The Rush NeuroBehavioral Center Training of Trainers Program is a comprehensive, year-long, professional development experience for educators. Each year’s program is limited to a maximum of six school or district teams. Each team should include one administrator, one special education staff member, and other team members who have classroom responsibility.

The Training of Trainers Program follows the structure of the Executive Functions Program (see previous page) and consists of the following elements:

Three Full-Day Professional Development Sessions

The RNBC Educational Services team will present brain-based research as an introduction to the different Executive Function Curriculum units. They will lead hands-on activities and guide the development of specific implementation plans by each school or district team, including all three major areas of focus within the Executive Functions Program: Foundational Units, Study Strategies, and Personal Growth. Each session will feature discussions of Eric Jensen’s book Teaching with the Brain in Mind, as well as activities designed to help participants create their own personal learning profile as part of their role with their team.

Six Follow-Up Consultation Sessions

RNBC staff will conduct on-site sessions to review implementation plans and accomplishments, revise plans if necessary, offer guidance throughout the first year, provide support with any difficulties that may be encountered, and modify specific lessons within the Curriculum, if the school team feels they are needed.

Materials Provided

• Teaching with the Brain in Mind, by Eric Jensen, 2005 edition
• RNBC Executive Functions Curriculum Notebook, specific to each teacher’s grade level assignment
• Folder with workshop materials, including pertinent research articles and references
• The Executive Functions Instructor Kit, including
  • A CD that contains classroom PowerPoint presentations designed to facilitate classroom Executive Function instruction
  • A student handbook, which coordinates with the Executive Functions Program, appropriate for some grade levels
  • Documents in PDF format designed to help students record and analyze individual academic data, forms to track personal data, goals, grades, homework assignments and completion, school attendance, and test scores
• Materials for parents that promote better understanding of the importance of Executive Function skills and how to reinforce them at home

Access and Evaluation
Teams will have access to RNBC Educational Services staff via e-mail for ongoing support throughout the school year. Teams will also participate in an evaluation process at the conclusion of the year’s activities.