VESi Teacher Recertification Courses

Why DI?   An Introduction to Differentiated Instruction
Course ID: RVEC 504 ONA

3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  This course is designed to give students an understanding of the framework and need for creating supportive learning environments for diverse learning populations.  Students will learn what is meant by Differentiated Instruction (DI) and the common myths associated with creating the differentiated classroom.  Discussions will include legal, theoretical and pedagogical foundations in the field of education that support the utilization of differentiated instructional practices and principles.  This course will also provide connections to a variety of concepts, variables and resources that will assist practitioners in aligning their own professional practices with those found in the differentiated classroom.

Planning & Preparing a Differentiated Instruction Program

Course ID: RVEC 565 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  This courWelcome to Try DI!: Planning & Preparing a Differentiated Instruction Program, an interactive computer-based instruction course. This course is designed to provide you an opportunity to learn about an instructional framework, Differentiated Instruction (DI), aimed at creating supportive learning environments for diverse learning populations. Students will be presented a method for self-assessment of the extent to which their current instructional approach reflects the perspective, principles, and practices of the DI approach. The course reflects an approach that aligns the principles of DI with the practices of DI. The concept of a “theory of action” will also be provided within a DI context. The course has also been designed to introduce students to a range of strategies associated with a DI approach. Strategies included in this course have been selected on the basis that they are effective in the widest possible range of educational K–12 settings. This course follows Why DI?: An Introduction to Differentiated Instruction, which addressed the What, Why, and Who of a classroom that reflects a DI approach. The focus of Try DI!: Planning & Preparing a Differentiated Instruction Program is on the When, Where, and How of the DI approach. 

Try DI!: Planning & Preparing a Differentiated Instruction Program is an invitation to reflect, explore, and anchor professional practices in the current literature and growing research base in support of DI. This course is designed for anyone working with a diverse learning population across the K–12 spectrum and will have the most direct application to professionals serving students within a mixed-ability classroom setting.

Early Childhood: Infant & Toddler Mental Health: Issues & Information for Educators
Course ID: RVEC 505 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  The course Infant & Toddler Mental Health has been divided into six chapters. This course will provide information on such issues as definition, best practice methods, attachment, temperament, and infant and toddler curriculum. The subject areas are sequential and, although it is not required, they should be completed in the order in which they are presented in the program. After completing these six chapters you should have the basic framework for understanding the critical role of infant and toddler mental health, as well as developmental knowledge of children from birth to thirty-six months.

Early Childhood: Family Centered Services
Course ID: RVEC 506 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Family-Centered Services is a continuum of services that employ the family-centered practice approach to promote the primary goals of child welfare: safety, permanency, and well-being.  A family-centered practice approach is a way of organizing and delivering assistance and support to families based on interconnected beliefs and attitudes that shape the program philosophy and behavior of personnel as they organize and deliver services to children and families.

Early Childhood: Observation & Assessment
Course ID: RVEC 507 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  This course is designed to help educators, para-professionals and child caregivers observe and assess various aspects of children’s development and programs.  Participants will learn the components necessary for strong observation skills, such as self-awareness, objectivity, confidentiality and ethical guidelines.  The course will then discuss various types of observation and recording tools, as well as the advantages and disadvantages associated with each.  Students will learn how to set goals, plan, and choose the best instrument for specific situations.  Included will be tools for assessing environments, developmental milestones and programming.  The why, when, where, what and how of conducting appropriate observations and authentic assessments will be covered.

Early Childhood: Program Planning
Course ID: RVEC 508 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  This course, Program Planning, has been divided into four chapters. The first chapter will discuss numerous considerations for planning and implementing a comprehensive, research-based curriculum for young children.  Various perspectives on the history and theory behind early childhood education and child development will be examined, in addition to discussing various forms of diversity among children.  We will also discuss what curriculum is, and identify guidelines presented by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for appropriate curriculum for young children through eight years of age.  We will take an overall look at the basic steps for creating an appropriate curriculum, planning a daily schedule, and creating lesson plans and activities for early childhood programs.  In addition to focusing our attention on appropriate curricular approaches, we will touch briefly on several curricular approaches to avoid.

Early Childhood: Typical & Atypical Development
Course ID: RVEC 509 ONA
3 Credits
Fee:$530
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  The first chapter will present an introduction to the study of child development from conception to age 6.  We will examine the historical roots and methods of child study, major psychological theories, and developmental principles and definitions.  In the second chapter we will start to study child development chronologically. We begin with conception and growth before birth. The third chapter starts with the end of the newborn period and covers infants from one to 12 months.  The tremendous growth and development of infants in each domain–motor, cognitive, language, and social-emotional—is detailed. Finally, chapter four discusses early childhood, called the magic years (Fraiberg, 1959), of children 3-6 years old.

Assessing Student Learning in the Classroom
Course ID: RVEC 567 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Welcome to Educational Assessment: Assessing Student Learning in the Classroom! Curriculum, instruction, and assessment work together to support student learning. Students are provided with opportunities to learn the skills, concepts, and work-study practices necessary to be successful in classrooms. Assessments measure student progress toward the standards, help teachers identify each student’s instructional needs, and inform parents about what and how their child is learning. The assessments also help to gauge how well schools are supporting the achievement of all students. 

However, no matter how many assessments there are, without educators able to use assessments, those assessments are worthless. As educators, we must know how to conduct the assessment, interpret the data, and develop priorities for action. We also must take into account data from other sources, notably the parents and psychologists. We then have to put all this information into some organized format and make the information clear to colleagues and parents. 

To do this, we have to bring our skills and knowledge about the subject matter into play while answering these questions: 

*Should we consider an alternative area? 

*What is the prerequisite knowledge for this area of the curriculum? 

*How important is the particular area? 

*Would having a “less than very high” level of competence in one area predispose the child to failure in other areas? 

*How much time should be spent on a particular topic? 

Influences & Issues in the Classroom
Course ID: RVEC 569 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Welcome to Teaching Diversity: Influences & Issues in the Classroom, an interactive computer-based instruction course designed to give you the knowledge and tools to facilitate a diverse classroom effectively. This course will help you understand and identify differences in approaches to learning and performance, including different learning styles and ways in which students demonstrate learning. This course will emphasize understanding how students’ learning is influenced by individual experiences, talents, disabilities, gender, language, culture, family, and community values. You will be challenged to apply knowledge of the richness of contributions from our diverse society to your teaching field.

Teaching and Assessing

Course ID: RVEC 568 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Welcome to Six Traits of Writing Model: Teaching & Assessing, a course geared primarily for professionals (e.g., regular or special educators, instructional assistants, school psychologists, counselors) working with children and youth in any academic area.  This course focuses on why teaching writing is an essential skill for life, and gives theory and practical steps to implement the six traits of writing in any classroom.

Children as Change Agents

Course ID: RVEC 566 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Welcome to Advanced Classroom Management: Children as Change Agents (ACM), a course geared primarily for regular or special educators, instructional assistants, school psychologist, counselors and administrator serving children and adolescents presenting social, emotional and/or behavioral problems in the classroom, school or community setting. The course focuses on cognitive and cognitive-behavioral interventions (often lumped together under the rubric “social skills”) with an emphasis on teaching students how to adapt, change and manage their own behavior. ACM will also review various stress reducing techniques that may be taught to students as well as used by participants to reduce his/her own stress. Since previous knowledge and understanding of traditional behavioral (operant) concepts and strategies is required, it is strongly recommended that participants have a reasonable understanding of basic behavior management terms. Without this basic behavior management understanding participants might find some of the advanced concepts difficult to follow and apply..

Methods and Materials for Teaching ESL Students
Course ID: RVEC 511 ONA
3 Credits
Fee:$530
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Methods & Materials for Teaching ESL Students was written to help teachers understand concepts and terms relating to education students whose first language is not English. This course discusses how to apply instructional methods in creating lessons; how to create a motivating and caring learning environment; how to integrate teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening skills; how to differentiate instruction for English language learners and how to identify culturally appropriate curriculum and instructional resources.

Language Acquisition for ESL Students
Course ID: RVEC 512 ONA
3 Credits
Fee:$530
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Language Acquisition for ESL Students was written to help teachers understand concepts and terms related to educating students whose first language is not English. This course discusses developmental theories and how they apply to English language learners. The focus of this course is on the process of second language acquisition and the role of the classroom teachers to provide services and about the types of programs schools might provide. Includes information on communicating with parents/guardians.

Build School Communities: Brain Smart Classroom Management
Course ID: RVEC 513 ONA
2 Credits
Fee:$455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  This course helps teachers build genuine bonds between themselves and their students and between students and their classmates to create “kindred classhomes” with a foundation of acceptance. This course will help you develop strategies, rituals and environmental design skills to create these safe havens of learning: kindred classhomes where students and teachers work together in synergistic ways that benefit all members of the school family. Students will learn how to differentiate for classroom management and discipline similarly to differentiating for students’ diverse academic needs.

Understanding & Implementing Common Core Standards

Course ID: RVEC 575 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Welcome to Understanding & Implementing Common Core Standards, an interactive computer-based instruction course designed to give you a deeper understanding of the rationale for and structure of this particular standards-based framework. In this course you will learn a number of factors that contributed to the overall design of the Common Core Standards as well as practical pedagogical approaches that will support practitioners working toward deeper implementation. We will reflect on the instructional “shifts” emphasized throughout the Common Core Standards and contextualize the shifts based on the diverse population of students course participants serve. Understanding & Implementing Common Core Standards will also provide connections to a variety of instructional considerations that will support implementation regardless of educational context. Practitioners will be provided opportunities to reflect on current practice and the degree to which they align with the Common Core Standards as well as with colleagues across a wide range of settings implementing these standards.

Harassment, Bullying & Cyber-Intimidation in Schools
Course ID: RVEC 515 ONA
2 Credits
Fee:$455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Harassment, Bullying & Cyber-Intimidation in Schools will discuss definitions and the personal, social, and legal ramifications associated with sexual harassment, bullying, and cyber-intimidation. The course will address what we know about these troubling areas. We will then explore preventative strategies as well as how school staff can address these issues when they occur. A clear understanding of what constitutes harassment and the harmful effects of harassment on people and institutions is essential to providing a safe and inclusive school environment for all.

Attention Deficit Disorder: Information & Interventions for Effective Teaching
Course ID: RVEC 541 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description: The Attention Deficit Disorder course is designed to help you achieve a better understanding of ADD and intervention strategies to facilitate positive student change. This course, taught by Mick R. Jackson MS/ED, provides you with information on the history of the disorder, accepted methods to assess and identify students with the disorder, and various methods, medications, and strategies that are currently being used to treat the disorder. This course outlines the referral process for and ADD or ADHD student and helps when you feel a student needs services beyond what you are capable or comfortable providing in your classroom environment. Reference materials include a list of resources for both teachers and parents who would like more help or information about ADD or ADHD.

Drugs & Alcohol in Schools: Understanding Substance Use & Abuse
Course ID: RVEC 544 ONA
2 CreditsFee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description: Welcome to Drugs & Alcohol in Schools, a computer-based instruction (CBI) course designed to give you a more comprehensive understanding of alcohol, drugs, and their influences in your classroom. Drugs & Alcohol in Schools provides a contextual framework for understanding what students may be experiencing either through their own substance use or from the substance use of others close to them. The course  provides a basic historical perspective of substance use along with the biological, psychological, and social factors that comprise the disease of addiction. This program will help you better understand a multitude of complex dynamics that contribute to this biological and social phenomenon.

Learning Disabilities: Practical Information for the Classroom Teacher
Course ID: RVEC 542 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description: This course provides an introduction to the field of Learning Disabilities for special teachers, general classroom teachers, integration teachers and related professionals especially those working in the areas of language, psychology and counseling. It will cover diverse theoretical approaches, lay the foundations for sensitive and appropriate assessment and evaluation of students, provide directions for program planning and implementation, indicate the importance of and the need for a close and positive partnership with parents (or alternative care givers) and consider ways for ensuring that the home-school axis is effective and meaningful.

Inclusion: Working With Students with Special Needs in General Education Classrooms 
Course ID: RVEC 548 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description: This interactive course is designed to help special and general educators gain a better understanding of inclusion, one of the current educational reform movements that advocates educating students with disabilities in the general education classrooms. Upon course completion, you will be able to define key concepts and terms, identify and describe federal legislature and court cases, and list and describe the federal definition of students entitled to special services. This course will also help you identify the roles and responsibilities of educators in providing special services to students educated in inclusive classrooms.

Why DI?   An Introduction to Differentiated Instruction
Course ID: RVEC 561 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  This course offers instruction in teaching reading and writing in various subject matter fields at the K–12 level. The material stresses the skills of vocabulary building, comprehension, and writing, as well as methods for motivating adolescents to read and write. 

An Introduction to Scientifically-based Research

Course ID: RVEC 504 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Reading Fundamentals supports the concept of using scientifically-based reading research to develop an effective approach to reading assessment, instruction, evaluation, and remediation. 
An Introduction to Scientifically-based Research, the first in the three-course Reading Fundamentals series on effective reading instruction, was designed to give background on scientifically-based instruction as it applies to federal legislation. The course discusses the research that supports scientifically-based research as it applies to effective instruction, assessment, and evaluation. The course explores myths and misconceptions concerning reading instruction and remediation. It also presents an evaluation checklist designed to assess the effectiveness of your current reading program. The goal of the course is to present you with research, trustworthy evidence, and background information that support the need for a reading program that is based on scientific research and proven methods.

Laying the Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction

Course ID: RVEC 563 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Learning to read is the most important skill students learn in school because it serves as the foundation for all other coursework. Given the importance of this foundational skill, evidence-based practices in literacy development should be employed. This three-course Reading Fundamentals series will help improve your knowledge of evidence-based practices. This knowledge will make you a more informed consumer and an even better advocate for students.

The purpose of this second course in this three-course series is to lay the foundation for effective reading instruction. As part of this course, you will learn about the elements of effective instruction. It is important that all teachers have a firm understanding of effective instructional procedures. Teachers benefit, and more importantly, students benefit, both in terms of their behavior and their academic performance, from effective instruction. Further, you will learn about the importance of reading instruction and read some sobering statistics on reading performance in this country and what happens when individuals are not proficient in reading.

The Elements of Effective Reading Instruction & Assessment

Course ID: RVEC 564 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  This course will focus on grades K–3 and 4–12 reading instruction and an introduction to reading assessment. As part of these two key areas of reading instruction, the five elements of effective reading instruction for grades K–3 will be highlighted, including definitions, implications for instruction, and future directions. These five elements include instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. Additionally, the five elements of effective reading instruction for grades 4–12 will be highlighted, including definitions, implications for instruction, and future directions. These five elements include instruction in word study, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and motivation. The course will also provide information on important assessment terms and definitions and will explore how reading assessment fits within federally mandated programs. This analysis includes specific recommendations for understanding student reading needs using screening, diagnostic, and progress-monitoring assessments. Finally, the course describes how teachers can conduct and use pivotal curriculum-based measurement (CBM) procedures in their classrooms. 

Talented & Gifted: Working With High Achievers
Course ID: RVEC 549 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description: Talented and Gifted Education provides information on the history of the exceptional in relation to education, current law, and accepted methods for referral, assessment, and identification of these students. The course also covers major program models and methods of differentiating instruction to meet the rate and level of learning of those students identified. The course gives you an understanding of ways to meet the effective needs of the gifted and talented student in the regular classroom. This course also lists resources for teachers and parents who would like more information about the talented and gifted.

Understanding Aggression: Coping With Aggressive Behavior in the Classroom
Course ID: RVEC 550 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description: Understanding Aggression includes topics on violence, aggression in the classroom, youth gangs, aggression in sports and on television, how drugs and alcohol play a role in aggression and violence, and “hot spots” that tend to breed aggression and violence. The course helps school personnel become more aware of the causes of aggression and ways to evaluate aggression and intervene before the aggression turns to violence in the schools. The course also speaks about aggression in our communities through driving, dating, sports, television, music and how these issues are dealt with in modern society.

Autism & Asperger’s Disorders: Information & Effective Intervention Strategies
Course ID: RVEC 545 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description: This course describes Autism and Asperger’s Disorder, including characteristics of these disorders, associated learning styles, communication weaknesses, and various intervention strategies. The course helps you make sense out of why individuals with autism spectrum disorders act the way they do, and what you can do to enhance more appropriate behavior. This course also lists resources for educators, related service personnel, and parents who want more help or information on autism and Asperger’s Disorder.

Child Abuse: Working With Abused & Neglected Children 
Course ID: RVEC 553 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description: Welcome to Child Abuse: Working with Abused and Neglected Children, an interactive computer-based instruction (CBI) course designed to help you identify and effectively teach students affected by child abuse and/or neglect. This course teaches you to recognize the signs of physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect in students. It also discusses the specific factors that exist in families who abuse or neglect their children. A major emphasis in this course is on helping the participant understand the special learning needs of the abused or neglected child and how to meet those needs in the regular classroom. Working with parents and community agencies is also emphasized. This course meets the child abuse and neglect educational requirement in most states. It is the responsibility of the student to verify the course content with your specific state professional licensing agency to ensure proper credit.

Behavior is Language: Strategies for Managing Disruptive Behavior
Course ID: RVEC 555 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description: This course provides a developmental framework to help you understand what students are trying to tell you through the “language” of their behavior, along with effective tools to facilitate positive student change.  The course teaches behavioral techniques and intervention strategies that remediate disruptive behaviors, reduce power struggles while increasing control and reduce your workloads and burnout.

Response to Intervention: Practical Information for the Classroom Teacher
Course ID: RVEC 557 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description: As educators, you have probably heard the term RTI, or Response to Intervention. RTI is a process schools can and should use to help students who are struggling with academic or behavior. Even though RTI is primarily linked to special education and the early identification of learning problems, RTI is not just for students in special education. RTI is for all students and is based on the premise that a student might be struggling due to instruction or the curriculum in the past, or in the current classroom. Every teacher will have students who are struggling and whether it’s short term or long term, RTI is a valuable tool. In this course you will learn what RTI is and how to use it in your classroom.

Violence in Schools: Identification, Prevention & Intervention Strategies
Course ID: RVEC 554 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description: This course is designed to give you a better understanding of school violence and increase your intervention strategies. Taught by Dr. Michael Sedler, this course provides an overview of violence and the motivational purposes behind aggression. The correlation and impact of the media, community, and family upon violence is investigated. You will learn identification and intervention approaches to working with out-of-control behaviors. In addition, you will receive information about the national resources available for both parents and teachers. Upon successful completion of this course, you will have a better understanding of violence and the motivations behind the use of violence, as well as specific strategies to minimize the occurrence of violence in a school and community.

Teaching Elementary Math Conceptually:

Course ID: RVEC 570 ONA
2 Credits
Fee: $455
Location: Distance (online)

Description:  Welcome to Teaching Elementary Math Conceptually, an interactive computer-based instruction course designed to expand your methodology for teaching Mathematics. The course explores an innovative teaching model that incorporates strategies for teaching concepts constructively and contextually. The goal is for you to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts underlying various math topics and to explore the principles of teaching those concepts to learners. You will also explore how to develop computational thinking, which is foundational to learning computer science. The course expands the teaching methodology that supports learning mathematics standards, such as Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and STEM concepts related to technology. This course will focus on the mathematics topics of number sense, basic operations, and fractions, along with the key strategies that connect mathematics and technology.

Teaching Secondary Math Conceptually
Course ID: RVEC 510 ONA
3 Credits
Fee: $530
Location: Distance (online)

Description: This course will explore an instructional methodology that incorporates strategies for teaching concepts, constructively, and contextually. The goal is for you to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts of various math topics and explore the principles of teaching those concepts to learners. The course will also explore teaching methodologies that support many federal and state standards. This course will focus on the topics of integers, fractions, factoring, and functions.