KDS offers teachers a variety of professional development solutions
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 WELCOME, GEORGIA EDUCATORS!

Enroll in KDS Online Courses to earn PLUs towards Georgia’s 10 PLU Requirement. 
(KDS is a GDOE-Approved Vendor.)


SUMMER REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

Course length: 10 Contact Hours (self-paced)
Credits earned: 1 PLU
Cost: $60, no materials fee
Timeframe: On-demand,  24/7 access over a 2-month period per course

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About KDS Courses: Georgia PLU Courses consist of 5 topics, each including an online video-based lecture, pre- and post-assessment questions, and optional discussion board participation. (Printable study guides and resources included.)

PROCEDURE FOR COURSE COMPLETION:
 FILL OUT THIS FORM   and send to KDS through one of the following methods:

Email: Georgia@kdsi.org
Fax: (212) 825-1315
Mail:
  Knowledge Delivery Systems
  110 William Street, 32nd Floor
  New York, NY  10038 

KDS will send your PLU certificate via email.

* Please contact KDS at 1-800-728-0032 or Georgia@kdsi.org with any questions you may have.

COURSES OFFERED
Character Education, Part I: The Cultural Shift
PURCHASE|SHOW DESCRIPTION
Cultural changes in the family structure, the shifting role of parents, and the glorification of violence, drugs, and gang activity in popular culture have all contributed to changes in the behavior dynamics that impact schools, classrooms, and teachers. Educators will learn how to use the concept of “character” to create caring relationships among students and identify ways to reduce peer cruelty, bullying, and undo peer pressure. This session also focuses on the need to build adult teams (internally and externally) to implement and sustain a “character” focus that takes into consideration the federal, state, and local mandates of 21st Century educators. The role of teachers and their influence on students will be explored as wells as the role that parents play in character development. This course can be taken alone or with Character Education Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 for additional course credits.
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Character Education: Community, Part 2
PURCHASE|SHOW DESCRIPTION
Students’ feelings, emotions, perceptions, and self-esteem or the “affective” dimension are intertwined with the ability to learn; consequently, the increase in negative social behaviors on campus such as bullying not only negatively influence social interactions but impact students’ ability to acquire new skills and knowledge. Behavioral issues and their corresponding disruptions to teaching and learning in the classroom have resulted in a significant drop in test scores and have contributed to a loss of competitiveness of American schools. Participants will be given guidelines for building a classroom, school, and community that focus on character development and making “character” education a central part of the teaching and learning process, resulting in improved human relationships among teachers and students. Participants discover the avenues to create a moral community in the classroom and identify the role that they play in the process of fostering positive student character traits. This course can be taken alone or with Character Education Part 1, Part 3, and Part 4 for additional course credits.
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Character Education: Positive Role Models, Part 3
PURCHASE|SHOW DESCRIPTION
This course encourages participants to create an environment that is conducive to learning. An atmosphere conducive to learning encourages students to have personal responsibility for their actions, create a positive moral climate, and solve conflicts, which will create safer schools. Students emulate behaviors they see and hear. Therefore, establishing positive role models at home, within the community, and in the classroom is fundamental to establishing a positive character development program. Participants are given strategies for identifying at risk students and developing a school-wide character education program that leverages community involvement from businesses, faith communities, parents, and coaches to support moral character development. Participants are given strategies to implement character education into the core curriculum and will review case histories that demonstrate successful implementation of community and character programs in schools. This course can be taken alone or with Character Education Part 1, Part 2, and Part 4 for additional course credits.
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Character Education: The Proactive Educator, Part 4
PURCHASE|SHOW DESCRIPTION
Participants will explore the role of leadership in creating the desired “community” to impact student behavior and will be introduced to the concept of “igniting” leadership at all levels to create an environment where positive relationships are treasured. The value of face-to-face communication and interpersonal skills will also be addressed. The eight habits of the heart are introduced including Nurturing Attitude, Responsibility, Dependability, Friendship, Brotherhood, High Expectations, Courage, and Hope, and participants will explore the dynamics of these timeless and universal principles as lived out by ordinary people during the 20th Century and their relationship to building the “affective” dimension of 21st Century classrooms. This course can be taken alone or with Character Education Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 for additional course credits.
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Clifton Taulbert
Challenging Gifted Students Using the SCG Model I INCLUDES MATERIALS FEE OF $30
PURCHASE|SHOW DESCRIPTION
This course will cover an in-depth set of topics that describe the School-wide Cluster Grouping Model to educators, parents, and administrators. The SCGM is a method for providing full-time gifted services without major budget implications. Implementing these strategies has the potential to raise achievement for all students. With the SCGM, all students are purposely placed into classrooms based on their abilities and potential. Participants will learn the responsibility of the SCGM and the training necessary to become an SCGM teacher or administrator. There will also be video of primary classroom demonstrations in which participants will be shown the name card game and other differentiated instruction techniques. The course will also cover teaching strategies for students in primary grades.
Susan Winebrenner
Dina Brulles
Susan Winebrenner
Dina Brulles
Dina Brulles
Challenging Gifted Students Using the SCG Model II
PURCHASE|SHOW DESCRIPTION
This is the second course in the School-wide Cluster Grouping Model. The course will present the gifted specialists, mentor training, and gifted student placement. The course will define the term cluster variation, introduce strategies to involve parents, and strategies to create a supportive school culture. The course will provide effective evaluation techniques for maintaining the SCGM and provide further details about the name card game. Students taking this course will receive in-depth insight into the taxonomy of thinking, extension menu, and the evaluation contract. Participants will also view classroom demonstrations of gifted cluster teaching skills, and they will also be introduced to teaching and questioning strategies for the gifted classroom.  
Dina Brulles
Susan Winebrenner
Dina Brulles
Dina Brulles
Susan Winebrenner
Challenging Gifted Students Using the SCG Model III
PURCHASE|SHOW DESCRIPTION
This is the third course in the School-wide Cluster Grouping Model. The course will offer further details about using extension menus and differentiated instruction skills. The course will also cover when to have cluster meeting for teachers, mentors, and specialists and what the meetings should cover. Participants will benefit from the sample cluster teacher meetings as well observing a meeting with panel of administrators and a panel of coordinators. Participants will also have the opportunity for more professional development training.
Susan Winebrenner
Dina Brulles
Dina Brulles
Susan Winebrenner
Dina Brulles
Challenging Gifted Students Using the SCG Model IV
PURCHASE|SHOW DESCRIPTION
This is the fourth course in the School-wide Cluster Grouping Model. The course will cover methods for monitoring the progress and evaluating the SCGM, placing gifted students in appropriate cluster groups, and evaluating student growth. Participants will also learn how to create a database for tracking gifted students and how to handle special population gifted students. Participants will also observe classroom demonstrations of differentiated instruction techniques as well as research surrounding the SCGM theories. The final presentation will explain how to start the SCGM, SCGM meetings, and guidelines for observing SCGM teachers.
Dina Brulles
Susan Winebrenner
Dina Brulles