The Professional Development Center (PDC) is the outreach agent of the School of Education and Human Development (SEHD) of the University of Southern Maine. Our mission is to provide innovative and sustained professional development that enables PK-12 educators and school communities to serve the needs of their students.
Course Registration
To request to register for any of our Fall 2023 courses, please complete the form at the following link:
Request to Register (Google form)
Note: Some PDC courses are offered for undergraduate credit. Most educational professionals (including teachers) will likely still choose to take courses for graduate credit for recertification and development purposes through their school district. Undergraduate credit is offered as an option for non-professionals or anyone else for whom graduate credit is not applicable.
Course Descriptions
PDS 515/415 Mindfulness and Social-Emotional Skills in Early Childhood Settings
This course provides training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Social-Emotional skills especially focused on early childhood educators. Through exercises, practice, group and dyad discussions, presentations, readings, and talks by the instructor, students will develop Mindfulness and Social-Emotional skills to integrate into early childhood settings for themselves, as educators, and for their students. The emphasis is on integrating these skills through modeling to help children develop emotional and social skills. These skills are seen as an investment in human development and life skills helping children thrive, and giving them a solid foundation for their academic studies.
Dates: September 12 – October 31, 2023
Location/Format: Online synchronous
Class meetings (via Zoom): Tuesdays 4:30-8:30 pm (9/12, 9/19, 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31) plus Saturday, 10/28 from 8 am – 1 pm
Instructor: Nancy Hathaway
Credit: 3 graduate credits (PDS 515) OR 3 undergraduate credits (PDS 415)
Prerequisites: None
Tuition/Fees: See the Student Financial Services (SFS) Tuition page and contact SFS with any questions
Audience: Practicing early childhood educators (including non-teaching personnel like educational technicians)
PDS 560 Equity Literacy for Educators
** NO LONGER OFFERED IN FALL 2023 ** (contact the PDC at pdc@maine.edu if you’re interested in joining a blended course in Gorham in Spring 2024)
This course prepares participants in the core dimensions of equity literacy: (1) understanding how equity and inequity operate in schools and society, and (2) developing awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to identify inequities, eliminate inequities, and actively cultivate equity. More than cultural competence or diversity awareness, equity literacy prepares us to recognize even the subtlest forms of bias, inequity, and oppression related to race, social class, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, language, religion, immigration status, and other dimensions of difference. Developing equity literacy prepares us to understand and respond to the ways in which some students experience bias, inequity, and discrimination, which impacts their access to equitable educational opportunities and resources, and thus leads to so-called “gaps” in educational achievement and outcomes. Participants will engage in a variety of learning activities, including individual reading and reflection, group discussion, and critical analysis. A central focus of the course will entail the consideration of equity literacy case studies. Each participant will complete a final project focusing on cultivating equity in their respective professional settings.
Dates: October 2 – November 17, 2023
Location/Format: Online synchronous / asynchronous
Class meetings (via Zoom): Thursdays 4:00-5:30 pm; students will also participate in asynchronous class activities (discussions, etc.) throughout the week
Instructor: Mark Tappan
Credit: 3 graduate credits
Prerequisites: None
Tuition/Fees: See the Student Financial Services (SFS) Tuition page and contact SFS with any questions
Audience: Practicing educators and administrators, all levels; district/school teams are encouraged
PDS 659 Best Practices in Gifted Education
This course is for individuals responsible for initiating, maintaining and/or extending services for gifted/talented students. Topics for study will include identification procedures, curriculum development and implementation, administration and classroom management, staff development and community involvement and evaluation of student growth and program effectiveness.
Dates: September 12 – December 8, 2023
Location/Format: Online asynchronous (with one synchronous meeting)
Class meeting (via Zoom): Tuesday, September 12 4:00-6:00 pm (otherwise asynchronous)
Instructor: Patti Drapeau
Credit: 3 graduate credits
Prerequisites: None
Tuition/Fees: See the Student Financial Services (SFS) Tuition page and contact SFS with any questions
Audience: Practicing educators who work with gifted/talented students, all levels
Questions?
Contact the PDC at pdc@maine.edu or call 207-780-5400.