Sonoma SERVES
Development Program

High-quality professional development is a core element of the Sonoma SERVES program. All AmeriCorps members participate in an extensive array of trainings, led by Sonoma State faculty and staff, teachers from our partner schools, and presenters from around the country. Training is most intensive in the weeks leading up to the start of the program, giving our members a strong foundation from their first day with children. Once the programs get underway, on-going trainings focus on the specific and changing needs of individual sites and teams. In addition to formal training, program staff support each member through regular observation and feedback, both formal (through observation rubrics, evaluation forms, etc.) and informal.

Sample Overview of Training Topics

Orientation to AmeriCorps
Community Assets & Challenges
Creating Our Vision
Leadership & Conflict Resolution Skills
Best Practices in Mentoring
Resiliency and Youth Development
TRIBES—a process to create effective teams & community in the classroom. 
School Culture
Classroom Organization and Supporting Positive Behavior
Child Abuse Reporting & Sexual Harassment in the School Environment
CERT—Community Emergency Response Team Training
Kidzlit & Kidzmath Curriculum
SPARK: a program for physical fitness and nutrition
Social Justice Lesson Planning
Critical Multicultural Pedagogy
Overview of the Reading Process
Supporting English Language Learners
Teaching Comprehension, Vocabulary and Critical Thinking
Writing Strategies
Student Assessment
Themes, Centers and Disguised Learning
Service Learning with Elementary and Middle School Students
Reflection & Next Steps