Lauren Boucher
Digital Teaching & Learning Consultant
Artificial Intelligence
Learning Path
New Teacher Essentials: Planning, Preparation, and Assessment That Support Every Learner
Planning effective lessons while meeting diverse student needs can feel overwhelming, especially for new teachers. Looking for practical ways to turn standards into meaningful learning experiences while staying organized and confident?
- 5.5 Hours Self-paced, relevant training
- 10 Courses
- Certificate Included Up to 5 CE credits
- Learn Anywhere Access courses on any device
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Start for free - 10 courses, 5.5 hours, self-paced
- Taught by 7 instructors
- Certificate included, up to 5 CE credits
- Access courses on any device
- 1,000+ more courses included
Description
Planning effective lessons while meeting diverse student needs can feel overwhelming, especially for new teachers. Looking for practical ways to turn standards into meaningful learning experiences while staying organized and confident? Research shows that intentional planning, differentiation, and aligned assessment lead to stronger student outcomes and more effective instruction. In this learning path, you will explore strategies for unpacking standards, designing rigorous and engaging lessons, and creating assessments that truly measure understanding. You will also learn how to apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL), support English Learners, meet the needs of gifted and talented students, and build strong foundations in special education practices. Across these courses, you will gain practical tools for integrating technology, providing meaningful feedback, and using formative and summative assessments to guide instruction. By the end of this learning path, you will walk away with ready-to-use frameworks, planning systems, and assessment strategies that help you stay organized, differentiate effectively, and support the growth of every student. This learning path is ideal for new teachers, early-career educators, instructional coaches, and any educator looking to strengthen planning, improve assessment practices, and create inclusive, student-centered learning environments.
Courses in this Pathway
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1
From Paper to Practice: How to Unpack Standards for Powerful Classroom Implementation
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Presented by: Lauren Boucher
Session Description:
As teachers, we are given a list of standards that we must teach, but little in the way of how to take those standards and put them into practice. Join Lauren Boucher as she shares strategies to help you “unpack” your standards for powerful classroom implementation. You will also walk away with a variety of tips and tricks to actively engage your students in the learning process.
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2
Empower Yourself to Empower Your Students: An Introduction to the ISTE Standards
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Presented by: Lauren Boucher
Session Description:
For more than 20 years, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has published and updated technology standards for both teachers and students. Join Lauren Boucher as she shares the latest standards for educators, and how you can use the standards to “deepen your practice, promote collaboration with peers, challenge you to rethink traditional approaches and prepare students to drive their own learning.”
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3
Designing Digital Materials and Online Courses with Accessibility In Mind
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Presented by: Lauren Boucher
Session Description:
As more learning is occurring in a blended environment, it is important that instructional materials and activities are accessible to all students. Join Lauren Boucher to learn about tools, resources, and research to help you provide the best learning experiences for ALL of your students.
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4
Teaching Students Living in Poverty Through a UDL Lens
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Presented by: Matt Bergman
Session Description:
With an estimated 16 million plus children living in poverty, it is perhaps inevitable that poverty impacts nearly every single community and school in the U.S. and worldwide. As educators, most of us have seen firsthand the effects of poverty in our schools and classrooms, but there are things we can do to help lessen or deal with those effects. Join Matt Bergman as he shares how you can use a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to address many of the challenges teachers face when working with students living in poverty.
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5
Special Education 101
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Presented by: Melissa Mann
Session Description: Special education teachers are essential to providing students with the learning activities and experiences they need to fulfill their potential for intellectual, emotional, physical, and social growth.
Join Melissa Mann as she shares the basics of special education, including the key terminology and definitions frequently used by schools and districts.
You will also walk away with a basic understanding of special education laws, the process for determining eligibility, and categories of disabilities.
Assessment: Participants will complete an exit ticket in Google Jamboard to demonstrate their understanding of the session objectives and reflect on their learning.
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6
Understanding and Supporting Gifted & Talented Students
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Presented by: Reba Gordon Matthews
Session Description:
Gifted and talented students have unique learning needs that differ from most children of the same age, which calls for teachers to use specific differentiation techniques in the classroom. Join Reba Gordon Matthews as she discusses the typical characteristics of gifted and talented students and explains why simply increasing the challenge and variety of classroom lessons and activities may not be enough. You will also walk away with a sampling of resources that will spark your gifted & talented students’ curiosity and inspire their learning.Assessment: Participants will join a collaborative backchannel chat and discuss ideas for meeting the needs of gifted & talented students to demonstrate their understanding of the session objectives and reflect on their learning.
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7
Supporting English Learners in the Mainstream Classroom
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Presented by: Michelle Dragalin
Session Description: If you are a general education teacher looking for effective ways to support your English Language Learners, you are not alone!
Join Michelle Dragalin as she shares how to make small adjustments to the teaching strategies you are already using to best meet the needs of your diverse learners.
You will also learn best practices for incorporating peer learning into your instruction that will provide opportunities for language use and practice as well as build a sense of community in your classroom.
Assessment: Participants will complete a graphic organizer to demonstrate their understanding of the session objectives and reflect on their learning.
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8
From Tech to Non-Tech: Formative Assessment Ideas to Provide Feedback for Learning
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Presented by: Deb Norton
Session Description:
How do we provide meaningful feedback - the kind that students actually listen to, understand, and use in a timely manner? Join Deb Norton as she shares formative assessment ideas to provide feedback that encourages full participation from all learners. You will also walk away with a variety of strategies to identify student strengths and weaknesses and ensure their understanding of the learning goals.
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9
Creative Summative Assessment Techniques, Tips, Resources and Innovative Strategies
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How can summative assessments move beyond traditional tests to truly showcase what students know and can do? What strategies help students reflect on their learning and set meaningful goals for continued growth? Summative assessment plays a critical role in evaluating student achievement, but when designed creatively, it can also inspire deeper thinking, ownership, and engagement. Research shows that effective summative assessments aligned to clear standards and learning targets provide valuable insights into student mastery. When students are involved in goal setting and reflection, summative assessments become powerful tools for celebrating learning and informing future instruction. Creative assessment approaches also allow students to demonstrate understanding in diverse, authentic ways. Join Naomi Louise for this engaging and practical session focused on innovative summative assessment strategies that support meaningful evaluation and student voice. Naomi will share best practices for designing assessments aligned to standards, helping students reach learning targets, and guiding them to set future learning goals. You’ll also explore instructional strategies, tools, and resources to enhance student learning portfolios and make summative assessment both rigorous and creative.
Key Takeaways
- Learn best practices for designing summative assessments aligned to academic standards and benchmarks.
- Discover creative assessment options that allow students to demonstrate mastery in multiple ways.
- Explore strategies for helping students reflect on learning and set future academic goals.
- Gain resources and tools to enhance student portfolios and showcase growth over time.
Presented by Naomi Louise
Naomi Louise is a seasoned education professional with over two decades of experience and is the driving force and CEO of Innovative Educator Consulting. Renowned as an EdTech influencer and women in leadership strategist, she has held prestigious roles such as ISTE Faculty Instructional Coach, Google Certified Innovator, and National Intel Senior Trainer. Naomi’s expertise in brain-based instructional methods makes her a sought-after keynote speaker at education conferences around the globe. As a published author and empathetic educator, she is passionate about integrating STEM creativity into her teacher training programs.
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10
Creative Ways to Give Timely, Useful Feedback to Students
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Presented by: Lauren Boucher
Session Description:
Providing actionable feedback to students is vitally important to the learning process. Good feedback can improve students' confidence and increase their enthusiasm for learning. However, with long workdays, overloaded schedules, and the general rigor of the life of a teacher… getting feedback to students in a timely manner can be a struggle! Join expert teacher trainer Lauren Boucher, as she share tips, tricks, and ideas on how to streamline the feedback process. In this 30 minute webinar, Ms. Boucher will share several creative tools and strategies for sharing feedback with your students in a way that is efficient and effective for all involved.
Meet
Start for free Learn From 7 Expert Educators
Lauren Boucher
Digital Teaching & Learning Consultant
Artificial Intelligence
Dr. Matt Bergman
Assessment and Curriculum Coordinator
Differentiation and Personalization
Melissa Mann
Teacher
Special Education
Reba Gordon Matthews
Educational Consultant and Coach
Classroom Management
Michelle Dragalin
Teacherpreneur
Differentiation and Personalization
Debra Norton
Instructional Technology Coordinator
Google Workspace
Naomi Louise
STEM Innovation Specialist
STEM & STEAM