Professional Development and Training

Professional Development and Training enables the Cooke Center to share its successful and unique program models with others and help them develop programs in their own schools and classrooms. Schools and districts wishing to implement The Cooke’s Center inclusive, collaborative education strategies seek our expertise in such issues as early intervention for preschoolers, creating classrooms that are inclusive for students with disabilities, and strengthening academic instruction for all students. Our reputation for quality programming and professional development is born out by the increasing number of requests we are receiving to share our models and knowledge with others.

Cooke provides professional development workshops, conferences and in-service to school districts, childcare agencies, universities and educational organizations. During its annual conference each June, we conduct workshops for the Agency for Children’s Services on topics such as intervention and literacy development. We are an Association Partner in National Inclusive Schools Week, and we regularly conduct teacher-training workshops for the New York City Archdiocese and many other professional associations throughout the country.

Finally, educators in the charter school community are facing tremendous challenges in the provision of special education services. These charter schools recognize Cooke’s history of implementing successful models for collaboration and have asked us to help them develop high quality special education services for their students in the primary grades. The Center for Charter School Excellence has provided Cooke with a grant to provide this kind of programming over the next two years.