Program Overview

In this course, you will examine the meaningful impact that strong parent and family connections can have on student achievement, engagement, and overall well-being. You will explore strategies for creating a welcoming school environment, fostering consistent and positive communication, and implementing intentional approaches to build trust and collaboration with families. Through real-world examples and practical tools, you’ll learn how to strengthen these relationships in ways that support literacy development and student success. By the end of the course, you will design a comprehensive, actionable plan to host a family literacy event that encourages reading at home and deepens the school-family partnership.

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At a Glance

Extended Education
Approximately 15 hours
Up to 6 months to complete coursework
1 PDU
Graduate Level Professional Development Credit
$150
Key Features
Fully Accessible

Accessible

Access textbooks and course materials completely online - no materials required.

MyPath

Self-Paced

Move at your own pace as your schedule allows – no specific start times or dates.

Expert

Dedicated Mentor

Need help with an assignment? Submit your questions directly to the instructor for quick replies.

Standards

Active Learning

This course features interactive assignments and authentic assessments. 

Data

Case Studies

Explore how course content connects to the workplace using real-world case studies.

Certificate credit

Earn Credits

Earn graduate-level professional development credits

Upon successful mastery of this course, you will be able to:

  • Describe the academic benefits of conferring with students during reading.
  • Utilize empathy interviews and prompts to identify literacy needs during conferences.
  • Evaluate ways to monitor standard-based reading growth through reading conferences.
     

Course Topics:

  • Academic Benefits of Conferring With Students During Reading:
    • The Potential of Reading Conferences
    • Conferring with Readers
  • Empathy Interviews and Prompts to Identify Literacy Needs:
    • How to Conduct Empathy Interviews
    • Using Prompts to Guide Conferences
  • Monitor Standard-Based Reading Growth:
    • Implementation and Documentation
Who Should Enroll? 

6-12th grade teachers, teacher candidates, school administrators, para-educators

Earn your credit in 3 simple steps

Step 1 Register online.

Step 2 Complete the course.

Step 3 Receive credits and obtain an official transcript.

Resources

Syllabus

Refund Policy

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What are Graduate-level Professional Development Credits?

Graduate-level professional development credits are not part of a degree program but instead are primarily used for professional advancement such as salary increment steps and recertification. Students should seek approval from appropriate district officials before enrolling in these courses.

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