Kagan Trainer Certification

If you are already certified, and are looking to recertify, please click here.
If you are a district employee and are looking to be a trainer, click here.

Click to watch video. Application Tips for Becoming a Certified Kagan School Trainer

Process

The Kagan School Trainer Certification program is structured to support the elements of effective staff development and school improvement. The real goal of staff development is to create systemic change that positively impacts student learning over time. It is essential that any new innovation be part of a structured school improvement process that includes training, monitoring, support, and resources. The primary focus of the trainer certification program will be to train School Trainers in institutions where cooperative learning has been chosen as a school-wide initiative with administrator and teacher buy-in.

Careful consideration has been given to the research on staff development. The three-part process identified below has embedded components that enhance transfer from the workshop to implementation in the classroom. This 3-part process must be completed within four years. Although this process is rigorous, the components are essential to successful long-term implementation of Cooperative Learning: Kagan Structures for Active Engagement.

Description and Requirements

School Level Training

  • Staff completes at least one day of cooperative learning with a Kagan National Trainer. More days are strongly recommended with a national trainer. See Workshops. Applicant submits documentation of training that includes date of training, Kagan trainer and % of staff in attendance.
    Rationale: Staff must be exposed to Kagan Structures for Active Engagement before they can fully support the initiative.
  • School principal and other administrators attend training with staff and commit to support and monitor the initiative.
  • Applicant submits a letter of support from building administrator.  Letter includes but is not limited to the following:
    • How Cooperative Learning fits into building initiatives.
    • How applicant will be utilized to support cooperative learning.
    • Why applicant was chosen to apply.
    • Date of Cooperative Learning training attended by administrator.
    Rationale: No successful implementation can occur and sustain itself without administrative support.

School Improvement

  • Kagan Structures for Active Engagement is identified as a strategy in the building school improvement plan. All staff agree to implement the initiative.
  • Applicant submits the page(s) out of the school improvement plan where Kagan Cooperative Learning is noted as a strategy. Optional: Additional pages regarding support, resources and timelines may also be submitted.
    Rationale: It is essential to involve staff in collaborative decision making regarding school-wide initiatives.

Trainer Selection/Certification

  • Certification applicant must complete a week-long institute by a Kagan National Certified Trainer within three years of the application. (This can occur earlier in the process.)
    Rationale: In order to become a trainer, teachers must participate in the actual training they will be conducting at a later date.
  • Certification candidate must use the Kagan Structures and content from the week-long training with students in a classroom for a minimum of one year. Note: If applicant is not a classroom teacher, he/she must borrow a classroom or classrooms to practice with students.
    Rationale: A trainer must be able to stand in front of a group and speak from experience. Participants often have questions that can only be answered by someone who has used the structures with students.
  • Certification candidate must submit the following in one packet via mail:
    Rationale: Kagan must ensure that all School Trainers can work successfully with students as well as adults. See trainer characteristics checklist for more information.
  • If accepted, school trainer must attend school trainer workshop within 3 years of initial training. Training will be held once a year. Kagan reserves the right to cancel trainings that do not meet minimum enrollment requirements. The next training is scheduled for July 17-21, 2017.  Cost is $999.
    Rationale: Kagan regularly updates the content of workshops. Therefore, it is important that initial training is current to stay abreast of revisions.
  • School Trainer agrees to abide by guidelines established by Kagan which includes trainer expectations and copyright guidelines. Click here for Kagan's copyright policy.
    Rationale: Kagan is committed to protecting the quality and integrity of the Kagan model.
  • School Trainer recertifies every three years to maintain school trainer certification.
    Rationale: Materials, content and resources used in training are continually improving and updating.

Application window has closed for 2017.
Application window will re-open January 1, 2018.