The ESP Professional Growth Continuum, published by NEA, identifies Technology as one of the eight Universal Standards that describe what education support professionals should know and be able to do. If you haven't spent a lot of time exploring the technology standard, that is OK! This course, which contains seven lessons, will help you gain a solid understanding of technology at work.   The ESP Professional Growth Continuum outlines skills and knowledge related to technology (and all of the eight Universal Standards) at three levels of practice. Those are: Foundational (I know this) Proficient (I do this consistently) Advanced/Mastery (I lead this) This self-paced, independent study course can be explored on your own, or with colleagues. It has been developed by NEA members and staff specifically for ESPs, and features the perspectives of education support professionals just like you. Read more

Professional Learning TRAUMA-INFORMED PEDAGOGY Secondary Trauma In this course, educators will learn how secondary traumatic stress, also called compassion fatigue, manifests and how to practice self-care to minimize or prevent secondary traumatic stress. We will also learn about resources available to help educators who struggle with secondary trauma.  When educators experience compassion fatigue, they are not able to effectively respond to students; this leads to a breakdown of trust, which can further traumatize students. This issue does not occur in isolation, nor does the solution. Teachers must practice self-care, mindfulness, or other healing practices, but at a deeper level, the systems in our schools need to be adjusted to ensure a culture of caring and support for all individuals.  Read more

Professional Learning SUPPORTING MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES In this course, you will explore second language acquisition (SLA) and learn to understand the stages of acquiring a second language. You will also explore how SLA impacts educational experiences for multilingual learners’ cognitive processes, academic achievements, and socio-emotional growth.  Furthermore, this course introduces various instructional strategies for supporting and engaging multilingual learners in the classroom. Read more

Professional Learning Bullying Prevention: How Do I Intervene? Educators need to respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior to communicate that bullying is unacceptable. Research shows that consistent intervention procedures can stop bullying behavior over time, whereas doing nothing at all can worsen the bullying. There are simple steps adults can take to stop bullying on the spot and keep students safe. Educators will identify how the school culture and climate affect bullying. At the same time, well-intentioned educators need guidance, training, and support to intervene effectively. Read more

This session focuses on how educators can use AI as a collaborative "thought partner" to spark creativity in lesson planning, resource development, and problem-solving. Participants will explore how AI tools can support brainstorming, generate ideas, and inspire innovation while maintaining their central role as decision-makers and curators of learning.   Read more

While educators know the enduring value of trusting relationships with students, building and maintaining a humanized classroom requires us to rethink our purposes, practices, and pedagogies to ensure our classrooms exist at the intersection of equity and care. This webinar will help teachers foster imagination and purposeful action around community, hospitality, and justice. Read more