Job Discussion Forums

overdrive808 · Joined: 21 Feb 2013 Posts: 15

I am looking for online courses to further develop my teaching competency.

I am working in a kindergarten currently, and I need to use up $120 on a professional development course before September. Following that, I will start a Multiple Intelligence Theory program in the new semester.

I know I could do another TKT, but I would prefer not to.

Does anyone have any recommendations of further teaching qualifications I could study online?
I am not limited to younger learners, I have taught a wide range of ages.

Thanks

suphanburi · Joined: 20 Mar 2014 Posts: 916

mmcmorrow · Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 143 Location: New Zealand

If you have $120 to spend on professional education, one possibility would be to buy a few books (if this counts). There's a new edition of 'Approaches and Methods' for instance, Jill Hadfield has a newish book out on motivation, or maybe Dudeney and Hockley on Digital Literacies?

Alternatively, you could use it to join a professional association, such as TESOL or IATEFL, which would also give you access to a lot of resources.

About multiple intelligences, there are numerous free online sources which deal critically with this theory. For instance, the Evidence-Based EFL blog or Phillip Kerr's posting on the Six Things site and this collection of critical articles.

Martin McMorrow, Massey University, New Zealand

simon44 · Joined: 15 Mar 2013 Posts: 118

There are some online, CPD courses that cover recognition and classroom management of students with ADHD, Autism or Dyslexia.

I have completed several of these courses and the course content is quite comprehensive and applicable to my teaching of primary students - one young student has severe ADHD and the knowledge that I gained from the CPD course enabled me to manage his classroom activities and achievements much better.

Simon

haleynicole14 · Joined: 20 Feb 2012 Posts: 178 Location: US

I can't give you a personal recommendation on the courses, but ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) is a reputable name in US education and offers courses for $129 on a variety of educational topics.

http://shop.ascd.org/ONLINELEARNING/ASCDproductlinstingPDO.aspx?CATEGORY=online&SUBCATEGORY=pdocatalog&SORTBY=Long_Name&PAGESIZE=10

I also just found and registered for this page:

http://www.pbs.org/teacherline/selfpacedcourses/

Many of the online courses are free or $49. I signed up for a few of the free ones and they look like legitimate resources. I think you get a certificate when you complete it too. Cool!