The Issue Is Bigger Than Engagement
As a professor, author, and learning coach, I have been in countless classrooms around the world. One of the most common trends I notice is disengagement. Students struggle to pay attention and complete tasks. They have a hard time looking away from their devices and connecting collaborating. But the challenge isn’t simply one of engagement. It’s a lack of ownership and self-direction.
But I also see reason for hope. In some classrooms, despite the challenges, I see empowered learning. Students engage in authentic and relevant project-based learning, design thinking, inquiry sprints, and Socratic Seminars. True, there’s still structure. There’s still direct instruction. But these teachers blend together the best practices with the next practices in a way that fosters student empowerment through something called deeper learning.
Each one of our courses centers on the bold idea that deep challenges require deeper learning. And this deeper learning can only occur when teachers are empowered to empower students.
FLEXIBLE AND PRACTICAL
Personalized to Meet Your Needs
Self-Paced Professional Development. Any Time. Anywhere.
Thousands of educators have completed our courses, workshops, and sessions. While they often find value in face-to-face workshops, they also love the flexibility of participating in professional learning at their own pace at any location using any device they choose. The Spencer Education Premium membership gives you access to all of these courses.
Multiple Pathways Built on Voice and Choice
We often hear the term “voice and choice” applied to student learning. But shouldn’t professional development be personalized as well? With our courses, you can choose multiple pathways built on teacher choice. This is a great option for individuals and for districts looking to offer differentiated professional development.
Save Time and Reduce Stress
Ever heard of a strategy like PBL and thought, “That sounds good but where do I even start? What does this even look like?” We save you the time and legwork by combining professional learning with out-of-the-box resources you can customize based on your expert knowledge of your students. Each course gives you access to projects, protocols, activities, and lesson plans that you can use to empower students.
A TEACHER-TESTED APPROACH
Our comprehensive approach saves you time and helps you focus on what matters.
Practical Resources
As a professor, I regularly interview experts, deconstruct systems, and test out new strategies with current K-12 teachers. I then design research-backed resources that are practical and customizable. These include lessons, videos, slideshows, student handouts, and protocols.
Community
Each course includes discussion questions and opportunities to engage with a larger community of educators. In many cases, we offer an extended cohort model as well, where you can have virtual Zoom sessions and engage with Dr. Spencer directly.
On-Demand Learning
We understand that you have a busy schedule. This is why all of our courses are fully on-demand, blending videos, text, resources, and assignments that you can do on your own time! When you finish any of our courses, you’ll receive a certificate of completion that can be used for CEUs, PD credits, and much more depending on your organization.
Your Learning Coach
As a former middle school teacher and current full-time professor and best-selling author, I’m a big believer in empowering students (and teachers) through the power of creativity. I explore research, interviews experts, deconstruct systems, and study real-world examples of student-centered learning in action. I’ve led workshops and keynotes in all fifty states of the USA and in Brazil, Columbia, Hong Kong, China, Australia, and the Netherlands.
Photo Credit: National Association for Gifted Children Annual Convention (NAGCA24) Keynote Photo by Alabastro Photography.
30 DAY MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE
Check Out Our Most Popular Courses
Ethical AI Integration Course (8 Hours)
The A.I. Revolution is here. For some, it’s exciting. For others, it feels terrifying. Still others feel baffled and confused by it. Many of us feel a mix of all three emotions. But one thing is clear. It’s here and it’s not going away. In this course, we explore how we can respond to these challenges ethically as we use AI for co-creation, creativity, and teacher productivity.
Project-Based Learning Introductory Course (15 Hours)
If you’re curious about PBL but it feels overwhelming, this is the course for you! I walk you through the basics of project-based learning with a goal of demystifying the process. You’ll leave with a framework, strategies, and samples you can use so that you can pilot a mini-PBL next week!
Project-Based Learning Master Course (40 Hours)
PBL is a powerful way to teach key standards through a project rather than using a culminating project at the end. It also leads to deeper learning, better retention, and core durable skills. But how do we make it a reality? In this deep dive course, we walk through the PBL process step-by-step, addressing your biggest questions while providing practical strategies to make PBL a reality in your classroom.
Empowered Learners Course (40 Hours)
While we know voice and choice are vital for student learning, sometimes this can feel overwhelming for students. In this course, we explore, step-by-step, how to design student-centered systems using a Gradual Release of Responsibility approach so that choice moves incrementally and students gain confidence.
Empowered Assessment Course (8 Hours)
Assessment is all around us. You’re engaging you’re engaging in self-assessment every time you reflect on your progress and plan next steps. But, too often, assessment becomes a monolog between teachers and students. In this course, we focus on how to boost student ownership through authentic self-assessment and peer assessment.
Vintage Innovation Course (30 Hours)
The best way to prepare students for the future is to empower them in the present. In this keynote or workshop, we explore what it means to use vintage ideas, tools, and strategies in new and relevant ways. In this course, we focus on innovation as a focus on “what is best” rather than “what is next.”
Questions or Comments?
Interested in long-term professional development or bulk licenses? Simply fill out this form and a member of our team will reach out to you within 24 hours.