University Park, Pa. - A free online seminar scheduled for three Tuesday evenings in October is designed to support elementary and secondary teachers in their career development.
"Teacher Survival Skills" is the topic of the upcoming seminar presented through EdLion, an online professional development program of Penn State's College of Education. This free seminar will be held in a series of three one-hour sessions beginning Oct. 5 and continuing Oct. 12 and Oct. 19. Each session runs from 6 to 7 p.m. (Eastern Time).
Act 48 credit is available for Pennsylvania teachers who participate in all three live sessions.
The first session, "Landing Your First Job and Staying Competitive," will focus on staying competitive in a sluggish job market. This interactive session is headed by Joseph Clapper, superintendent of Quaker Valley School District. Clapper will provide a brief background on the importance of substitute teaching, building a relationship with school administrators, keeping a Pennsylvania teaching certification up to date, and the ins and outs of Act 48.
The second session, titled "School Law," will be presented by James Abraham, legal consultant and lecturer. Abraham will alert participants on situations to avoid while teaching. He also will share his experience working with teacher lawsuits to prepare teachers to be aware of potentially risky situations.
The third session is titled "Dealing with Challenging Parents." Presented by James Schweinberg, principal at East Union Intermediate Center in the Deer Lakes School District, this session is designed to help participants recognize potential issues and suggests appropriate ways to work with demanding parents.
To register, visit http://www.ed.psu.edu/educ/edlion and click on "How to Participate" located on the left side of the screen.
EdLion regularly offers free online information sessions covering a variety of topics. Sessions are offered primarily to alumni of Penn State's College of Education, but anyone else may participate, including current students, faculty, and staff of the college.