Professional Development for Teachers and Parents – Online Courses (2026)
Develop Learn Grow offers professional development courses to help school leaders, teachers, and parents in private and public education. Support children in your career as a preschool or elementary school classroom teacher, professional, or therapist. Additionally, you can participate in these professional learning activities to guide you as a parent or caregiver.
The courses were developed by Amy Hathaway MOT, OTR/L, CIMI-2, a seasoned pediatric occupational therapist with over two decades of experience. Amy has worked since 2002 as an early childhood and school-based OT. She shares her vast knowledge base to provide education courses and professional learning activities with easy to implement activities and strategies.
Online Professional Development for Teachers, Parents, and Professionals
Develop Learn Grow’s online courses provide professional learning opportunities for adults working with children. Professionals in early childhood programs can benefit from the courses. Additionally, preschool and elementary teachers in grade levels ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade benefit from this information.
A teacher once said to Amy Hathaway, course creator, “I just graduated from college and thought I was prepared to work with my kindergarten students. I need to KNOW ALL of this, and I did not learn any of this!”
Participants complete the online courses at their own pace and receive a certificate of completion for their professional development hours. Develop Learn Grow is an approved provider for the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Pennsylvania educators earn Act 48 credit hours upon completion of each course.
The current courses for educators are:
- Sensory Systems & Learning: Brain Boosting Activities for All Children – 2.0 Hours
- Fine Motor Development in Children: A Comprehensive Course – 1.5 Hours
- Seeing to Read: The Visual Skills Every Successful Reader Needs – 1.0 Hours
Sensory Systems & Learning: Brain Boosting Activities for All Children – 2 Hour Online Video Course (PDE Approved for ACT 48 Credits)
Sensory Systems and Learning – 2.0 Professional Development Hours – This online course was developed to enhance children’s sensory processing skills for improved attention, behavior, and learning. It offers easy to use sensory activities that create and strengthen pathways for learning.
- Covers a large amount of information on sensory processing and foundational skills that support brain development and learning
- Supports student achievement through an occupational therapy perspective. The activities and instructional strategies offered improve attention, focus, behavior, classroom management, and anxiety problems
- Provides hundreds of activities that are easy to embed into daily learning routines
- Includes a teacher checklist, example daily schedules with embedded sensory activities for students
- *Course information is great for private and public school teachers, school leaders, and administrators – it guides educators to better understand how to meet the rising diverse needs of students
Sensory Systems Course Outline
The first five modules of the self-paced course provides professional learning to help the participant understand:
- How the Brain and Nervous System Work
- The Basic and Fundamental Sensory Systems and Your Sensory Systems
- Sensory System Development and Its Impact on Sensory Motor Development, Perceptual Development, Attention, Behavior, and Learning
- Sensory Processing Skills in Kids
- Why There Are Sensory Differences and Sensory Difficulties in Children
Additionally, the last module offers resources specific for teachers. Educational credits available (*Pennsylvania Department of Education Approved Provider.) This section shares a total of 25 pages of resources for preschool and kindergarten teachers and 25 pages of resources for elementary teachers including:
- How to Embed Sensory Strategies Into Class Routines
- Example Sensory Schedules
- Educator Daily Sensory Checklist
There are also individual handouts and resources on the following topics:
- Flexible Seating in the Classroom Environment
- Quick Brain Breaks
- Movement & Balance (Vestibular) Activities
- Heavy Work & Deep Pressure (Proprioceptive) Activities
- Tactile Learning Activities
- Auditory & Listening Activities
- Alerting Sensory Activities & Strategies for School
- Calming Sensory Activities & Strategies for School
- Crossing Midline Activities
- Vertical Surface Activities
- Prone and Floor Activities
- Summary of Links & Resources
Sensory Systems & Learning: Brain Boosting Activities Testimonials
School leaders have required their staff to participate in these professional development courses to enrich their teaching profession. The online courses were included in the teacher’s professional development program as annual goals for their school year.
Additionally, professionals, and parents from around the globe have taken the courses. Here is what they are saying about this online course:
“With 20 years as an elementary teacher, my job of simply instructing my students has become more challenging. Basic foundational skills are missing… behavior and attention has worsened. This course gave me necessary and critical brain-building skills and activities that help me effectively teach. [Amy’s] holistic approach to teaching the whole brain, has allowed my students to flourish and reach their full academic potential…” -Holly J. 3rd Grade Teacher
“As a teacher having ideas that can be used in a classroom to help engage my students using the “Bottom Up” approach. Including multiple sensory experiences to strengthen brain connections. I also found the 3 additional senses and the information given about them helpful as I usually only think about the 5 senses that are often discussed.” -Anonymous, Elementary Teacher
“It helped me to identify ways to help increase movement for my preschoolers and better understand their sensory needs. I plan to observe my students and learn how their sensory systems work and how I can best meet their needs with sensory movements.” -Julia W, Special Education Preschool Teacher
“I found the [Sensory] course to be very informative and insightful into the brain development of my baby and her sensory needs. It gave me new ideas for activities to do with my baby, not only while she’s an infant, but also what to do with her in the future as she grows. I found it enjoyable to learn about and I recommend this course to any parent or guardian who wants to help with their child’s development and have fun doing so along the way!” -Alyssa, Mother
Fine Motor Development in Children – 1.5 Hour PDF Course (PDE Approved for ACT 48 Credits)
Elementary school teachers currently see a progressive decline in fine motor skills in children. The Fine Motor Development in Children 1.5 Hour PDF Self-Paced Course offers important foundational skills and activities that students need in order to build foundational motor skills.
The Fine Motor Skills professional development course offers easy to use instructional strategies to support the decline of fine motor skills in children noted in school systems.
Both courses have been beneficial for new teachers as well as veteran classroom teachers who need ongoing support to meet the current needs of students.
All basic motor skills lead to learning!
The sections of the fine motor online course cover:
- Foundational activities that support the development of fine motor skills
- Motor coordination skills needed for fine motor tasks
- Hand skill development in children
- The sequence of pencil grasp development
- How to embed fine motor activities into daily play and learning routines
The fine motor course offers over 485 skilled activities and 73 pages of professional learning information and tips:
- Fine motor activities for the home environment
- Core and upper body exercises, positioning tips, and coordination activities that support fine motor skills
- Activities to improve hand strength, thumb stability, pincer grasp, and skill finger development
- Strategies for grasp development and success with daily fine motor tasks
- Hand dexterity exercises, handwriting warm-ups, and tools that support fine motor development
- How to EASILY embed the fine motor activities into daily learning and play routines at school and at home
Feedback and Testimonials for the Fine Motor Development Course from teachers and therapists:
“All the practical ideas were awesome!! Well worth my time and $$” -Janet S, Kindergarten Teacher
“All the resources are very valuable. I love the posters and handouts for parents/staff. This course was excellently presented. So glad I took it.” -Anonymous, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
“I loved how much details and suggestions went into the course. It provided me lots of ideas to figure out what I can do to improve my students fine motor.” – R.C. Preschool Teacher
Seeing to Read: The Visual Skills Every Successful Reader Needs – 1.0 Hours (PDE Approved for ACT 48 Credits)
Strong visual skills are essential for success in reading, writing, and math—but many children struggle in school because their visual system is not fully developed. Created by an occupational therapist, this course helps parents and educators understand how visual skills and visual perception impact learning and how to support children in developing these critical abilities.
In this practical, easy-to-follow course, you will learn how visual skills influence academic tasks as well as daily living activities. The course breaks down complex visual concepts into simple explanations and real-life examples.
Participants will gain tools, strategies, and engaging activities that can be used at home or in the classroom to strengthen visual development and improve academic performance.
Unlock your children’s potential by enhancing visual skills crucial for reading, writing, and math!
Help Get Children Back on Track with Professional Development for Educators and Parents
Develop Learn Grow encourages school leaders to create a professional development program for all staff. Many seasoned educators or new grads have expressed the appreciation for the information in these courses. These educators report that they “need to know ALL of this” info, but have never really learned any of it!
Higher education entities, school districts, and early childhood programs can enrich the learning of college students and/or education professionals through Develop Learn Grow’s important professional development opportunities.
Pennsylvania educators can earn Act 48 Credits; Develop Learn Grow, LLC is a PDE Approved Provider.
Numerous changes in the United States are negatively impacting young student success. Sadly, it is not getting better. Educational leadership begins with appropriate professional development activities that are meaningful and helpful. Understanding and easily addressing foundational skills for children support learning and success in the classroom.
These courses support best practices to meet the challenges teachers face as they are fighting for student success.
In addition to the professional development courses, Develop Learn Grow offers products and resources. These were created for school leaders, teachers, and parents to support student achievement.