Professional Development

Top 10 Professional Development Trainings

For a quick overview of trainings, click here: https://bit.ly/PDbyPB

or read below.

Crash Course in the World of Refugees, Immigrants, and New Arrivals:

The full-day course covers:

  • Simulations and games where educators discover the refugee process, documented vs. undocumented, "Why people don't just do it the legal way.", surprising data on immigrants, and more.

  • Cultural Mapping

  • Step-by-step guide to building social and cultural capital

  • Cultural lenses: How they impact your students and your classroom

  • Keys to working with unaccompanied minors

  • What's in a name?

Information coming soon


Improving Speaking and Speaking Scores:

Many students fail to shine when it comes to online speaking tests. This one domain often keeps them from exiting a program. Learning to speak takes time, but this PD covers practical, teachable ways to immediately improve speaking scores.

What people are saying: "Thank you so much for giving your presentation on TELPAS yesterday. I had felt stuck with my students. (She implemented the things from the training) Today felt like a breakthrough for them and for me. You gave such easy suggestions and they are even easier to implement! I really saw some success. It was exciting!" English III Team Leader.

SLIFE: (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education) Keys to Success:

Many schools are experiencing a great influx of new arrivals. While some students will come well prepared, students who have been in refugee camps, detention centers, and on the move, may have had major interruptions in their education. This PD covers the keys to success for these students. *For a taste of the PD, see SLIFE video below.


Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) for New Arrivals:

After years of social distancing, we know that now more than ever, the social-emotional support for our ELLs is critical. SEL is not just a potluck, cute decorations, and a greeting in their language. Figuring out who you are is difficult in secondary school. Imagine how complex it is in a culture you don't even understand yet. This training covers intentional, practical ways classroom teachers can support ELLs in their social-emotional health.

Understanding and Supporting Afghan Families:

Relationships matter. In education, we know building relationships is critical to the success of students. But what if you are new to working with a specific culture? It can take years and many mistakes, to begin to understand and make connections with a culture different than your own. This PD gives you 4 Keys to a deeper insight into understanding the Afghan culture and their recent experiences. Presented by Pamela Broussard, Founder of Leading ELL who has lived and taught both in the US and in Afghanistan, and has over 30 years of working with new arrivals and immigrants.

And special guest,

Rana Hellali, born and raised in Afghanistan recently escaped during the Taliban take over of the country not only shares insight into the culture but understands exactly what your students just experienced. Go Beyond the Surface!

Getting ELLs to the Finish Line:

The goal of high school is creating students college and career-ready. There is a great deal of focus on the beginning of that path yet little to no support to get to the finish. Are your students graduating and prepared for life after high school? This training covers vital steps that are often overlooked by ELLs, their families, and their educators. This training will share intentional steps you can take to improve your high school graduation, college, and career-ready rate.


I Like to Move It, Move It:

Movement in the ELL Classroom: Our students have sat at a computer a great deal lately. What are ways to get them moving, learning, and having fun in our classrooms? Grammar doesn't have to be a fill- in-the-blank workseet. This PD will get you and your students moving, moving.


From Silent Participants to Leaders:

If your school is like many, you may have noticed that often ELLs graduate without a single American-born friend who doesn't know their language. The gap between "us" and "them" is often not crossed. ELLs may participate in events, but rarely lead them. It can be different. This PD will cover practical ways to get your ELs speaking in class, making connections with American students, and learning to be leaders.


Pamela's Past Presentations:

Podcast

Videos

  1. SLIFE: More Than One Lens Online presentation focusing on the social and emotional needs of SLIFE students. (Seidlitz 2020) (This video starts at 11 seconds.)

  2. Stories We Hear, Stories We Tell ML Summit 2021. Why use telling stories in the classroom, how to find material and how students can share their stories.

  3. Putting It All in Perspective: Online presentation at the beginning of the COVID Pandemic. April 2020.

  4. Creativity for Connecting: Using creativity to support social/emotional learning. This presentation was for the VirtuEL June 2020 conference at the beginning of the COVID Pandemic.

Student Voices/Presentations:

  1. "Baggage" -New Arrival Students: The following is a video of my students presenting at the What's Working in Texas Seidlitz Conference telling their stories and challenging the way we see immigrants. "Baggage? Yea, I have baggage." (Seidlitz 2020)