (an examination of all the things we’re expected to teach that aren’t in the curriculum)
- Assessment Strategies 101 (designing assessments that are hack-proof, efficient to grade, measure critical thinking, and that yield valid, actionable data ....)
- Producing Effective and Engaging Digital Content
- Managing Parent Communications and Expectations (know your scripted responses!)
- Proactive Paperwork Management Strategies
- How to Affect Change Without Getting Fired
