On-Site Courses for Credit for Educators
Calendar of currently scheduled courses 
- Below are the titles and descriptions of the many professional development on-site courses that Opn.Wyd offers educators and administrators working at all levels and in every discipline.
- Each are accredited 3-credit courses that are offered for Graduate Credit; CEU; ACT 48; and/or Professional Development credit.
- All courses are experiential, interactive, and even fun, but never polarizing or accusatory.
- You will complete each course equipped to return to your area of discipline and use what you learned immediately with students and even colleagues.
- At the bottom of this page is a link on which you can click to see when these courses are currently scheduled to be offered.
- If you would like to begin offering any of these courses at your educational institution, please feel free to contact us to explore this possibility.
Diversity Awareness in Education: A New Perspective for a Changing Classroom
This course (also titled Diversity in the Classroom: Making it Work) is designed to help educators gain a greater awareness of the many facets of diversity within your school community and beyond. These include race, sexual orientation, culture, unearned privilege, identity, and much more. Through introspective, insightful learning - and even a field study - emphasis is placed upon defining a personal worldview and comprehending the worldview of others in order to make diversity "work" in the classroom/gymnasium/office/library/etc. In the end, participants will be equipped to infuse effective strategies that can be put to use with any curriculum at any grade level.
Diversity Awareness in Communication: Healthy Dialogue & Conflict Resolution
The fear of conflict and a lack of understanding on how to initiate healthy interpersonal communication among diverse groups are frequently the reasons why diversity initiatives/programs fail in schools. The importance of effective communication is so integral, that if it is not attended to, diversity simply cannot "work." This course is designed to assist educators in becoming fluent in using proven healthy communication formulas and conflict resolution strategies. Participants will complete the class with the confidence that he/she is equipped to making the school environment one that is eager for peaceful and productive outcomes with both students and colleagues.
Being An Ally: Confronting Homophobia in the Classroom (k-12)
In grades k-12 throughout the United States, there is no demographic that is more victimized in schools today than students who are simply perceived to be gay and/or lesbian. Research indicates that because of homophobia, GLBTQ students are 3 times more likely to attempt suicide, 4 times more likely to be threatened or injured in school, and 5 times more likely to skip school because they feel unsafe than are heterosexual students. This course provides k-12 educators with significant information, awareness, and effective, safe strategies to confront homophobia - a leading cause of bullying in schools. Emphasis is placed on advocating a safe, productive learning environment for every student.
Activating Diversity Awareness: Creating Positive Change
Those who take this course will leave with the knowledge and skills necessary to create and initiate wide-ranging strategies, plans and policies for constructing positive change around the topic of diversity within any curriculum or for an entire school system. Since this course is designed as an advanced diversity training (and as a follow-up to "Diversity Awareness in Education: A New Perspective for a Changing Classroom"), it is recommended, though not required, that participants possess a comprehension of "unearned privilege"; the "dimensions of worldview"; and "heterosexism/heterocentrism." However, all are welcome to enroll.
Team Building: Creating A Positive Classroom Environment
Trust, communication, safety for all, group problem solving, and diversity awareness are the key components of this course. Designed for k-12 educators, this course will provide a complete understanding of the techniques necessary to infuse team building initiatives into any curriculum. Emphasis will be on creating a practical working curriculum, which includes communication skill-building, diversity awareness, trust-building, and group problem-solving initiatives. All activities are arranged for use in any classroom.
Calendar of currently scheduled courses