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Collaborative Classroom Offers the Online Elementary Reading Academy

• In partnership with the CORE Learning, Collaborative Classroom now offers the Online Elementary Reading Academy (OERA).
• A facilitated, asynchronous, online course, OERA teaches the essential components of reading instruction, based in the science of reading, with clear and explicit models applicable to the classroom.
• Registration for the Fall 2021 OERA course is now open.

ALAMEDA, California — August 17, 2021 — Center for the Collaborative Classroom announced a new professional learning offering, the Online Elementary Reading Academy (OERA).

Offered and facilitated by Collaborative Classroom, OERA is available through licensing and partnership with CORE Learning.

Now open for Fall 2021 registration and available on an ongoing basis, OERA is a self-paced online course that teaches the essential components of reading instruction, based in the science of reading, with clear and explicit models immediately applicable to the classroom. 

“We are delighted to offer the Online Elementary Reading Academy to the educators we serve, through our partnership with the Consortium on Reaching Excellence in Education,” said Dr. Kelly Stuart, President and Chief Operating Officer of Collaborative Classroom. 

“CORE has been a valued partner for nearly a decade, and our respective organizations share a profound commitment to educational equity and high-quality professional learning,” Stuart added. “Understanding the components of effective, research-based reading instruction is critical for elementary educators, and OERA allows us to enrich and deepen our professional learning offerings in this vital area. By engaging in the OERA course, educators who use our curricula build a deeper understanding of how our lessons reinforce the most essential areas of literacy instruction.” 

“CORE has been a valued partner for nearly a decade, and our respective organizations share a profound commitment to educational equity and high-quality professional learning,” Stuart added. “Understanding the components of effective, research-based reading instruction is critical for elementary educators, and OERA allows us to enrich and deepen our professional learning offerings in this vital area. By engaging in the OERA course, educators who use our curricula build a deeper understanding of how our lessons reinforce the most essential areas of literacy instruction.” 

“We are excited to deepen our long-standing partnership with Collaborative Classroom by having them offer CORE’s Online Elementary Reading Academy to their clients,” said Dr. Dale Webster, Chief Academic Officer of CORE.

“By providing their clients with this foundational knowledge of how to teach reading, Collaborative Classroom can expect educators teaching their curricula to have a deeper understanding of the what, why, and how of teaching reading and how Collaborative Classroom’s materials align to the science of reading,” Webster said.

About the Online Elementary Reading Academy (OERA)

OERA takes the best of CORE’s acclaimed Teaching Reading Sourcebook and packages it into a facilitated, asynchronous, online course. Educators progress through the course at their own pace, over 7–10 weeks.

Learning is facilitated by a Collaborative Classroom instructor and is kept engaging through a variety of learning strategies: video models, narrated screencasts, interactive activities, simulations, online discussions, and more. Learn more about the course structure, objectives, and syllabus.

OERA is a powerful tool for districts who seek to ensure a successful literacy implementation. Christine Venturis, Collaborative Classroom’s Director of Implementation, explained: “When meeting with our district partners to assess the support they need for implementation, we are often asked for sessions focused on effective literacy practices based in research. While we have made many text recommendations in the past, being able to recommend OERA will help ground educators in understanding how children learn to read, which will support the implementation of a new literacy program. We are very proud to be able to offer OERA.” 

“When meeting with our district partners to assess the support they need for implementation, we are often asked for sessions focused on effective literacy practices based in research. While we have made many text recommendations in the past, being able to recommend OERA will help ground educators in understanding how children learn to read, which will support the implementation of a new literacy program.”

Educators Speak about the Online Elementary Reading Academy (OERA)

“What I appreciate about OERA versus other programs that teach the science behind effective reading instruction is that OERA helps educators understand both the English and Spanish language system. It is highly beneficial for English language teachers to improve their teaching practice.” —Toni Shay, Educational Sales Consultant 

“Coming from a background as an upper-grade teacher, I appreciated getting steeped in the background of foundational skills and understanding the ‘why.’ The Teaching Reading Sourcebook is a wonderful resource and very accessible. The margins are rich with additional information—visuals, definitions, and ties to the standards. I highly recommend this course.” —Emily Cremidis, former teacher, principal, and current Manager of Educational Partnerships at Collaborative Classroom

About Center for the Collaborative Classroom

Collaborative Classroom’s mission as a nonprofit is to help students grow as readers, writers, and thinkers while they develop the social and emotional skills necessary to thrive. 

Founded in 1980, Center for the Collaborative Classroom conducted seminal research on social development. Collaborative Classroom has evolved into a partner for schools and districts that is dedicated to transforming the school experience, developing students, and empowering teachers. The organization’s work impacts 7 million students and 285,000 teachers in classrooms every day. Learn more at collaborativeclassroom.org.

About CORE

At CORE, we believe that educational equity starts with all students having access to high-quality, rigorous content and effective instruction. For 26 years, CORE has worked as a trusted partner with more than 100,000 educators at preK–12 schools and districts across the country to realize that vision. We work collaboratively with educators to provide professional learning and ongoing support to implement strong curriculum, robust instruction, and effective assessment practices. Our professional learning is firmly grounded in evidence-based practices and culturally responsive teaching. Learn more at corelearn.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Peter Brunn
Vice President for Organizational Learning
pbrunn@collaborativeclassroom.org
510.914.0893