Professional Programs & Training (PPAT) brings Eastern Michigan University’s expertise in educational excellence to teachers, administrators and other professionals working in Pre-K, K-12 or higher education environments.

Open Enrollment Programs

Professional program classes and symposiums in topics of interest to education professionals are available throughout the year. Taught by our award-winning faculty and community partners, these programs provide re-certification credits and help you excel and advance your career.

Restorative Practices and Circles

Restorative Practices (RP) offers both proactive and responsive strategies for strengthening relationships. The approach helps to develop relationships among students and teachers which are essential for effective teaching and learning.  When conflict arises, as it naturally does, RP helps build the skills needed to manage the conflict and behavior and restore relationships. Professional Programs & Training is offering two programs on this topic in cooperation with The Neutral Zone.

  • Introduction to Restorative Practices and Circles (2 Days)

    Join teachers and administrators from across the state of Michigan to learn the fundamentals of Restorative Practices (RP) and Circles through an engaging and interactive two-day training offered by the Neutral Zone.  Workshops are designed to be active, engaging and focused on both theory and practical strategies necessary to implement RP in classrooms and schools.

    Maintaining positive school climate is challenging, however growing research demonstrates that RP is one of the most effective strategies for reducing student negative behavior and building positive school climate.

    RP offers both proactive and responsive strategies for strengthening relationships. The approach helps to develop relationships among students and teachers which are essential for effective teaching and learning. When conflict arises, as it naturally does, RP helps build the skills needed to manage the conflict and behavior and restore relationships.

    As a result of the two day training participants will be able to:

    • Define RP as twofold: 1) Building community and connection; 2) Repairing harm
    • Name the four components of the social discipline window and characteristics of each
    • Name the three parts of fair process
    • Explain the theory of the compass of shame
    • Define the restorative practices continuum
    • Understand and be able to use affective statements
    • Practice restorative questioning
    • Understand the purpose of circles
    • Introduce and practice different circle structures
  • Training of Trainers in Restorative Practices and Circles (3 Days) 

    The three-day Training of Trainers Program in Restorative Practices (RP) and Circles is only available to individuals who have already completed Neutral Zone’s two-day Introduction to Restorative Practices and Circles.

    This highly active and engaging workshop focuses on both theory and practical strategies and will prepare participants to train and coach others in RP and circles.  The training incorporates critical theories of adult learning and social identity to help prepare trainees to be effective in their work training and coaching others.

    With the change in Michigan’s state discipline code (August 2017), schools are mandated to “consider restorative practices as an alternative to suspension or expulsion and to remediate offenses such as interpersonal conflicts, bullying, and verbal or physical conflicts”.

    This course helps schools effectively meet Michigan’s mandate while building their capacity to promote and strengthen positive school culture, enhance pro-social relationships within the school community and reduce student negative behavior.

    As a result of the three-day training participants will be able to:

    • Reflect on our own social identities and how that impacts our ability to support relationship development and address harm when it occurs
    • Be reflective on our own lived experiences, thoughts, and abilities and to identify the areas where we will be most personally effective as a trainer and the areas where we need to work to improve to better support others in training.
    • Identify the parts of an active-participatory workshop and explain how the parts build on one another and meet adult learning needs.
    • Explain the experiential learning cycle, the framework for debriefing and be able to create effective questions for each part of a debrief
    • Identify and name effective facilitator skills
    • Articulate some of the ancient and modern contexts of RP
    • Identify all of the theoretical components and RP strategies embedded in the two day RP training
    • Name and explain the training activities accompanying each section of the two day RP training
    • Conduct a peer presentation in RP
    • Adapt workshop activities to successfully meet the goals of an active-participatory workshop.
    • Identify the important aspects of training and coaching others and apply those ideas to a personal implementation plan
    • Identify common challenges in a training setting and practice responding to those

State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECH)

PPAT works closely with the Michigan Department of Education to provide State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) for professional continuing education courses that meet state guidelines for teachers. Each educator needs 150 SCECHs every five years in order to renew their teaching certificate with the Michigan Department of Education.

We partner with EMU's College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, and GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology, as well as other educational entities, to process program applications for SCECH approval through the State of Michigan. Contact us for a program application.  

To learn more about available SCECH classes through Eastern Michigan University, visit the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) website and search for Eastern Michigan University in the SCECH Sponsors search bar. 

Contact Us

Julie Newland
[email protected]
734.487.4926

For all other inquiries, contact [email protected] or call 734.487.2259 or 800.932.8689.