OPI Teacher Learning Hub 2022-2023 Course Catalog
View the full OPI Teacher Learning Hub 2022-2023 Catalog by clicking this link.
IEFA and the Visual Arts
This self-paced online course serves as an opportunity for participants to explore Indian Education for All through the lens of the Visual Arts. Participants will review and apply The Art of Storytelling: Plains Indian Perspectives; A Beautiful Tradition: Ingenuity and Adaptation in a Century of Plateau Women’s Art; Crossing Boundaries Through Art; and Learning Through Art: Corwin (Corkey) Clairmont and Juane Quick-to-See Smith, all available on the Office of Public Instruction website.
Participants will use these materials in completion of a selection of instructional activities and design lessons appropriate for use in their own setting. Students will use additional source materials via weblinks, interlibrary loan and/or scanned documents of the Moodle classroom to realize their course objectives. Through comparison of the National Standards for the Arts and Indian Education for All’s Essential Understandings, participants will develop lesson planning respecting the mandate of IEFA while reflecting on artistic, cultural and artistic problems and designing artistic solutions. Most required materials will be provided in the course Moodle or through the OPI website, though participants may need to seek additional resources at their local museum or school district art department or library.
This course is the equivalent to 30 classroom hours (30 OPI renewal units), which is the equivalent of 2 university credits. This is a self-paced course, but do not expect to complete it in one sitting! Course participants must be comfortable working independently and be self-motivated to complete all work within the flexible time frame.
How to Register: Visit the Western Montana Professional Learning Collaborative website
Art and Literature IEFA Integration (for use in grades K-5)
This course introduces quality American Indian themed literature for the K-5 classroom, and seeks to provide meaningful art activities to create connections to each text. In this two-credit course, you will:
1. Read a number of American Indian-themed picture books suitable for use in the early education classroom.
2. Explore ways to give students concrete experiences to help them relate the text to real life, build vocabulary, and develop a respect for differences.
3. Learn or review the Seven Essential Understandings Regarding American Indians and the Montana Common Core Standards.
4. Complete a number of art activities connected to the books in this course and review/revise them for your classroom
5. Create your own social studies/literature lesson and art activity connected to an additional IEFA themed picture book of your choosing
6. Those seeking graduate credit will create two lesson plans, or incorporate one additional book into their lesson plan for the final grade.
This is a self-paced course, but do not expect to complete it in one sitting! Course participants must be comfortable working independently and be self-motivated to complete all work within the flexible time frame.
How to Register: Visit the Western Montana Professional Learning Collaborative website
National Humanities Center Professional Development
About the National Humanities Center:
Since 1978, the National Humanities Center [nationalhumanitiescenter.org] has operated as the world’s only independent non-profit research center in the humanities. The Education Programs strengthen teaching on the collegiate and pre-collegiate levels. Model programs developed at the Center provide teachers and faculty with new materials and instructional strategies to make then more effective in the classroom and rekindle their enthusiasm for the subjects they teach.
The Humanities in Class Webinar Series [nationalhumanitiescenter.org] addresses classic and contemporary issues in the humanities as a 90-minute discussion between educators and a lead scholar. Each session includes readings and sources, a powerpoint, and a recording is provided after the live event.
The Humanities in Class Online Course [nationalhumanitiescenter.org] portfolio invites educators to focus more deeply on a compelling topic in the humanities. Participants in each five-module course actively engage with course materials and colleagues, expand their own knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and develop customized educational resources.
The Humanities in Class Digital Library [education.nationalhumanitiescenter.org], an Open Education Resource (OER)-based repository that collects and combines the best in humanities scholarship and education for use in the K-12 and collegiate classroom. Scholars share their research, and educators publish instructional resources. The HICDL connects seamlessly with Google Classroom and most Learning Management Systems.
Humanities in Class Online Courses
The Humanities in Class Online Course portfolio invites educators to focus more deeply on a compelling topic in the humanities. Participants in each five-module course actively engage with course materials and colleagues, expand their own knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and develop customized educational resources. Successful completion earns 35 certified professional development hours.
Visit the National Humanities Center website for more information, or to enroll in the courses.
Advancement Courses: 100% Online Professional Development
Advancement Courses is a Montana OPI-preapproved provider offering 100% online professional development courses for K–12 educators. All courses are available for graduate credit or OPI renewal units for your license renewal and salary advancement needs. We offer 280+ courses in 20 different subject areas on foundational topics and emerging trends in education such as:
- Online, blended, and flipped learning
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- SEL, student anxiety, and trauma
- Core and specialized content areas
- Special needs and ESL/ELL
- Classroom management and instruction
…and many more. All courses are online, self-paced, and allow up to six months to complete. If you’re interested in earning graduate credit, you can choose to receive your transcript from multiple CAEP and regionally accredited university partners such as Southern New Hampshire University and Concordia University St. Paul.
Visit Advancement Courses for a complete list of courses.
Comprehension Connections: Bridges to Strategic Reading and Problem Solving
Tanny McGregor uses metaphors, art, music and concrete representations to make thinking visible. Using schema, questioning, inferring, visualizing, determining importance and synthesizing strategies her methods not only help students understand what they read but also gives them the tools for problem solving as well.
Geometry in Nature K-8
Geometry allows students to describe, analyze, and understand the physical environment. Using tangrams and engaging stories, designs, and art from various Native American tribes, students will explore nature and shapes to design their own creations.
Using Art and Literature to Foster Critical Thinking and Collaborative Conversations K-12
Through literature, art, effective questioning, and collaborative facilitation techniques, participants will learn ways to foster critical thinking and meaningful discussions, while deepening knowledge of American Indian culture and the Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians.
Integrating the Arts to Reduce Student Tobacco Use
This course highlights how the arts can support Tobacco Use Prevention Programs and provides you specific ways to incorporate arts into your curriculum by providing lesson plans and family outreach opportunities.
Visit Integrating the Arts to Reduct Student Tobacco Use on the Teacher Learning Hub