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Professional Development

Grief & Resilience in Our Movements: Strengthening Our Movements Post-Election

Register here: Grief and Resilience In Our Movements

In the wake of this election cycle and ongoing crises, many of us are grappling with profound grief and vicarious trauma. How do these emotions show up in ourselves, our communities, and our movements? And how can we harness this grief to fuel deeper connection, mobilization, and resilience in our fight for justice?

Action Network, Community Tech Alliance, Fair Future Lab, and We the People Michigan have partnered with the STOKE collective and invite you to join Grief & Resilience in Our Movements: Strengthening Our Movements Post-Election — a powerful webinar series exploring how grief, trauma, and joy intersect with our work for social justice. Together, we’ll examine the ways we can support each other and sustain our movements especially as we confront the impacts of the election cycle and ongoing global injustices.

Webinar Schedule:

GETTING GROUNDED Intro Session [30 min]:

November 12th @ 6 PM ET/5PM CT/4PM MT/3PM PT

NOTE: This session is not required to join on the 22nd or December 6th, but a recording will be sent to all registrants for any session.

This session will set the tone, offering somatic practices and breathing exercises to prepare us for deeper work. We’ll cover how to bring grief practices into our organizing work and set intentions for building resilience together.

Grief & Resilience in our Movements: Strengthening our Movements Post Election [1.5 hrs]

An immersive 1.5-hour session with lecture, somatic practice, and group discussion

We’ll dive into practical tools for addressing vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and grief in our movements. Through exercises, community reflection, and a roadmap for integrating resilience practices, we’ll reaffirm that anger, grief, and joy are integral to organizing work.


If you cannot make either of these times and would like to stay in touch with the STOKE Collective about future grief offerings, click here. To learn more about the STOKE Collective’s work click here.

AFT Michigan PD

Professional Development Workshop: Equity and Social-Emotional Engagement

Date
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Start Time
8:30am
Ending Time
4:00pm
Event Details

This in-service will introduce attendees to the Building Equity Taxonomy (BET) and its relationship to Social-Emotional Engagement (SEE). It is essential for educators to develop programs that are sensitive to the students' social and emotional needs.

Participants will receive 6 SCECHs after completion of this course.

 

Register Here: https://aftmichigan.org/professional-development-events/#aft-pd-registration/

AFT Professional Learning

Join us for a  book study on The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. EDT, beginning Oct. 15.

In The PD Book, bestselling authors Elena Aguilar and Lori Cohen offer seven habits and a wealth of practical tools that help you transform professional development/learning. Join AFT national trainer Kimberly Skukalek in a series of Zoom sessions to learn how to inspire adult learners, the importance of having clear purpose, and how to navigate power dynamics in a group. Through facilitated collective discussion, you will gain insight into fine-tuning ways

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Register by October 2: Shaping Academic Minds: Belonging in STEM Initiative

Belonging is a critical factor in student success, particularly for Black, Latinx, Native American, neurodiverse and multilingual learners who are frequently underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and careers.

We invite AFT members to join us for “Shaping Academic Minds: An AFT Belonging in STEM Initiative.” 

In partnership with Beyond100K, this initiative is built on the belief that educators are key agents of change, capable of designing STEM classrooms that are not only academically challenging but also inclusive, joyful, engaging, and affirming for students’ identities and experiences. This initiative seeks to assess what our members need and how they are creating STEM classrooms and work environments of belonging, where every student and educator, regardless of their background, feel valued, seen, heard and supported. Your voice is essential to helping us achieve this goal!

Who should participate?
STEM educators (including, but not limited to science, technology, computer science, engineering, math, integrated STEM, data science, and career and technical education) who identify as and/or serve Black, Latinx, Native American, neurodiverse, and multilingual learners and communities.

How long will this initiative last?
Action starts as soon as registration closes on Oct. 2 with the prerequisite assignments outlined below, and concludes on Nov. 15. This is just the first phase of this work. We hope to use the information gathered from you and your students to prioritize the development of professional learning resources that focus on equity in STEM education.

What are the requirements?
Participants must complete all of the general assignments and those specific to their selected track to obtain a certificate of hours. Incentives and raffles will be offered every step of the way! (See track descriptions for projected number of hours.)

General Assignments

  1. Complete a Belonging in STEM Demographic Survey by Oct. 11.
  2. Attend a virtual launch meeting on Oct. 16 from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. EDT.
    (Note: Flexible meeting arrangements can be made available upon request to accommodate time zones for our Pacific regions and those who lead extracurricular activities after hours.)
  3. Take “Being a Culturally Responsive Educator,” a 60-minute asynchronous online course provided by Beyond100K, and complete the accompanying Culturally Responsive Education Self-Assessment (30 minutes) by Nov. 15.

 

Space is limited. Register now for the initiative and launch meeting.
The deadline to register is Oct. 2.

AI Literacy PD on Election

This upcoming free, for-credit webinar will underscore the importance of teaching our students to critically evaluate the content they encounter—whether it’s in the form of AI-generated videos or social media posts.

But AI literacy is just the beginning. Throughout the fall, we’ll also dive into other crucial topics, including:

  • Differentiation with AI
    Ready to level up your differentiation game? We’ll explore how AI can revolutionize personalized learning in your classroom, making it easier than ever to meet the diverse needs of your students. Plus, we’ll show you how to bring parents into the
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October 2024 SML Webinars (Early Registration Required)

Register by: Sept. 19
Launch date: Oct. 3
This 10-hour AFT eLearning module is designed to equip K-12 teachers with effective strategies for enhancing students' reading comprehension. Drawing from AFT's comprehensive research on reading instruction, the course delves into best practices for teaching narrative and expository texts while emphasizing vocabulary development. Participants will engage with the material through interactive videos, journaling, research activities and knowledge checks. Upon successful completion, teachers will earn a certificate for 10 contact hours. Learn more: https://aftelearning.org/reading

Differentiating Instruction
Register by: Oct. 3
Launch date: Oct. 17
This 15-hour AFT eLearning module is tailored to help K-12 teachers master the art of differentiation in the classroom. The course explores various strategies to meet the diverse learning needs of students, ensuring that all learners can succeed regardless of their starting point. Through engaging videos, practical activities and reflective journaling, participants will learn how to create adaptable lesson plans, assess student progress, and implement differentiated instruction effectively. Upon successful completion, teachers will earn a certificate for 15 contact hours. Learn more: https://aftelearning.org/differentation

9/29/24 & 10/20/2024 Engage in Civic Education Webinars

Fall Webinar Series

  • Teaching the Power of Local Democracy: Why Voting Matters in Every Election, Part 1 with Generation Citizen's RISE Vote 2024
    Grades 9-12, Higher Education
    Sept. 29, 5 p.m.-6 p.m. EDT
    Explore how to engage new and younger voters through experiential learning approaches like “action civics” and through nonpartisan initiatives aimed at young voter engagement for 2024 and beyond.


  • Teaching the U.S. Constitution and Civic Ideals: Why Voting Matters in Every Election, Part 2 with National Constitution Center
    Grades 6-12
    Oct. 20, 5 p.m.-6 p.m. EDT
    Explore how to effectively teach students the importance of voting by connecting it to the Constitution and the principles that underpin our civic education. Learn about the most influential strategies for educating students about voting, civic responsibility, and how to navigate the complexities of the electoral process as the election approaches.


AFT Michigan PD

https://aftmichigan.org/professional-development-events/

Professional Development Workshop - Archetypes Supporting/Developing Teacher Agency/Identity

Date
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Start Time
8:30am
Ending Time
4:00pm
Event Details

This in-service will provide strategies for educators to enhance their ability to advocate for themselves and students to support emotional growth in the learning environment.

Participants will receive 6 SCECHs after completion of this in-service.

Madonna University Offers Cohort Master's Programs [5.15.12]

Madonna University will be offering off-campus master’s programs in your area starting this September. Classes meet only one night per week, and have a 2-2 ½ year completion time. Current teachers are offered a 24 percent tuition discount. For information, go to: http://www.teachhub.com/emc/madonna-university?Website

For DFT members interested in a graduate degree, Marygrove College is offering a Master in the Art of Teaching. This is an all online 18-month program. For more info go to http://info.marygrove.edu/Detroit-Federation-of-Teachers/?utm_campaign=DFT---Ad&utm_source=banner%20ad and click above.  

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