Ashland University PD Courses for Ohio Educators
K-12 Reading Comprehension
Runs from September 1st to August 31st of each year! Online and self-paced!
"I feel this course was very beneficial and valuable for my teaching instruction. I am happy I took this course."
Course Description:
This course will serve as a study of reading comprehension for K-12th grade teachers. Particular attention will focus on the components of reading comprehension that have stood the test of time in past and present education. Research and evidence-based strategies on reading comprehension will be introduced to help all students of all ages improve their reading skills. Special emphasis will be on visualization to help struggling readers create a mind map story as they read, which helps target brain areas crucial to reading ability. A focus on opportunities to incorporate themes of diversity, behavioral management, and equity in learning will be emphasized. Be sure to contact me with questions. Contact jrath@columbus.rr.com
K-12 Nonfiction Reading Nuggets
Runs from September 1st to August 31st of each year! Online and self-paced!
"I loved it and have no complaints. I was able to self-pace and finish on my own time and I appreciated this greatly. We all live busy lives and I was grateful to not be under a time crunch for each week to complete assignments. I would recommend this class over and over again!"
Course Description:
This course will serve as a study of nonfiction content used by K-12th-grade teachers. Particular attention will focus on using text features and search tools (i.e., keywords, sidebars, hyperlinks, headings, glossary, index, bold words, pictures, and diagrams) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently to help demonstrate understanding of the text. Research and strategies on nonfiction will be introduced to help students of all ages improve their reading skills concerning the informational text. There will be a focus on SEL skills to help students understand how to work through difficult text when they get stuck and connect to how that translates to everyday life when things get difficult.
For more information please contact Jodi Rath at jrath@columbus.rr.com.
K-8 Phonics Course
Runs from September 1st to August 31st of each year! Online and self-paced!
"This was a great course. I like that I could work at my own pace. All the information I needed was included in the course which made it very easy to use. I look forward to taking other classes from Ashland and Professor Jodi Rath."
Course Description:
This three-semester hour self-paced course will serve as a study of phonetic language with a focus on the science of reading. Particular attention will focus on examining interventions and ways to differentiate to meet the needs of the whole child and every type of learner. Participants will also explore different commercial phonics instructional programs/materials while working online to share our individual/district methods for teaching phonics. Participants will reflect on their own practices while analyzing and expressing thoughts on other practices. Cultural awareness and SEL skills are key in all parts of the learning experience to make sure all students are offered the best education. This course will focus on Tier 1 universal PBIS skills within daily phonetic instruction.
Please contact Jodi Rath at jrath@columbus.rr.com for more information on registration or questions.
K-12 Dyslexia
Runs from September 1st to August 31st of each year! Online and self-paced!
Course Description:
This course will serve as a study on identifying, addressing, screening, and interventions for dyslexia for K-12th grade teachers. Reading is complex; therefore, educators must be more open-minded about diverse treatment approaches. Particular attention will focus on the types of dyslexia and how to differentiate instruction to meet each type once identified. Research and evidence-based strategies to best meet students with dyslexia will be introduced to help all students of all ages improve their reading skills. An emphasis of the course focuses on the positives of the dyslexic mind and ways to help boost students’ confidence as dyslexic readers
Please contact Jodi Rath for more information or questions at jrath@columbus.rr.com.
K-12 Writing
Runs from September 1st to August 31st each year! Online and self-paced!
"I would not change a thing! Each week the readings and assignments were excellent. They were relevant to teachers, across grade levels and content areas."
Course Description:
Participants will be able to take many different strategies and methods for teaching writing in grades K-12 while looking at students with learning disabilities and multiple content areas to help fill in the gaps in writing based on different types of learners. It’s no secret good readers make good writers. Therefore, this course will focus on evidence-based ways to incorporate reading and writing in all classrooms. The instructor is currently contracted with a university to write a book on teaching writing with an in-progress patent on a concept called verbal writing, which takes away the negative stigma of the difficulties of writing in the classroom and focuses on discussion, prior knowledge, and imagery to get the writing started. There will be a focus on SEL skills, PBIS, and equity in writing that will tie into reading and universal themes. Please contact Jodi Rath for more information or questions at jrath@columbus.rr.com.
K-12 Social Emotional Learning
Runs from September 1st to August 31st of each year! Online and self-paced!
"I thought it was great! I LOVE that it's so easy to access and complete from the comfort of my own home (or coffee shop or whatever!), and Jodi Rath was so prompt about welcoming me to the course, responding to my answers to the coursework questions, and posting my credit for Ashland. I would definitely take another course from Jodi in the future! Thanks, Jodi!"
Course Description:
This course will support a whole student approach in helping to build SEL abilities, create a school atmosphere where students can flourish, and focus on teacher/staff well-being. Universal PBIS skills will be focused on helping educators learn how to identify gaps and students at high risk of behavioral issues and ways to accommodate with more positive approaches to reinforce and reward social behaviors and how SEL can be incorporated into K-12 lessons of all content learning. Research and strategies on SEL will be introduced to help students of all ages improve their communication skills. Please contact Jodi Rath for more information or questions at jrath@columbus.rr.com.
Flipped Classroom
Runs from September 1st to August 31st of each year! Online and self-paced!
"I decided to take this course during the COVID pandemic knowing the look of education would change. I was beyond thrilled to work with someone like Jodi who had over two decades of experience in both traditional and online education. I'm so much more comfortable combining the two and knowing how best to engage my students both in-person and online!"
Course Description:
This course will be a hybrid classroom study using an online classroom to engage and promote student learning. All aspects of the flipped classroom will be addressed for grades K-12, including but not limited to: motivation, tone, effective means of communication, the four pillars of the flipped classroom (FLIP), multiple resources to use for all grade levels online to help enhance learning, multiple learning management systems (LMS) will be covered like Google Classroom, Schoology, Moodle, and Blackboard, how to set up an online classroom, teaching at-risk students online, working with parents online, and finally, summing it all up and addressing any other questions that come up along the way. Please contact Jodi Rath for more information or questions at jrath@columbus.rr.com.
Reading in Other Content Areas
Runs from September 1st to August 31st of each year! Online and
self-paced.
Course Description:
This course will serve as a study of reading comprehension for K-12th grade teachers in multiple content areas. A focus on the importance of reading allows students to intentionally utilize and hone literacy skills throughout all subjects within a school day while using strategies such as monitoring comprehension, pre-reading, setting goals and purpose for reading, activating prior knowledge, asking, and generating questions, making predictions, re-reading, summarizing, and making inferences. Research and evidence-based strategies on reading comprehension will be introduced to help students of all ages improve their reading skills.
For more information please contact Jodi Rath at jrath@columbus.rr.com.
"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious."
~ Albert Einstein
