IRIS Professional Development Modules

N2X STEM Pathways

Through our interactive audio you can listen anywhere, at anytime to the content and conversations within STEM education which include “STEM Education”, “STEM Project Based Learning”, “STEM Applications”, and “STEM Pathways”. This technology was developed to fit into the margins of your busy life. Listen while you drive, talk a walk, or work in your garden. The interactive features will ask questions, record your reflections on our servers for verification of completion, and link you to additional resources. When you have completed your desired clock hours we update your Montana Renewal Units professional development account. Then you are done! All without ever having to attend a weekend conference or Zoom meeting, it really is that easy and will change how you think and interact in your educational practice!
In the N2X STEM Pathways course we explore where STEM can take a student. The sky’s the limit with STEM! Our interactive audio host, Dave Gamon, interviews some rock star women of STEM in diverse fields of practice, covering the many diverse options for STEM careers, how the future of STEM education might look, computer science in the classroom and how to assist students to be successful in STEM.

OPI Renewal Unit Provider

Register Here: N2X – Consulting, Professional Development, Educational Digital Media

N2X STEM Empathy and Equity in Education

Explore with N2X what a STEM Education can look like. What are the 5 W’s of STEM, how can we have better empathy for our students that leads to an empowered student who is ready to investigate and engage in the scientific process. What are some of the ways educators can reach their minority students and have a more equitable approach to all student’s education? Lastly, what does STEM look like in the K5 classroom and how can teachers be training their students at the elementary level to approach their education utilizing the methods embraced in STEM education.

OPI Renewal Unit Provider

Register Here: https://n2x.co/

N2X STEM Empathy and Equity in Education

Safe and Caring Schools: Role-Play Simulation

OPI Teacher Learning Hub 2022-2023 Course Catalog

View the full OPI Teacher Learning Hub 2022-2023 Catalog by clicking this link.

Threat Assessment and Intervention

For the vast majority of youth, schools are the safest place they will ever go. Schools continuously strive to make their schools as safe as possible by (1) preventing violence and (2) supporting student well-being. Threat assessments and interventions are powerful tools schools can implement to achieve these two goals. In this course, we will outline trends and information on school violence and prevention, and the effectiveness of school-based threat assessment and intervention teams to increase school safety and support a safe and connected school climate.

Register for this course on the Teacher Learning Hub.

Cybersecurity for K-12 Educators

The Montana Safe Schools Center at the University of Montana is offering a semester long asynchronous course on cybersecurity. The training course is available to K-12 school leaders, teachers, staff and IT professionals. Cybersecurity threats have been on the rise for public schools and Montana is no exception. This course will allow access to training in small rural school districts to help create learning, awareness and skills that can be incorporated to protect and keep school data safe.

Earners of the K-12 School Cybersecurity Certificate have fundamental understanding of national, state and school cybersecurity risk, threats and state level protections in place. Certificate earners have the ability to incorporate application of cybersecurity policy/training/protections into existing school protocol.

Visit the University of Montana Website to register.

Fostering Positive Parent-Teacher Relationships

Does the phrase “Open House Night” makes your palms sweat? Do you dread holding parent/teacher meetings? If so, this course will offer you concrete solutions and ideas on how to foster positive, successful relationships with the parents of your students. Countless studies have touted the importance of parental involvement in the classroom yet many teachers are uncertain of how to make parents supportive allies rather than combative adversaries. This course will teach you ways to get the most out of parental involvement all year long in low risk ways. Upon completing this course, you will have countless information and tools at your disposal to help you have a great year with both your students and their parents.

How to Register: Visit the Creative Teacher Education Institute website

Linking Systems of Care Trauma-Informed Approaches series

The Linking Systems of Care (LSOC) Montana Trauma-Informed Approaches Curriculum provides in-depth training on policies and practices that programs, agencies, and organizations may employ to be trauma informed. For those who work with traumatized individuals, understanding and employing practices that resist re-traumatization constitutes an essential step toward helping to facilitate growth. Participants will learn about the LSOC Montana Seven Key Principles of Trauma-Informed Care: Safety; Trustworthiness and Transparency; Peer Support; Collaboration and Mutuality; Empowerment, Voice, and Choice; Equity for High-Risk Populations, and Leadership, Administrative Support and Policies, each of which anchor a host of policy and practice recommendations. The 10-hour training may be divided into as many as four segments and delivered over as many as four weeks. The training is facilitated by LSOC Montana Program Coordinator Jess Mayrer and trauma-informed care champions from across the state. For more information: jessica.mayrer@umconnect.umt.edu.

Please visit the LSOC website for the list of courses.