Learn with the MTA and Earn PDPs

The MTA offers free professional development for members to earn up to 15 PDPs toward license renewal. These member-designed workshops cover different areas, including special education and English learners.

For more information, please email the Division of Training & Professional Learning at events@massteacher.org.

Fall Professional Development Courses

Registration for Fall 2025 opens at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11. This fall, our courses will be asynchronous and virtual, there will be no in-person sessions.

English Language Learners OR Special Education

October 21 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM Supporting Multilingual Learners with the Revised IEP

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Format: Asynchronous course beginning October 21 with final assignment due by November 18. Must complete work each week.

DESE recently made updates to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) form. These changes were intended to strengthen the IEP process and to improve educational outcomes and experiences of students with disabilities in the Commonwealth. The updated IEP is a tool to help improve outcomes for students with disabilities by building on individual student strengths. Prior to this update, the IEP did not provide a specific space to identify or to consider the intersectionality of multilingual learners' language development and disability. How are teams ensuring culturally and linguistically sustaining practices in the development of IEPs? This course will provide guidance and curated resources relative to the revised IEP form focused on supporting multilingual learners and their families. Course participants will examine culturally and linguistically sustaining practices, discuss key special education and English language education intersectionality and collaboration considerations and review resources to leverage IEP improvements to support multilingual learners.

Participants who successfully complete all assignments will earn 15 PDPs in English Language Learners OR Special Education.

English Language Learner

English Language Learners OR Mathematics

October 15 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM Count Me In! Math Practice for Multilingual Learners

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Format: Asynchronous course beginning October 15 with final assignment due by November 19. Must complete work each week.

This 5-week course is designed for K–4 educators seeking to strengthen both their math instruction and their support for multilingual learners. Each week focuses on one foundational math concept, including number sense, operations, place value, geometry, and data, while embedding research-based strategies that promote language development, accessibility, and culturally responsive teaching. Through slide presentations, videos, interactive resources, and weekly application tasks, teachers will explore how to scaffold math content using visuals, sentence frames, oral language routines, multilingual supports, and real-world connections. The course is grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and honors the diverse cultural and linguistic assets MLLs bring to the classroom.

Participants who successfully complete all assignments will earn 15 PDPs in English Language Learners OR Mathematics.

Special Education

October 20 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM Special Education Refresher

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Format: Asynchronous course beginning October 20 with final assignment due by November 28. Must complete work each week.

This course is designed for general and special educators who want a practical, engaging refresher in key areas of special education. It targets the October–November window—when the back-to-school rush has settled and support needs are clearer—offering actionable strategies that can be applied immediately in classrooms. By the end of this course, participants will be able to: Understand and apply foundational special education concepts and legal obligations. Support IEP implementation with confidence and consistency. Collaborate effectively with service providers and families. Use accommodations, modifications, and data collection practices effectively. Reflect on their role in inclusive classroom environments.

Participants who successfully complete all assignments will earn 15 PDPs in Special Education.

November 03 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM Fine-Tuning Reading Instruction for Students with Dyslexia (K-5)

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Format: Asynchronous course beginning November 3 with final assignment due by December 8. Must complete work each week.

This course will focus on how to best support students with dyslexia and provide participants with an instructional toolbox of resources that can be incorporated in the classroom and alternative settings. Throughout this course, an overview of the historical roots of special education will be reviewed, as well as instructional strategies and repertoires to effectively build oral reading fluency skills. Additionally, written language strategies that are research-based and orthographic rules/generalizations to increase encoding skill development will be examined to support students with dyslexia. An extensive review of instructional methods, specialized reading programs, and multisensory strategies derived from research that have proven to be successful will be reviewed in depth. Further exploration with respect to approaches that are personalized and tailored to meet the needs of students with learning difficulties will be analyzed. All approaches and strategies will be examined through a scope and sequence that is supported by evidence-based research within the field of special education.

Participants who successfully complete all assignments will earn 15 PDPs in Special Education.

Safe & Supportive Schools

Special Education OR Technology OR Safe & Supportive Schools

Curriculum & Instruction

October 20 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM Rethinking Assessment to Build Confidence and Growth

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Format: Asynchronous course beginning October 20 with final assignment due by December 11. Must complete work each week.

What if assessments weren’t just a measure of what students know, but a tool to help them grow, take risks, and build confidence? This workshop invites educators to reimagine how we assess student learning, centering curiosity and self-reflection instead of perfection. We will explore fun and challenging non-traditional assessments to demonstrate learning beyond the standards. You’ll learn how to:

Create space for mistakes as a vital part of the learning process
Offer optional, meaningful challenges that inspire curiosity—not anxiety
Use feedback and reflection more effectively than grades alone
Rethink assessment as a collaborative, student-centered experience

You’ll also explore a model of incentive-based challenges that deepen engagement without impacting grades, offering students the freedom to explore, try, and learn without fear of failure. Leave with reimagined assessment strategies, concrete examples, and renewed energy to help your students own their learning journey.

Participants who successfully complete all assignments will earn 15 PDPs in Curriculum & Instruction.

Science

October 12 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM Take it outside - Teaching NGSS standards with nature as a classroom

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Format: Asynchronous course beginning October 12 with final assignment due by December 14. Must complete work each week.

In this course, participants will complete six different environmental science outdoor activities, each of which can be adapted to work with students from every level - from preK to 12. Each activity will give participants a chance to experience the NGSS science standards first hand. Activities include- Recognizing biodiversity- Digging holes - soil horizons and/or the water table- Soil analysis - Sun angle - Overwintering activities. The goal is to give you the tools you need to get your students outside!

Participants who successfully complete all assignments will earn 15 PDPs in Science.