Pepper and CHADD Team Up to Educate Teachers About ADHD

CHADD and Pepper have teamed up to create an online course to help teachers effectively reach their ADHD students. CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is an organization that is committed to providing education, advocacy and support for individuals with ADHD.
The course, Teacher to Teacher: Supporting Students with ADHD helps educators identify common ADHD-related learning problems and learn about proven classroom techniques, interventions, and the latest research to enhance school success for students with ADHD. This course is designed by teachers for teachers, this multi-session, interactive training course is developed and taught by expert educators. CEUs are available upon completion of the course.

Watch this video to learn more about ADHD and CHADD:

October is National ADHD Awareness ADHD Awareness and the theme for this year is Knowing is Better. According to ADHD Awareness Month, the theme was chosen based on the idea that “it’s better for parents to know that ADHD might be part of the picture so they can seek out the help their children need; it’s better for young adults to know about their ADHD so they might arrange for appropriate accommodations in school or the workplace; and it’s better for adults to recognize their ADHD instead of feeling destined to a life of underachievement and frustration.”

You can find more information about CHADD and their work with ADHD and about ADHD Awareness Month by visiting their websites. You can learn more about this new course for teachers and others available from Pepper on their Courses and Workshops page.

The Importance of Digital Literacy: Preparing Students for Learning and Life

We are surrounded by technology in more ways than ever before. Students growing up today are considered “digital natives,” meaning they have experienced life with a vast array of technology and digital media at their fingertips. While this reality presents exciting educational opportunities, it can also be overwhelming for many teachers who are not as comfortable with the numerous apps, games, and digital platforms in use today.

As educators, our challenge is to use technology effectively for teaching and learning. According to Mike Ribble, Digital Citizenship in Schools, “Just as you teach your students the rules of society, it is imperative that you teach them the rules of the digital world, and how to be safe and responsible with technology.”

If you are unclear or want more information on what Digital Citizenship is all about, check out this video from one of Pepper's partners, Common Sense Education: Digital Citizenship Video.

To help educators teach their students how to use technology safely, respectfully, and responsibly, Common Sense Education and Public Consulting Group (PCG) have partnered to offer digital citizenship courses through Pepper, PCG's online professional learning platform. These courses (tailored for elementary, middle, high school, and for school leaders) will build teachers' understanding of eight core digital citizenship topics, provide a guided, interactive experience with our high-quality instructional materials, and provide access to Pepper's robust online community of educators. Courses for middle and high school educators are currently available; the course for elementary educators is scheduled for release soon.

Course Features

• Designed to address internet safety, appropriate online behavior, and cyberbullying topics that E-rate recipients are required to teach to students
• Pepper's professional learning platform built on powerful technology developed by Harvard University and MIT
• Flexibility to work through the self-paced course independently or in small groups to promote an authentic, personalized learning experience
• Opportunity to collaborate with peers, access resources, and share best practices through Pepper's online community
• Learning activities provide foundational knowledge for teachers to become Common Sense Certified Educators in digital citizenship

Continuing education credits are available.

Courses Currently Available

• Digital Citizenship: Preparing Students for Learning and Life (Middle School Educators)
• Digital Citizenship: Preparing Students for Learning and Life (High School Educators)

Coming Soon

• Digital Citizenship: Preparing Students for Learning and Life (Elementary Educators)

You can find more information about Digital Citizenship on the Common Sense Education website, by visiting the Digital Citizenship tab from their main page, or by clicking here. You can learn more about these courses and others available from Pepper on their Courses and Workshops page. 

Gearing Up for Summer Break

Another school year is coming to a close - for some it’s the first, for some it’s the last. No matter how many school years you have achieved, we hope your school year was excellent. Pepper’s The Big Idea blog is taking the summer off. But, like many of you, “summer vacation” is more of a time for planning, preparing, and re-fueling. We will be back in the Fall with new ideas and encouragement for a new school year. Your Pepper team will be working over the summer to bring you new Courses and Workshops.
So, as you plan your summer, take some time for yourself and your family, sleep in, take a trip, indulge in a hobby, lay by the pool - or ocean or lake or river, or do nothing at all. But, just in case you have reading on your list of summer “to-do’s”, Education Closet provides a Summer Reading List for Teachers. The list of 40 books are divided into the following topics:

MINDSETS   |  CLASSROOM DESIGN  |  TEACHING RESOURCES & IDEAS  |  CLASSROOM LIBRARY  | JUST FOR FUN

No matter what your ideal summer looks likes - travel, rest, work, play, or even professional development - we hope you enjoy and come back rested and refreshed.

See you in the Fall!