Educator Training
Learning Beautiful trains early childhood and elementary educators (PreK–5) to teach the foundations of computer science with hands-on materials and activities, completely screen-free. Teachers leave with a deep understanding of the ideas behind our materials, how to present them to children, and activities they can use right away. The materials and lessons are built on research from the MIT Media Lab and used by educators across the country and abroad.
Our trainings are accessible, welcoming, and fun. No prior knowledge about computers is required, and every activity is simple, hands-on, and designed for children. Our trainers have extensive experience in early childhood education and have used these materials in their own classrooms. Our approach grew out of Montessori classrooms, and our trainings are designed for all educators, with content that adapts to a variety of learning environments.
“The teachers feel that their own concrete use of the materials allows them to see the ‘language of computers’ in a way that they couldn’t see it before. This newfound understanding fuels their own passion to share their information and knowledge with the children.”
—Anna Rita Pergolizzi-Wentworth, Head of School, Pine Street School; Regional Managing Director, KSS Immersion; President, New York State Montessori Alliance
Basics
What You’ll Learn
The big ideas underneath every computer: logic, binary numbers, algorithms, and how information is represented
How to teach each idea with LB’s hands-on materials and with simple classroom supplies
How children move from hands-on work to abstract understanding, one concept at a time
How the lessons connect to state and national CS standards
Who It Is For
Classroom teachers, Montessori guides, CS specialists, instructional coaches, and anyone else interested in implementing hands-on CS concepts
What’s Needed
LB trainings are built around the Learning Beautiful materials. They’re designed for schools that have a classroom set, or are in the process of getting one. We bring demo sets, so every teacher gets hands-on time with each material during the training. Every training also includes activities that need no LB materials at all, just common classroom supplies like beads, string, paper, and index cards.
Need materials?
Training Formats
For Schools
School Introduction. One day on site, six hours, for your whole staff of up to 20 educators, led by one LB facilitator. Teachers get hands-on time with the Pixel Boards, Binary Tree, Binary Towers and Binary Cards, and activities they can repeat with simple classroom supplies.
School Foundations. Two days on site for up to 20 educators, with more time on each material.
Host a training. Bring nearby schools together at your school for one or two days, up to 30 educators.
For Districts and States
Foundations. Two days of hands-on training led by two facilitators, for up to 30 educators, followed by three virtual follow-up sessions. Includes PD hour certificates and a standards crosswalk for your state.
Foundations Intensive. Three days, adding a day for teaching lessons back to the group and planning for the classroom, with the same virtual follow-ups.
Bring Learning Beautiful to Your School
Grant Funding for Your Training
Many schools and districts fund Learning Beautiful trainings through professional development or computer science grants. If you’re writing us into a grant, we are more than happy to assist in providing whatever you may need:
A program description and learning outcomes you can adapt
A quote for the training and classroom materials, together or as separate line items
Standards alignment for your state and CSTA
PD hours and a sample schedule
Facilitator bios and our statewide work in Ohio and Iowa
A letter of support, a W-9, and vendor details