Staff Workshops
We offer many different workshops that are designed for school professionals. Workshops can be tailored to meet time constraints and specific training needs. Attendee participation is always encouraged. Workshops are generally 1.5 to 3 hours in duration but all-day workshops are available. > > > Book A Workshop
““Ms. Gurdin is a great trainer. She takes time to answer questions and is very informative. I like how she uses our situations to help teach us.”
“Ms. Gurdin is such a wonderful instructor. Her style of presenting keeps you engaged and focused while teaching you. She will answer all questions without making you feel silly for asking them and is really encouraging.””
Professional Collaboration Approaches for School-Based Teams
As special education professionals, I work with professionals from a wide range of disciplines, including psychology, behavior analysis, social work, education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, medicine, and speech therapy. As such, collaboration has become a necessary component of our jobs. While there are many benefits to collaboration, there are also challenges and ethical questions. During this workshop, I will outline the challenges, benefits and approaches for creating positive professional relationships with members of our school teams.
How to Encourage Your Students to Learn: Simple ideas to motivate and engage even the most challenging learners.
Teachers and specialists are often faced with students who are not interested in learning. They seem to do everything possible to avoid their work. This happens in both general and special education classrooms. The good news is that there are very simple ways to motivate even the most challenging students. This workshop will present research-based approaches for engaging students to comply with different types of academic and functional tasks across the school day
Demystifying Autism Spectrum Disorder & ABA
Although the term Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ABA have become more known in recent years, many parents, educators, and specialists remain confused or unclear about what they are. In this workshop, attendees will learn the facts about ASD and ABA or Applied Behavior Analysis. The tenets of ABA will be explained as Ill as basic behavior-based approaches for the general population and for people with ASD.
Say Yes to the D Word: Data Collection Basics
Data, data data! More and more schools are being asked to present data on everything including behavior and academics. The workshop will present the importance of behavioral and academic data to make treatment changes and determine progress. Specific data techniques and systems will be presented with a focus on how to take accurate data given the many demands placed on classroom staff.
Behavior Management Strategies for the Classroom
This presentation will provide staff with many behaviorally-based strategies that can be done in any school classroom. An overview of the behavioral approach will be discussed as well. Attendees will have the opportunity to present behaviors they frequently encounter and discuss ways to more effectively manage those behaviors.
How to Ensure that Behavioral Programs Fit the Student & Setting
Many behavioral programs do not lead to desired outcomes because the
programs do not fit the environment. This happens most often when team members do not engage in a collaborative process that includes an analysis of environmental variables that are integral to a program’s success. Contextual fit is the extent to which an intervention matches the setting. When programs have high contextual fit, there is greater treatment fidelity and, as a result, improved student outcomes. In this workshop, I will define contextual fit, discuss its importance, and delineate ways to assess and facilitate fit when designing or participating in behavioral programming.