Dialogic Classroom Workshop: Secondary School Educators

Designed especially for middle and high school education instructors, this 3-day workshop will give you the tools to improve the quality and breadth of student engagement in class discussions, foster curiosity as the driver of learning, help students feel more connected to the school community, and create a more resilient, cohesive class environment—all while improving academic performance. 

Whether in the arts and humanities or STEM fields, EP's Dialogic Classroom framework has empowered hundreds of educators across the United States to lead more open, engaging classrooms where it’s possible to have genuinely productive discussions about potentially divisive topics like the impact of slavery and racism in American history to the present day, the effects and causes of partisan polarization in American elections, the science and sociology of gender, and more. 

Teach students the civic skills of constructive and open-minded discourse by embedding dialogic practices into every unit and course. In a Dialogic Classroom, students will develop stronger social-emotional skills within a framework that reinforces key pillars of trauma-informed teaching. They’ll practice the tools to navigate differences of values and identities, which will be necessary to succeed in a diverse college or career context. And they will gain civic skills that empower them to participate fully in their democracy.

This workshop teaches the Dialogic Classroom pedagogy by walking participants through the design of a dialogic lesson plan for use in their classrooms. Participants should come with a class lesson or unit in mind to use during the workshop.

The benefits of EP's Dialogic Classroom approach have been broad and deep. Our research has found measurable outcomes, including:

• Better retention of the course content
• More consistent, constructive class participation
• Greater social and emotional competency
• The ability to hold conversations across differences
• A stronger sense of community belonging

The building blocks to a dialogic classroom can be adapted to your course and teaching style, whether it's a science course or a civics class, whether it’s an independent academy or a public school.

Accreditation and Continuing Education

This training is 16 contact hours. Essential Partners is registered with Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Eduction (DESE) as a PDP provider. This training can be used to qualify for 16 PDP credits in the content area of “Safe and Supportive Learning Environments.” Essential Partners can provide a certificate upon completion of the workshop that can be used to support a request for professional development credits.

Scholarships

Essential Partners provides a limited number of partial or full scholarships for each workshop it hosts. A member of the staff will inform applicants of their decisions six weeks prior to the workshop date; applicants will confirm their acceptance by registering online. Scholarships are granted based on two criteria: financial need; and potential for impact on a community level.

Fill out this form to apply for a scholarship.

Cancellation Policies

If you must cancel, please do so as far in advance as possible. Cancellations are subject to a $25 administration fee plus an additional $25 to process credit card refunds (if you paid by credit card). Refunds will be issued to the original payment method.

To receive any refund your cancellation must be made at least 2 weeks before the event or workshop date. Essential Partners is under no obligation to offer any refund or credit if you cancel within two weeks of an event or workshop. If you need to cancel due to a medical emergency or other emergency reason, please call (617) 923-1216 or email training@whatisessential.org as soon as possible.

In some instances, Essential Partners must cancel a workshop due to low enrollment, faculty illness, or other reason. In the unlikely event that we have to cancel a workshop, we will give you 7-10 days notice. If the workshop is canceled, Essential Partners will issue you a full refund of the registration fee, with no administration fees withheld.