Welcome to the MNEA Learns Library

In this course, we will introduce the importance of creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students, and especially those who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). We will review NEA’s Racial Justice Framework, data from the nation’s leading research organizations on LGBTQ+ youth and discuss how we as educators can intentionally create safer spaces for LGBTQ+ students.     By the end of this course, you will expand your awareness about school safety issues for LGBTQ+ students, analyze the factors that affect their safety, and develop action plans to create safer spaces for LGBTQ+ students in your learning community. Read more

This course is designed to introduce educators to the unique learning needs and challenges surrounding English Language Learners (ELL) today.  More than 55% of teachers in the United States have at least one ELL in the classroom making it critical for all educators to become familiar with the key roles that parent and community involvement, legal protections and policies, advocacy, and community organizing play in supporting these students in learning core academic content.   Read more

Anyone in the education profession knows that working with students involves more than just subject matter and teaching methods. We teach students first, building relationships with young people that necessitate our awareness of when things might be going wrong for them.  This course will take you through how to become a trauma-informed educator, with special application to the COVID-19 pandemic as an example. The activities, journaling, exploration, and sharing that is suggested in this course will help you solidify concepts about trauma-informed teaching and process how they can be useful in your online or physical classroom. As you work through each chapter of this course, it is recommended that you keep an ongoing journal of your responses to questions, ways to implement the strategies you learn about in your classroom, and insights on the needs of your own students. Read more

Many students are impacted by trauma, and educators need to understand how experiencing traumatic events can manifest in a variety of student behaviors. In this course, you will learn about the physiological, psychological, and behavioral impact of trauma on students and how to work with your multi-tiered support system (MTSS) in your school to support learners with trauma.   Read more

Instructional coaches act as change agents by supporting teachers as they grow in their professional skills. Effective coaching encourages personal growth through questioning, goal-setting, observation, and reflection. Coaching in a virtual environment requires that both the coach and the coachee commit to working in this new environment. As an instructional coach, you can leverage digital tools to impact teachers and students alike. Through this course, you will capitalize on your current skill set as you move your coaching to the virtual environment.   Read more

In this course you will learn ways to help a diverse array of students meet high standards by analyzing and questioning long standing assumptions about student ability.  Read more