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Conversation Skills for any Curriculum

Teach Different Certificate Pathway

Student Voice and Well-Being.  Built into Everyday Teaching 

A 10-week, certificate pathway in the art and science of classroom
conversation.  Watch engagement rise.  Conflict drop.  And become the teacher your students will remember.

How It Works

Built for Real Classrooms

No extra curriculum.  No added prep.  The conversation technique you learn is practiced inside lessons you already teach.

Backed by Results

Educators in the inaugural cohort reported stronger student engagement, deeper empathy, and a greater sense of belonging.

Recognized & Credentialed

Approved for graduate credit and included in the International Baccalaureate’s professional development library.
Teacher Voices

Real Stories from the Classroom

Hear directly from educators who completed the Certificate Pathway.

More teacher stories on our YouTube channel.

The Idea

Why Conversation Is the Core of Student Well-Being

When students won’t speak up, withdraw, or lash out, it’s rarely just behavior. More often it’s stress, disconnection, or a classroom that doesn’t yet feel safe. The conditions for learning are built or broken in the daily conversations educators lead.

The Certificate Pathway is an apprenticeship-style learning experience built around the Teach Different Method™: a simple, universally designed approach to classroom conversation proven to strengthen belonging and deepen student voice. Over 10 weeks, you practice the Method in your own classroom, refine it through structured reflection, and grow alongside a community of educators doing the same work.
What Makes This Different
  • Works everywhere. One conversation method across every content area and grade level.
  • Fits what you already do. Practical moves inside your existing lessons, not another initiative to juggle.
  • Real implementation. Structured reflection on real classroom practice, not theory in isolation.
  • Support that fits you. Some pathways are fully self-paced; others include a personal coach. A professional learning community keeps you accountable and inspired either way.
  • A portfolio you build. Student artifacts and reflections, documented week by week.
Flexibility & Access

Learn Anywhere, on Your Schedule

The pathway begins with live training in the Teach Different Method and access to your learning community. After that, everything is self-paced: every reflection, artifact, and community interaction happens on your time, wherever you are.

📱

Phone-First Design

Every module, discussion, and submission is fully functional on a smartphone.

💻

Desktop-Friendly Too

Prefer a larger screen? The full experience works seamlessly on desktop and tablet.

⏰

Truly Self-Paced

Work at 6 AM or midnight. Between prep periods or after the kids are asleep. You set the rhythm.

The curriculum stays yours. The conversation makes it land.

The Method works with whatever you already teach: your units, your texts, your standards. You learn to use conversation as a tool that makes your existing curriculum more powerful, from hooks that spark genuine curiosity to structured discussions that push thinking deeper than a worksheet ever could.

The Structure

How the 10-Week Experience Works

The pathway opens with a 90-minute live training and orientation that introduces the Method and walks you through the platform and community. From there, the journey unfolds across three structured conversation cycles.

A Pathway That Fits You

Some certificate pathways are fully self-paced. Others include a personal coach, an experienced educator who guides you and helps you adapt the Method to your context.

A Learning Community

A private, moderated space where cohort members share real classroom moments, student artifacts, and peer feedback.

Three Conversation Cycles

Structured practice loops (Plan, Implement, Reflect) that build competence, confidence, and a documented record of growth.
Cycle 1

Try It & See

Run your first Teach Different conversation. Watch for what surprises you in the room, and set your implementation goal for the weeks ahead.
Cycle 2

Deepen the Practice

Keep accumulating artifacts and reflections. A mid-program check-in helps you refine your approach.
Cycle 3

Finish Strong

Present evidence of your growth in an exit interview with the lead instructor. Certificate of completion awarded.
What You Walk Away With

A Reliable Teaching Craft, Not Just Tips

By the end of the 10 weeks, you will have built something durable.
  • A repeatable conversation framework ready to use the very next day.
  • A classroom routine that transforms participation and climate over time.
  • A professional portfolio of reflections and student artifacts.
  • A network of educator peers from the learning community.
  • Confidence leading conversations that are emotionally safe and intellectually serious.
  • A certificate of completion recognizing apprenticeship-level professional growth.
Upcoming Cohorts

Choose Your Start Date

CohortStart DateEnd Date
Fall Cohort #1August 26, 2026November 4, 2026
Fall Cohort #2September 23, 2026December 2, 2026
Fall Cohort #3October 7, 2026December 16, 2026
Winter CohortJanuary 27, 2027April 7, 2027
Spring CohortMarch 3, 2027May 5, 2027
Fall Cohort #1September 22, 2027December 1, 2027
Fall Cohort #2October 6, 2027December 15, 2027
Winter CohortJanuary 19, 2028April 5, 2028
Spring CohortMarch 1, 2028May 10, 2028
Contact Us to Reserve a Spot
At a Glance

Dates & Format

Duration
10 weeks, self-paced.
Orientation
90-minute live training and orientation, recorded for flexibility.
Format
Fully online. Desktop, tablet, or mobile.
Support
Fully self-paced, or a pathway with a personal coach and a mid-program check-in.
Community Access
Professional learning community for all 10 weeks and the rest of the year.
Requirements
Three conversation cycles: planning, implementation, and reflection.

What This Experience Will Make You

Complete this pathway and you become more than a facilitator of discussions. You will be on your way to mastering the art and science of conversation.

Teach Different is an Illinois-based professional training organization and the pioneer of the Teach Different Method in the United States. Since 2017 it has trained more than 2,600 teachers, is included in the International Baccalaureate’s digital professional development library, and is approved for graduate credit through university partnerships and state agencies.
Contact Us to Reserve a Spot
Stay in the Loop

Be the First to Know When New Cohorts Open

Get updates on upcoming cohort dates and how to bring Teach Different to your school.

Have a specific question? Contact us directly.