NEW PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE Just released!

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

Text Based Discussions in High School*

Explore the research-based strategy of facilitating text discussions that support the close reading, speaking, and listening skills called for in the English Language Arts/Literacy Common Core State Standards for grades 9-12.

Learn More!

*We suggest “ELA101H/Literacy Shifts in High School” as a reference for this course. To enroll in the ELA101H course CLICK HERE. You have full access to all courses in Pepper through the course directory.  There is always something new to learn in Pepper!

 New Course for Elementary Mathematics Coming Soon!

Click Here to view all courses in Pepper.  Simply Select “Sign up & Start Course” on any new course you would like to add to your dashboard!

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--Professor Pepper

BRAND NEW! Check out these AMAZING Math courses that just hit PEPPER!

Two fantastic new middle school mathematics professional development courses are available in Pepper now. Take a look at the courses and their descriptions and get excited about the opportunities to be prepared and ready to work with your students as the new school year kicks into gear! Click on the course titles to learn even more about what you'll discover if you sign up!

Getting Started With Expressions and Equations (6-8)

Take a deep dive into the Expressions and Equations domain and the clusters of standards it includes at each grade level. Study the clusters of standards for each grade, work on math tasks related to each cluster, and learn more about the mathematics education research behind the CCSS.

Implementing Expressions and Equations (6-8).

Continue your journey into Expressions and Equations by understanding how to implement the domain effectively in your classroom. This course is designed to follow Getting Started with Expressions and Equations course.

FREE WestEd Webinar: A Curriculum-First Approach to Technology and the Web

Many educators have concerns about the way that technology can seem like a haphazard element of instruction--something that gets added into the classroom because it seems important and on-trend, but isn't necessarily integrated with the curriculum.

This free webinar from WestEd helps present ideas and strategies for making technology a central, integrated, transformative part of the learning environment, and not merely something added on in an ad hoc manner.

Take a look at the webinar (roughly 1hr and 15 minutes) to get a better sense of how everything from technology infrastructure to stakeholder readiness can impact the way technology is integrated into the curriculum.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH!

FREE WestEd Webinar: Reading and Writing, Common Core Style!

One of the areas on which the goals of Common Core are focused is building literacy--not only in traditional ways via ELA education, but also across the curriculum. Reading and writing, and the skills that are part of reading and writing, have an enormous role to play as students learn to engage with a variety of texts, topics, ideas, and problems.

This WestEd webinar takes a closer look at Common Core Reading Anchor Standard 1, and attempts to connect it to evidence-based interpretation in other subjects and areas as well. This is a great opportunity to gain a better, clearer understanding of how the CCSS can help students develop literacy and put interpretive skills to work across disciplines.

TAKE A LOOK HERE for the webinar (approximately 34 minutes), and be sure to CLICK ON THE FOLDER to download supporting PDFs and other materials!

The Changing Landscape of ESL Instruction--FREE WestEd Webinar on June 18th!

How will the transition to Common Core State Standards impact students in English Language Learner / English as a Second Language settings? What will the new standards mean for educators who work with these students? How can educators use this transition to Common Core as an opportunity for making deep and lasting transformations in their pedagogy in order to meet the needs of their students in new and significant ways?

SIGN UP HERE for this free webinar presented by WestEd and the TESOL International Association. You will get the chance to

• Develop awareness of the deep changes required by the implementation of new standards
• Understand the questions that could guide your reflection as you transform your pedagogy
• Understand why prevalent pedagogies do not serve English learners well in the new standards era
• Begin to envision richer, productive pedagogies with English learners

The webinar will be held on Wednesday, June 18 from 10:30-noon EST. You'll need to register at the link above. CHECK OUT THE WESTED SITE to get more info, and if you can't attend at that time, the webinar will be archived!

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FREE WestEd Webinar--Personalize Learning to Meet the Common Core

For educators who work with special education students, there are a number of questions about how Common Core State Standards will work in their classrooms. How can you balance the diverse needs of your students and meet the standards? How can you create personalized learning environments within your classroom?

This free 30-minute webinar from experts at WestEd can help you answer these questions and give you a better understanding of how personalized learning can support the Common Core.

CLICK HERE FOR THE WEBINAR and make sure to check out the supporting resources and PDFs as well.

A Free Webinar for California Educators: the Smarter Balanced Assessment System

Assessments will play an important role as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are implemented across most of the United States. If you're an educator in California, no doubt you may be wondering about the latest news and information when it comes to assessments and the resources that Smarter Balanced offers.

This WestEd webinar from March, 2014 (sponsored by the Secondary Literacy Partnership) provides a fantastic, clear overview of the most up-to-date information regarding  the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) system. Deb Sigman and Diane Hernandez (California Dept. of Education) answer questions and review the available resources that educators will want to know about as the new assessments are implemented. Watch the webinar, or download PDFs of the PowerPoint deck to read through for yourself!

Check out the webinar HERE to get informed!

Calling All Math Teachers—Upcoming Free Webinar on April 30th on Standards of Mathematical Practice!

Curious about the role of Standards of Mathematical Practice (SMPs) in Smarter Balanced Performance Assessments? Looking for more information about mathematics classroom practices on the ground? Look no further—and register for this free, 2-hour webinar led by Cathy Carroll of WestEd’s STEM program as she walks you through an overview of SMPs. The webinar will take place live on April 20, 2014, at 4 p.m. PST. Click here to register!

Can’t make it? Don’t worry—the webinar will be archived on the WestEd website for viewing anytime!