PreK-3 Educators in Minnesota Take Firstschool Online Course

The Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Elementary School Principals Association, and Minnesota School Administrators Association are offering PreK-3rd grade educators in Minnesota the opportunity to enroll in an online course developed by the FirstSchool team at FPG. The course, entitled The Art of Communication in Classrooms for Young Children, was developed with support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. 

The course is focused on oral language opportunities in PreK through third grade.  The modules are designed to improve student learning, classroom community, and the culture of collaborative inquiry in schools.  Here's what some past participants had to say:

• "I hope that the phrase 'the one doing the talking is the one doing the learning' will stick with me throughout my teaching career."  Second grade teacher
• "This course has challenged me to be more reflective in what I do in the classroom."  Third grade teacher
• "One [takeway] in particular is being conscientious to allow the students to talk more...and for me to talk less." First grade teacher
• "I have learned and reflected on some great strategies that will help my students to improve academically and socially by being able to effectively communicate with their teachers and their peers." Second grade teacher
• "I will also incorporate story-telling much earlier next year.  I clearly see how it will improve my students' communication and writing skills."  Kindergarten teacher

Listen to a podcast from module 1 of the course about the culture of silence in schools.