Learn with the MTA and Earn PDPs

Format: Asynchronous course from July 8 to August 12. Must participate in activities each week.

This interactive course equips educators with strategies to manage challenging behaviors, support students in crisis, and foster a thriving learning environment. By exploring the “why” behind behavior, participants will learn to address root causes and implement proactive solutions. Designed through a Special Education lens, this course focuses on supporting students with disabilities, including those with IEPs and BIPs. Educators will gain tools to manage tier 1 and tier 2 behaviors in both self-contained and inclusive classrooms. Key takeaways include :De-escalation techniques for students with behavioral and emotional challenges. Proactive strategies to prevent escalation. Customizing behavior plans for students with diverse needs. Tools for fostering a calm, supportive classroom environment. Participants will receive a comprehensive behavior management toolkit, including visual aids, tracking templates, and intervention guides. Ideal for teachers, special educators, and paraprofessionals, this course provides practical strategies for immediate implementation, helping create a positive and structured learning space.

This program meets DESE requirements for 15 PDPs in Special Education during each 5-year Professional License Renewal cycle.

Format: Asynchronous Course from July 14 to July 30. Must participate in activities each week. 

You must secure a copy of the book in advance of the class to participate. MTA does not provide copies of the book for this course. This book study explores how design—both in education and beyond—can either include or exclude, shaping the experiences of diverse learners. Using Mismatch: How Inclusion Shapes Design by Kat Holmes as our required anchor text, participants will examine how traditional teaching methods may unintentionally create barriers and how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles can foster more inclusive, student-centered classrooms.Through asynchronous discussions and reflections using  Google Classroom, educators will analyze key concepts from Mismatch, engage in critical conversations about accessibility and equity, and apply these ideas to their own teaching practices.  Participants will complete daily reading assignments, participate in discussion boards and complete the culminating final project to demonstrate key take-aways and ideas for implementing the course’s learning into the classroom creating learning environments where all students thrive. By the end of the course, educators will leave with a deeper understanding of inclusive design, a toolkit of practical strategies, and a renewed commitment to fostering learning spaces that embrace all students. The final project may be a reflection essay/blog/journal, video, interactive slideshow or a UDL Classroom Makeover - Implementation Plan where you reimagine your classroom or lesson structure using UDL and human-centered design principles to increase accessibility and engagement.

This program meets DESE requirements for 15 PDPs in Special Education during each 5-year Professional License Renewal cycle.