Class Description - Examining: How to Survive & Thrive in the Classroom (8.21.25-8.20.26)

Date: Available for registration anytime between August 21, 2025 - August 20, 2026
Course #: EDIA 534
Number of License Renewal/Graduate Credit Hours: 3
Registration Deadline: Last day to register is Thursday, August 20, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.

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Big News! ISEA Graduate Credit is Back—and Better!

Ready to take the next step in your professional development? We've just launched an exciting partnership with Upper Iowa University to bring back Graduate Credit for ISEA Academy courses!

This collaboration provides two major wins for you:

More Affordable: We've successfully negotiated a lower cost per Graduate credit hour! Invest in your education without breaking the bank. (The new rate is in the "Fees" section at the top of the page.)
A Head Start on Your Degree: A select group of your ISEA Academy courses can now count as elective credit in an Upper Iowa University graduate program. Get credit for the professional learning you're already doing! (Don't forget to check with your program advisor for all the details!)

Important Note for Graduate Credit: To be eligible to receive Graduate credit through Upper Iowa University, you must possess a bachelor's degree from an institution that its regional accreditation association recognizes.

Get ready to dive in! This is your opportunity to enroll in a self-paced, three-credit, and up to 2-month course that is entirely on your schedule!

Once your registration is processed, look for an email from your instructor packed with everything you need to know. As soon as you get those instructions, you're ready to begin!

Remember, you have up to 2 months to complete all your assignments, discussions, and the final project. It's flexible, but the clock is ticking!

Don't miss out! The deadline to register for License Renewal or Graduate credit is Thursday, August 20, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. Secure your spot today!

Here are Examples of How it Will Work:

Participants will have at least 2 full months after registration to complete their course.

Register FEBRUARY 1ST and start the course as soon as your registration has been processed.
You will have until APRIL 30TH to complete the class.
Register FEBRUARY 25TH and start the course as soon as your registration has been processed.
You will have until APRIL 30TH to complete the class.

Students must monitor their progress and finish the course at the end of 2 months after registration.
If there is a problem, or any questions, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor.

Course Description:

How to Survive & Thrive in the Classroom is a 3-credit hour course that builds on the 7 principles employed by master teachers presented by Robyn R. Jackson in her book Never Work Harder than Your Students, 2nd ed. The course begins by teaching participants how to assess students’ cultural and intellectual currency to determine where they are, what they value and where they are going academically. Next, participants will investigate how to use supports and feedback to get students where they need to be. The culminating principle, never work harder than your students, will be discovered as teachers move through the guiding tenets for making students successful.

Required Text:
Never Work Harder Than Your Students & Other Principles of Great Teaching, 2nd ed. (2018) by Robyn R. Jackson.
It is available for purchase through bookstores and on-line.

Outcomes and Objectives:
By the end of the course, participants will:

Understand how to start where their students are by assessing cultural, intellectual and classroom currency;
Understand how to assess where students are going academically and use curriculum and learning goals to get them there;
Evaluate how to set expectations for their students and themselves;
Know how to create a student support cycle to help them meet academic goals;
Understand how to give and receive feedback effectively; and
Understand how to identify and eliminate practices that increase workload and negatively impact instructional quality.

Potential Results for Learning:

Participants will be able to understand, develop and use the instructional practices and strategies presented in the course topics in addition to reflecting on, evaluating and setting goals for improving their instructional methodology.

Course Topics that Support Instructional Practices and Strategies:
Course objectives will be met through study of the following topics:

1. Cultural, intellectual & classroom currency
2. Non-cognitive skills
3. Objectives, curriculum goals, & learning goals
4. Student & teacher expectations
5. Creating a student support cycle
6. Feedback: giving it and getting it
7. Quality vs. Quantity: Toxic practices & load distribution
8. The Master Teacher Trajectory: Where are you at?

Instructor Methods and Course Design: The course is organized into 6 modules. Goals will be met using a combination of text readings, external resources, activities, assignments, and enrichment materials.

How Does This Course Support The Iowa Core?
How to Survive and Thrive in the Classroom will impact across all disciplines, subject/content area, and age levels. All teachers will be master teachers thereby enabling students to be proficient learners and reach their maximum potential; this can be accomplished by producing master teachers who understand how to meet students where they are and take them to understanding and achievement. This falls in line with the Iowa Core that states school preparation should produce the following:

1. Students who are college and career ready in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.

2. Students who are proficient in English, language arts, history, social student, science, and technical subjects in all grade levels.

3. Students who are proficient in 21st century skills.

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**Important Registration Information for You**
Please read through as these are Frequently Asked Questions in which answers can be found within this page.

The instructor will email you once the start date arrives with information on how to get started in the class:

Emails regarding this class will come from the instructor/organization with an email address ending in professional.development@educateteachers.org;
Be sure to check your junk/spam/clutter folders-mailboxes in case the email address isn't recognized as a known address; and
If you are using a school email address, many schools have their network security filters set up to push unknown emails directly to spam and you will not even see it - if this is the case you will need to either talk to your IT department and request emails with the email address be allowed through or let us know you want to use a different email address.

2. The Tabs at the top of the registration page have important additional information regarding this class:

The Syllabus gives information of what will be expected of you in the course. Generally, it will include course policies, rules and regulations, required texts, and a schedule of assignments;
The Fees will let you know how much this class will cost depending on the type of credit you want to take it for as well as if you are an ISEA member or not;
The Cancellation Policy is important so you know how to cancel if you need to and how refunds are handled; and
The ISEA Official Transcript page tells you how to access your transcript once the class has ended.