PA Act 48 • Building Positive Relationships for Better Student Outcomes
Pennsylvania PDE [45 PD Hours + 3 Credits] Registration Fee = $175
Welcome, PDE educators!
We know you need to earn 180 PD hours to fulfill the Act 48 requirement for your teaching license renewal (and at least 16 graduate credits to move up on the salary schedule). We want to make that process as easy for you as possible.
That's why this course is pre-approved by Penn DOE for ✶ 45 Clock Hours ✶ towards your Act 48 credits. Once you complete the online class, we’ll immediately enter your 45 hours into PERMS for you. Your Act 48 credits will be processed and appear in your Penn DOE account within 5-7 days.
✶ 3 Credits: If you're interested in earning graduate-level credits for salary reclassification, you can simultaneously register for this course with our accredited university partner, UMass Global, for $210 (or, $70/credit). When you finished the course, we'll additionally submit your grade to UMass — which will post your 3 credits to an official transcript that will be sent to PA's Act 48 office.
Course Description:
Transform your teaching by unlocking the power of meaningful teacher-student relationships. This engaging, self-paced, quiz-based professional development course for PK-12 educators goes beyond the buzzwords and takes you on a journey to the roots of meaningful human connections. Through it, you’ll uncover why—and how—strong, supportive relationships in the classroom are not just an enhancement to education—they are its very foundation.
What You’ll Learn:
- The Interpersonal Nature of Education: Understand how trust and security between educators and students create a harmonious, safe, and productive learning environment.
- Neuroscience Meets Practice: Explore emotional intelligence principles rooted in social science, and apply them to foster deeper connections.
- Actionable Relationship-Building Strategies: Learn how to build rapport, find common ground, establish mutual respect to strengthen classroom dynamics, and make your job more fulfilling.
- Mindfulness and Self-Compassion: Prioritize your own well-being with practical tools and techniques for reducing stress and maintaining balance.
- Inclusive and Engaging Classrooms: Design learning experiences that promote equity, empathy, and critical awareness for all students.
Why Educators Choose This Course:
- Evidence-Based Approaches: Gain insights backed by expert research, case studies, and cutting-edge multimedia resources.
- Immediate Impact: Walk away with strategies you can implement right away to create a more connected, effective, self-regulated classroom environment.
- Lasting Results: Strengthen relationships that drive both student achievement and educator job satisfaction.
Make Relationships Your Superpower:
This course empowers educators to elevate both their teaching and their students’ success by cultivating trust, respect, and meaningful connections. You’ll create a classroom where students feel supported, valued, and motivated to excel — and reignite your love for teaching along the way!
Enroll Today:
Join us to transform your classroom through the power of educator-student relationships — because, great teaching starts with connection.
Self-Paced, Quiz-Based, and Completely Online:
Forget portfolios or lengthy written assignments — this is stress-free PD designed with YOU in mind. With no start dates and no due dates, you can begin and finish the course whenever it is convenient for you. Plus, you do not need to be working with students to complete it. Entirely self-paced and self-guided, there are no scheduled check-ins, so you are free to work on the content whenever and wherever you want.
To enroll in this course:
Simply pay the $175 registration fee by using the banner link at the top of this page [or click here], which will also prompt you to create a For Teachers By Teachers (FTBT) account. You'll then gain instant access to your new online classroom, and can start whenever you like.
✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶
If you'd like 3 credits in addition to 45 Clock Hours: Complete the $210 graduate credit fee at UMass Global's online portal by clicking here and purchasing course EDDU 9498 ("Boosting Achievement Through Successful Relationships"). After you add the course to your cart, click "Checkout" and "Proceed to Confirmation" — you'll then be prompted to "Create an Account" with UMass Global.
NOTE: You are welcome to wait until you've finished the course to complete this payment.
"This course has truly changed both my professional and personal life. Thank you for this learning opportunity!"
— Kayleen Pieper, Teacher
"This is honestly one of the best professional development courses I’ve ever taken. I’ve learned practical and applicable content to my profession. I’ve learned so much about myself as a professional and as a person."
— Kehau Morikawa-Marzan, Teacher
"With all the classes I have taken in the past, a class has never affected me as much as this one. I would like to thank you for having this course for teachers."
— Fay Tsurumaki, Teacher
"This is the first online class that I really enjoyed and I feel as though I have so many new ideas, techniques, and tools to apply in my classroom. This course has had a major impact on me as a teacher. I'm encouraging my co-workers to take this course!"
— Kimberly Celebre, Teacher
"Thank you so much for a wonderful learning opportunity that not only made me a better educator but a better person entirely."
— Darcie Horiuchi, Teacher
"This course has empowered me to be a change agent on campus and a dream-releaser in my classroom. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
— Kamilla Maii, Teacher
"Thank you for this amazing class!
I learned so much about myself and my students."
— Abigayle Butler, Teacher
"Thank you for this very inspirational and user-friendly course."
— Katie Tanaka, Teacher
"This course has given me new tools for life and reinforced the importance of building positive relationships with my students. I am a better teacher. Thank you."
— Brandon Hanagami, Teacher
"I wanted to thank you for creating such an enlightening course. As a new teacher I couldn't have taken this course at a better time."
— Paulina Felcher, Teacher
"Thank you for your dedication to providing teachers with high-quality professional development. I loved everything about this course."
— Sherri Sai, Special Education Resource Teacher
Your Course Instructor
We are a highly dedicated team of educators with professional licenses covering grades PK–12 in diverse areas, including Special Education, Childhood Education, Art Education, and Reading Specialist certifications. Our course authors and instructors collectively bring over two decades of experience in the education field, actively contributing to the growth and development of school communities in Hawai‘i, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Ohio. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any inquiries—we’re here to assist you!
If you have any questions or need support, please contact us at [email protected]