7 Free Online Classes in August

What I really like about August are three things: slightly cooler evenings, the Perseids shower and the smell of stationery in the shops giving this “back to school” vibe. Even as a schoolgirl I loved this smell – I still do. I also liked school and to be honest, I had my Polish, English and History coursebooks read before the school year started.

Now, this may sound extremely dull, but one needs to learn a lot before embarking on a journey to conquer the world!

Apart from the upcoming school year, I think August is a perfect month to work on self development – one has more time off and it’s easier to feel motivated when it comes to actual finishing the course. The courses I found for you are really interesting and I hope you’ll find something suitable.

Fairy Tales: Meanings, Messages, and Morals by the University of Newcastle

• Start: 29/07/2019
• Duration: 3 weeks
• For whom: anyone interested in fairy tales and literary analysis

Fairy tales are wicked, and this course will show you how twisted they sometimes are! By considering the historical context of fairy tales you will see that the intended morals of the original stories may not be exactly what you first thought. This is something that may be a nice element of your class – breaking stereotypes and showing some hidden background.

Intervention and Teaching Strategies for Visually Impaired by Avianshilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women

• Start: 02/08/2019
• Duration: 8 weeks
• For whom: teachers dealing with visually impaired students

This is a long and serious course that will prepare you for challenges and struggles the visually impaired students experience in a mainstreamed classroom setting. The course will help you to understand how interventions in the areas affected can be instrumental in enhancing performance of the students. You will learn how to work with students in classroom set-ups and arm them with programmes for assessment, goal setting, reviewing and reporting the success.

The Science of Learning by the National STEM Learning Centre

• Start: 05/08/2019
• Duration: 6 weeks
• For whom: teachers interested in CPD

What is learning? How does it actually work? Have you ever thought about it? If not, this course will help you explore how you can use the science of learning to improve your teaching and support your students’ learning. You will study educational neuroscience and psychology (and combat neuroscience myths), and learn how to interpret research to be better informed about how your students learn. To be sure, this is a course every teacher may enjoy!

Preparing for University by the University of East Anglia

• Start: 26/08/2019
• Duration: 6 weeks
• For whom: anyone considering a course of study at a University or similar higher education institution

Sometimes it’s not that easy to start university – new place, new people, new type of education. This course may be a great idea not only for students who start their uni, but for those who are still in secondary schools, making their great plans. As a teacher, you may complete the course and use it in your actual classroom to make your students truly interested in the topic and giving them the encouragement and support they definitely need.

“Yes I can” – Empowering Student Learning by European Schoolnet Academy

• Start: self-paced
• Duration: 6 weeks
• For whom: primary and secondary school teachers

This course will show you how to encourage students to study not only during the class, but also outside of school. You will learn the differences between formal, non-formal and informal learning experiences. You will also learn strategies to empower your students by encouraging them to identify their own learning styles and abilities and make your teaching more relevant and inclusive by personalising it based on your students’ needs and interests.

Supporting Special Educational Needs in Every Classroom by School Education Gateway – Teacher Academy

• Start: self-paced
• Duration: 4 weeks
• For whom: any teacher who is (or might be in the future) working with children with special needs

More and more teachers face the challenge of how to integrate students with SEN in their mainstream class. This course will teach you to better understand the topic and how simple changes could make your classroom more inclusive. You will also be encouraged to share your knowledge and experiences in order to develop a learning network of peers in similar situations. I think this course may be particularly useful for primary school teachers.

Surviving Your First Years of Teaching by School Education Gateway – Teacher Academy

• Start: self-paced
• Duration: 4 weeks
• For whom: any teacher who is about to enter the profession for the first time as well as those in their first five years of teaching

When I started teaching I had little idea about what was going to happen. Looking back, I was really lost. Fortunately, this course aims to support you in overcoming the commonly known “practice shock”. This is often caused by inadequate preparation during the initial training phase, the changing role of teachers in schools, the increasingly complex demands on teachers and the common “loneliness” of new teachers working in environments where there are only experienced teachers. If you are a rookie teacher, that may be a great course for you!

Sounds interesting? Well, I believe you’ll find those courses useful and interesting – summer break is great, but still, learning is fun.

Enjoy!