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Cassandra S.
7834 EDUX 7834 The Formative Five: Fostering Success Skills Every Student Needs: A friend gifted me the primary book needed for this course, so I decided to take it. The book is very short and needs to be supplemented with other materials (books, articles, etc.), which was not hard to do. The professor, Jean "Jeannie" Simpson, graded my work and provided feedback incredibly fast. She was also very communicative and responsive to any questions I had from the beginning to the end of every course I took with her as my professor. I have never had a bad experience with any of the courses I've taken through CCC Vanguard, and would recommend them to any teacher interested in furthering their education.
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C D
EDUX 8000 The Brain and Behavior. I found the course format to be very effective because it combined clear instructional content with practical applications that could be immediately connected to both education and healthcare. The organization of the modules allowed me to progress through complex neuroscience concepts in a logical sequence, making it easier to understand how different brain structures influence learning, behavior, emotions, and decision-making. The flexibility of the online format was another strength. It allowed me to complete coursework while balancing my responsibilities as a full-time high school teacher and preparing for the upcoming school year. I was able to revisit course materials when needed, reflect on the concepts being presented, and consider how they could be incorporated into my own teaching practice.
The best aspects of this course were its ability to connect neuroscience with real-world applications in both healthcare and education. Rather than simply presenting information about brain anatomy and function, the course explored how different areas of the brain influence learning, attention, memory, behavior, emotional regulation, decision-making, and mental health. This practical approach made the material meaningful and immediately applicable to my professional practice. I also appreciated that the course emphasized evidence-based concepts that could be applied immediately in the classroom.
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C. D.
EDUX 7310 The Brain: Teaching Modules was one of the most interesting professional development courses I have completed because it provided an in-depth look at how the human brain functions and how neurological disorders affect behavior, learning, memory, and everyday life. As an educator, I found the information especially useful because it helped me better understand how students process information and why individuals learn differently. The videos demonstrated that brain development and neurological differences can significantly affect behavior, attention, memory, and communication. Overall, this course provided a fascinating combination of neuroscience, psychology, medicine, and education that will continue to influence my teaching and professional practice.
The course was well organized and presented complex neuroscience concepts in a way that was engaging and understandable. This course strengthened my appreciation for the complexity of the brain and provided knowledge that will help me better support students and understand the diverse ways people learn and function.
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Amber M
7401 Magnificent Mind at Any Age. My classroom practice and overall sense of well-being has been enhanced by having a more positive outlook on my life and health. It has encouraged me to invite my students to engage in having a positive mindset about their learning and personal goals. As an elementary educator, I have gained more confidence in my teaching abilities about this topic since taking this course.
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Andrew S
7802 Unchain Your Brain. I think one of the unexpected impacts of this course and book is an even deeper understanding of Trauma -Informed practices. The aspect I enjoy the most about this course and the Vanguard/CCC independent study courses is the flexibility to choose learning activities. I appreciate how the exploration of additional research opens the door for interesting connections to other experts in similar fields.
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David F
EDUX 7901 Cultivating Classroom Management. I really enjoyed the course format. The suggested podcast list was great, and it was easy to listen to episodes on the way to work.
I liked the self-pace aspect of the course. As a person who does not have a lot of free time, I like that I am able to work on assignments whenever I need to. I enjoyed getting to hear about different perspectives in the podcast series. Classroom management to me is changing. My classroom practice has been specifically enhanced.
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Jodi S.
EDUX 7817 EDUX 7817 (G) - Number Talks: Whole Number Computation. After taking this course, I can now facilitate number talks daily, I am more confident in letting my students discuss how to solve a question, and I was able to use the plethora of examples to create a year-long plan of number talks.
My grade level team is also using number talks. This year, for the first time, my team has the highest scores in the district for the math benchmark test for Trimester 1. I had the highest scores in the entire district for 5th grade. This has been a very valuable experience for me and my team.
My students are far more confident with math through this practice, and I find that their thinking is more complex than I have seen in students in the past. They are able to convey their thoughts clearly and are very good and determining the most effective strategy, they can productively struggle and think in a more complex manner instead of learning meaningless rules that don’t make sense. Their number fluency has just excelled.
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Natalie B.
EDUX 7901 EDUX 7901: Cultivating Classroom Management. I took this course to gain insight on classroom management and managing different
behaviors. There are always strategies to be taught and learned. Since taking this class, I have learned different skills for managing my classroom. These podcasts gave insight on how to manage behaviors in the classroom. Behaviors vary between tiers and it is important that we handle each accordingly. These podcasts helped differentiate the behaviors. The best aspect of this course is that it self paced. Teaching can be stressful and overwhelming so knowing that we have time to complete this on our own time takes extra stress away. This course has been very informative and applicable to my classroom.
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Briana R
EDUX 7836 A Fresh Look at Phonics, Grades K-2 A coworker was the one who suggested I take this class because I expressed to her my frustration with phonics and the feeling that I didn’t know enough. She said that this book was a great way to put things into perspective and doable chunks, so I signed up and purchased the book. Honestly, best decision I made.
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Jeffery M
EDUX 7615 Literacy in the Content Areas. As a TOSA with 15 years in education, moving from teacher to principal to Executive Director, I’ve seen my fair share of professional development opportunities. This independent study format, especially with the chance to dive into Reading Reconsidered and explore all the supplemental materials, really hit the mark. I’m passionate about learning, and this course wasn’t just about checking off requirements. It was an opportunity for real, meaningful growth that I can immediately apply back at [...] Academy. The ability to connect the material to my real-world experience made it incredibly relevant and practical. For any educator, especially those who are self-driven and looking to deepen their knowledge in a specific area, this is an ideal opportunity. It’s flexible, practical, and gives you the freedom to tailor your learning to your needs, which is invaluable for busy professionals. If you're looking to sharpen your skills and make a real impact, this course is definitely worth it. It was a truly rewarding experience.
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