edWeb.net and Free Spirit Publishing Launch Educator Community on Social-Emotional Learning and Positive Behavior

Free Spirit PublishingedWeb.net and Free Spirit Publishing, the leading publisher of learning tools that support children’s social-emotional health, announce the launch of Social-Emotional Learning, Positive Behavior, and Student Achievement, a free professional learning community (PLC) that offers a place for educators to explore practical, effective ways to integrate social-emotional learning, inclusive teaching practice, and higher-level instruction.

More than ever, educators are challenged to help students of diverse abilities, learning needs, and backgrounds master the social, executive, and academic skills they need to succeed in school and develop to their full potential. Through this PLC, teachers, teacher leaders, special educators, and other education professionals share strategies, tools, and resources to individualize instruction while building intellectually vibrant and socially supportive classrooms.

The community’s first webinar was held on Monday, January 16 and was attended live by more than 600 educators. “Cultivating Empathy: The Best Antidote to Bullying” was presented by author Michele Borba, Ed.D., an internationally recognized bullying prevention expert and Today Show contributor. Dr. Borba shared evidence that the best way to reduce bullying is not with a packaged program but with homegrown, data-driven efforts by a staff that applies only proven practices. The one-hour live, interactive presentation featured real-life stories, the latest behavioral research, and simple tools to reduce bullying and victimization and inspire upstanders to speak up. The recording of the webinar is available for on-demand viewing.

The community’s next free webinar, “Self-Regulation in the Classroom: Helping Students Learn How to Learn,” will be presented on Wednesday, February 22 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. During this live, interactive session, Richard M. Cash, Ed.D., educator, author, and consultant, will discuss doable, evidence-based practices to help students engage in learning, build confidence, set and manage goals, develop habits of thinking, do effective home study, and reflect on their learning. Dr. Cash will also provide a framework for both classroom practices and school-wide implementation.

On Tuesday, March 14 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, the community will present “Motivating the Gifted But Reluctant Learner,” a live, interactive session led by Diane Heacox, Ed.D., author, educational consultant, and Professor Emerita, St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN. Dr. Heacox will explore well-documented research on underlying causes of low performance and create distinctions between non-producers, selective producers, and underachievers among the gifted populations. Participants will be guided through a process for diagnosing specific performance issues and Dr. Heacox will suggest specific and targeted courses of action.

Free Spirit’s president and founder, Judy Galbraith, is excited about this new collaboration with edWeb. She commented, “We have a unique opportunity to speak to–and listen to–the educators who are out there every day reaching and teaching students. Together we can build a caring community of teachers and learners.”

Lisa Schmucki, founder of edWeb.net, commented, “Social-emotional learning has been a topic that has drawn such high interest from our educator community, so we are really thankful that Free Spirit has launched a professional learning community on this topic when the support on these issues is so needed.”

Educators are invited to join the free Social-Emotional Learning, Positive Behavior, and Student Achievement professional learning community on edWeb.net for invitations to upcoming webinars, online discussions, and access to resources.