WTU's low-cost professional courses, offered three times a year, help to deepen teacher content knowledge, and promote teaching excellence. Drawing on current research and best practices, we offer a wide range of professional development activities including formal classes, free seminars, conferences, and research symposium opportunities.

Although our courses are open to all, members of the Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) receive deep discounts in the fees for a variety of teacher leadership and adult learning opportunities designed to enhance  professional growth. WTU’s professional development courses are all research-based, peer-to-peer and solution-driven.

They help teachers build content knowledge and mastery of pedagogical strategies. All WTU courses are aligned to the DCPS IMPACT Teaching and Learning Framework and Essential Practices Standards 1 through 5. Classes need at least 10 paid registrants to officially move forward. To register for courses online, please visit our online registration page here! To download the .pdf version of our current course catalog, click here.

• Early Bird Pricing - Member Registration Fees (August 25th-September 20th) - $125 per course
• Regular Registration Fees (September 21st) Member Registration Fees - $150 per course
• Non-Member Registration Fees $300 per course
• Trinity University Graduate Credit (3 credits) $375 per course (in addition to WTU registration fees listed above)
  
  Note: Graduate credit payments will go to Trinity University.

Successfully completing a course helps you fulfill re-certification requirements. Most courses offer 45 Professional Learning Units (PLUs) that can be used toward recertification. Alternatively, most – but not all – of the courses offer three Trinity University graduate credits that you can use toward re-certification instead of using the PLUs. 

To receive graduate credit, participants must submit both the WTU registration form and the Trinity University graduate credit registration form to the course instructor at the beginning of the course. Trinity credit cannot be requested after the course ends. WTU course registration MUST be paid before Trinity University Graduate Credit application is authorized. WTU cannot offer refunds for course registration.  

Contact Nadia Torney at [email protected] with any questions.

In addition to a variety of online and face-to-face courses, WTU's professional development program offers an AFT Teacher Leaders Program (TLP), Shared Vision (Spring Professional Development Conference) and an ongoing training program for teachers interested in honing leadership skills also known as WTU's Union Leadership Institute. 

AFT TEACHER LEADER PROGRAM (TLP)

The AFT Teacher Leader Program (TLP) brings together a select group of teachers throughout the school year to learn how to take active leadership roles in their schools, unions and communities. Participants in the TLP help to strengthen the union and its connection to the community building greater support and understanding of public schools. Those who finish the TLP program with a completed project will receive a stipend. Also, their completed project will be eligible for 60 PLUs. To learn more, please register for our online orientation session on September 26^th at 4:30PM. Slots are limited. Register now.

WTU's Union Leadership Institute

The WTU offers regular Union Leadership Institutes (ULIs) that give all members the opportunity to learn and develop leadership skills and to acquire the detailed knowledge needed to be an effective teacher representative to help ensure the voice of teachers are heard. 

To register for the September 28, virtual one-day Union Leadership workshop at AFT’s offices, 555 New Jersey Ave., NW, click here.

Educators can become a member of a School Chapter Advisory Committee (SCAC), a Local School Advisory Team (LSAT), or join one of many other committees or teams. Members can also become a Building Representative, a Delegate to the WTU Representative Assembly or a member of the Executive Board. Job descriptions for WTU leadership roles can be viewed here. 

WTU's Shared Vision Conference

Each spring, WTU's Shared Vision Conference brings together educators, policymakers, and the community to discuss the state of DC schools and what can be done to re-center our vision on students’ needs.

Last year, in keeping with WTU’s focus on literacy, we welcomed award-winning author Sharon Flake for both an in-person session with teachers/students on April 26^th and a virtual session on April 27^th. Although all teachers were invited to attend the in-person session on Friday, we extended a special invitation to MS and HS librarians and English teachers. All who participated in the in-person event received a free copy of Flake's award-winning novel, “The Skin I’m In.” This book also served as the focus of an author discussion. WTU provided lunch for all participants. Students also received additional books by the writer, Sharon G. Flake.

On Saturday, April 27^th, the virtual component of our Shared Vision Conference aimed to build literary for our young adults as well as give our legislative leaders opportunities to share their views and efforts to improve literacy. Author, Sharon Flake served as our keynote speaker and teachers attended professional development sessions on building literacy. Please keep reading the Monday Morning AM Brew for updates on our next Shared Vision Conference in Spring of 2025. We hope to see you there!