Professional Learning Academy

Professional Development courses and workshops offered through the Brookdale Community College Alternate Route Teacher Training Program and Career & Technical Education are essential for educators seeking to enhance their professional and academic growth.

Engaging in these professional development opportunities will broaden the participant’s skill set and enrich one’s “Teacher Toolkit,” equipping the participants with the necessary resources to commence one’s career and manage the daily and semester responsibilities effectively.

The professional development program is designed to be context-focused, incorporating active learning principles grounded in adult learning theory. Facilitators support collaboration within a job-embedded context and employ models and methodologies of effective teaching practices. They provide the coaching and expertise expected from a high-quality professional development program, offering constructive feedback and opportunities for reflection.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Professional Development?

About Your Professional Development

Each school district has its own approach to professional development (PD) that every teacher must understand and follow. PD experiences typically include participation in workshops, conferences, webinars, courses, and training sessions arranged by your district or offered by an approved PD provider that focus on the application of a particular skill or strategy to will help you meet identified student learning needs.

Teachers must also be aware of New Jersey’s PD requirements, which are detailed at https://www.nj.gov/education/profdev.

On this site you will find that your professional learning responsibilities and commitment are defined through an individual Professional Development Plan (PDP) that you co-develop each year with a supervisor. Your PDP will always include:

at least one personal performance goal and one building- or district-supporting goal
clear alignment to the Professional Standards for Teachers
documentation of at least 20 hours per year of “qualifying experiences” (i.e. district approved) that support student achievement
evidence indicating how your professional learning has advanced your PDP goals (i.e. how you’ve applied your learning in the classroom)

For the purpose of your PDP, required staff, department, and PLC meetings, as well as state mandated PD (for example, on student health issues like blood-borne pathogens), usually do not count towards meeting state requirements, as they represent professional responsibilities, not improvements in skills, knowledge and understandings pertaining to student learning.

2. How do I register for workshops?

You must call Rachael Goldman, the Program Administrator, at 732-224-2371 or email her: rgoldman@brookdalecc.edu. From there she will register you and take payment over the phone. This will create a record in the system for you.

3. How much do the courses cost?

$149/ 3 hour virtual workshop

$199/ 3 hour in-person workshop

4. Are the courses refundable?

Please see the cancellation and refund policy:

https://www.brookdalecc.edu/continuinged/policies-procedures/

5. What if I miss a course, are the courses taped?

No. All courses are offered in a live format and are not taped. You may speak with the facilitator for more information

6. Can I pay for the courses myself?

Yes. Registration is handled regularly.

7. If someone other than myself pays for the courses, what is the process?

Yes, we would be processing a purchase order. Request a purchase order that your institution has approved. We would then need an invoice.

8. How can I learn more about the courses for Fall 2025?

We will be offering several information sessions that discuss the offering for the semester and any questions you may have. You can register for one of the sessions using this link:

https://forms.office.com/r/M7HAV2fVSS

9. After I attend and complete the workshop, what can I expect?

You will receive a certificate of completion by email and a survey to complete.

We look forward to hearing about your experience.

10. What is the mode of learning for these courses?

For the Fall 2024, all workshops will be virtual. But it is the hope that the courses in Spring 2025 will follow a combination of virtual and in-person venues.

11. Will there be more courses in the Spring 2026?

Yes! We anticipate a robust line-up of courses that address the following topics:

Classroom management
Artificial Intelligence
Differentiation
Teaching Special Populations
Engaging Families
Meditation and Mindfulness
Nutrition
Creating Assessments
Social Emotional Learning

Professional Learning Academy