Creating Uplifting Classroom Environments
Providing Support for Early-Career Teachers
Through a partnership with the Cooperative Council of Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA), the K20 Center provides research-based professional development for early career teachers. Teachers coming into the profession receive preparatory training that centers on academic subject matter, with a minor focus on strategies to successfully manage the day-to- day operation of a classroom.
This three-day professional development institute is designed to help the early career, traditionally certified, emergency certified, or alternatively certified teacher create a structured classroom environment. Through this professional development, teachers can create an environment in which students are actively engaged in relevant learning to promote higher order thinking skills. The third day of the institute is designed to bring the
teacher and administrator together to plan for continued support throughout the academic school year.
Classroom Dates
Cohort 1: August 25-26, 2025 and September 16, 2025: Norman, OK
Cohort 2: September 10–11, 2025 and October 2, 2025: Norman, OK
Cohort 3: September 24-25, 2025 and October 30, 2025: Norman, OK
Cohort 4: October 7-8, 2025 and November 4, 2025: Norman, OK
Cohort 5: January 14-15, 2026 and February 5, 2026: Norman, OK
Cohort 6: January 21-22, 2026 and February 12, 2026: Norman, OK
Cohort 7: January 28-29, 2026 and February 19, 2026: Norman, OK
“This professional development experience impacted my teaching by giving me new strategies to utilize in the classroom. These strategies allowed me more ways to think outside of the box to bring more engagement and positive instruction to my students.”
– A Classroom Teacher
Items Addressed in Classroom
Environmental Support
- Physical Spaces
- Rules, Procedures, & Interventions
- Student/Teacher Relationships
Environmental Challenge
- Active Engagement Strategies/ Lesson Design
- Rigorous Lesson Design
- Sustaining Administrative Support
Summary
In this three-day professional development institute for teachers and administrators, teachers will attend all three days and administrators will attend the third day.
