Summer HEAT 2006 Offers Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers in Miami - Dade County School District

An Overview of Summer Heat 2006On the other end of the spectrum, special
Miami Schools are offering a range of summerattention is also given to the design and
professional development courses for its publicimplementation of Pre - Kindergarten curriculum.
school teachers and administrators in order to helpMiami - Dade County School District teachers are
teachers meet federal requirements and learnalso given the opportunity to explore general
new methods and approaches to teaching.instructional methods to promote leadership in the
Teachers are eligible to take one Summer Heatclassroom, including the Continuous Improvement
course. These courses will be offered during JuneModel (CIM), Object - Based Learning, and many
and July. Most courses last about a week andothers.
meet from 8:15 AM to 3:15 PM daily.Professional Development for Administrators
The teacher must attend every day of theMiami - Dade County School District administrators
session in order to receive Master Plan Points. Thealso benefit from the Summer Heat course
Miami - Dade County School District's Master Planofferings. Principals, Principal Trainees, and other
Points Program help teachers earn the graduatesupport staff have opportunities to learn how to
level credits that they need to meet the Highlyimprove their own performance and to help
Qualified Teacher Status outlined by the No Childmotivate the teachers on their staffs. The
Left Behind Act. Six Master Plan Points per dayPrincipal Preparation Program runs courses for
are awarded for all the courses with thePrincipal Trainee both in their first and second year
exception of those that grant actual college credit.of training. Several meetings of the Assistant
Professional Development for TeachersPrincipal Academy are scheduled to help teachers
Miami - Dade County School District teachersmake the transition to administrative roles. In
benefit from a range of courses that help focusaddition, the role of the school psychologist and
their teaching on special at - risk groups as well asthe teacher - counselor are also explored in
providing instruction in key subject areas. Manyvarious course offerings. The School Support
courses focus on the needs of children withTeam also has a variety of courses to choose
Limited English Proficiency. These courses helpform in learning how to implement school reform.
teachers improve literacy of Limited EnglishUniversity and Community Partnerships
Proficiency students as well as learn culturallyMiami - Dade County School District teachers and
sensitive techniques for including such children inadministrators rely on the support of many
the general classroom. Other special groups includeuniversity and community partners. Courses take
children with autism and children with behavioralplace at many Miami - Dade County area schools
problems.in addition to universities and private businesses.
In addition to these special groups, Miami - DadeBarry University, the University of Miami, the
County School District teachers have theUniversity of South Florida, and Florida
opportunity to enrich their teaching of variousInternational University all offer their campuses
core subjects. Courses abound in all aspects offor professional development courses. The Miami
literacy and mathematics as well as science, theLakes Educational Center also plays a vital role in
arts, and social studies. Both elementary andproviding a location for Miami - Dade County
secondary education is covered, includingSchool District teachers and administrators to
preparation for teaching the Advanced Placementmeet and share ideas.
(AP) Examinations at the secondary school level.