Hey All You Aspiring Teachers~What sets you apart from the other 247 candidates that are applying for that job in the perfect school district? What value can you bring that other candidates might not? Want to show those future employers how much you LOVE learning about new things related to teaching and learning? One way to set yourself apart and become a better teacher while doing so is to continue learning about new trends and ideas in education and I found some great, free, online professional learning opportunities just for you.   Below I highlight several of these. If you are looking for others, Differentiated Teaching has put together a great list for you here.

Teacher Podcasts

One of my favorite sites for great educator podcasts is Cult of Pedagogy. Here you can search podcasts by topic or category and several are highlighted on the homepage, such as this one, “6 Tech Tools to Try in 2020.” The podcasts range in time, some very short and some an hour or more. Accompanying each podcast is information and links to resources mentioned in the podcast. For example, the Tech Tools podcast provides information and links to all 6 technology tools mentioned in the podcast.

 

Vicki Davis from the Cool Cat Teacher blog offers 10-Minute Teacher podcasts. There are a variety of topics to choose from (over 500 actually), but she has also designated certain days by a theme. For example, Mondays are Motivational Mondays and Tuesdays are Ed Tech Tool Tuesdays. You get the point.

 

Teach Me Teacher is an awesome site to find podcasts that feature authors and exceptional teachers speaking on topics they know best. For example, one podcast features Korey Collins, reading specialist from the Ron Clark Academy. He shares insights about teaching reading and graphic novels.

 

Webinars

edweb.net  touted as helping “educators connect and share ideas to improve teaching and student learning” offers several options for professional development. Their one hour online webinars are perfect for those crunched for time and they offer a wide range of topics for all grades and subject areas. If you have a special interest, say for example, coding and robotics or early learners, you can also join a professional learning community to connect with other educators from around the globe.

 

ASCD offers free webinars on a variety of educational topics from experts in the field who typically have published books on the subject matter on which they speak. Webinars are typically around an hour in length and you can register for live or pre-recorded versions.

 

Online Courses

If you are a member of Kappa Delta Pi, the National Honor Society for Educators, then you have access to a few free professional development opportunities and many that are offered at reduced rates. Even if you are not a member, you can still access the courses, but the fees are higher.  Their Educator Learning Network provides a wide range of courses; examples include Classroom Management, Supporting Grieving Students, Social Emotional Learning, and lots more.

 

OK2Ask is online virtual professional development happening in real-time. Educators can search upcoming events and register to attend the live course or an archived course; all courses are 90 minutes in length and are very interactive. They even offer professional learning certificates for proof of completion.

 

If you are a preservice or inservice teacher in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Standards Aligned System (SAS) offers registered members access to a host of free online courses that are aligned to the Danielson Framework. Courses provide Act 48 hours, which all practicing teachers must acquire throughout their teaching careers.

 

So there you have it. Clear some time in your schedule and learn something new to enhance your instruction and your resume!