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Professional Development
Novak Educational Consulting is the premier organization for designing and delivering high-quality, evidence-based professional development on multi-tiered systems of support, evidence-based tiered interventions, evidence-based literacy models, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and effective leadership practices. Our presenters are completely flexible and can design any type of presentation to meet your needs.
Online Courses
Without the proper supports, professional development, and resources, it can be difficult – if not impossible – to improve your teaching game. And even when professional development is available, it sometimes falls short. Our response is to provide universally designed online courses to help you better understand UDL, MTSS, and inclusive practice. Courses will provide you with the theory you need but will focus on practical methods for improving daily practice.
Publications
Katie Novak, President of Novak Educational Consultants, has authored four books on UDL, selling more than 30,000 copies worldwide. In her updated release, UDL Now!, Katie provides practical insights and savvy strategies for helping all learners meet high standards using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Our Consultants
Novak Educational Consulting is the premier organization for designing and delivering high-quality, evidence-based professional development on multi-tiered systems of support, evidence-based tiered interventions, evidence-based literacy models, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and effective leadership practices.
Recent Posts
What is Disability in Education?
According to data in the U.S. Department of Education’s 40th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2018, pg 52), 63% of students with disabilities are spending at least 80% of their school day in an inclusive setting. This percentage is a huge improvement over decades past – when students with disabilities were most often segregated from their peers – but we can still do better. Moving to a more inclusive and equitable education system requires a thorough review of our existing structures, practices, and views to ensure it is done successfully. Educating
My Epic UDL Fails
I had the great pleasure of giving a UDL Talk two weeks ago at the 2019 UDL IRN International Summit. I spoke about something that I think we all need to be more vocal about – our missteps, falls, mistakes, setbacks, and outright failures during UDL implementation. Implementation takes time, and I am not talking about a month or even a year. According to the National Implementation Network, we should expect full implementation to take more like four to seven years. And what is “full implementation” exactly? That’s when half of your staff is fully on board – just half.
Expert Learning, Equity & Making Cookies
One of my best friends, Kate, regularly blesses us with drool-worthy confections worthy of winning fine arts awards. She is the ultimate expert baker. Every cupcake, cookie, and cake is perfection – moist, crunchy, chewy – and just as it should be in its perfect form. I, on the other hand, am no expert baker. My cookies are flat, my brownies are dry, and I only make cake from a box. I know why. It’s not worth the effort. I rarely measure with the precision baking requires. I don’t invest in high quality ingredients. I just don’t love sweets that
Better Professional Development in 5 Steps
They didn’t build Rome in a day, and we certainly can’t educate our kids in a day. But all too often our systems limit professional development for teachers to a single intensive day on a new program, initiative, or framework. An intensive PD day shouldn’t be a single event, it should be part of a longer learning journey. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has taught us time and time again that it is not our students who are disabled – it is our curriculum, our assessments, and our systems that are disabling to our students. When we remove barriers to
Testimonials
“I have worked Katie in multiple capacities. As a co-presenter, she is amazing to collaborate with - her ideas and energy are endless and she pushes you to be your very best! I have also worked with Katie when I was an instructor in higher education. She delivered a keynote and workshop to our faculty and received rave reviews for the relevancy of her material and for her ability to model the UDL guidelines in her presentation.”
“Great teaching looks a lot like art. While there has been a great deal of attention lately to the "science" of teaching, it is the art of teaching that we most remembers and that strikes us with awe. And that is hard to describe or codify. Katie Novak is an artist when she teaches. I have seen her. She does things that awe and inspire; watching her is like watching a master sculptor at work. Everyone should have a chance to see her teach - and especially to see her bring UDL to life."”
“Katie Novak is an engaging, dynamic facilitator of professional development. She does not present or direct, she facilities the learning of others. Through her experience as a teacher and administrator, Katie is able to provide practical examples of the application of UDL and is able to engage participants in exploring their own knowledge and experience to enhance their learning. Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporations (BCSC) has been privileged to partner with Katie as a UDL facilitator at the BCSC UDL Summer Institute for each of the last 4 years. Katie is one of the summer UDL facilitators who BCSC teachers seek out year after year. In addition to her "in person" work with BCSC, her book UDL Now! was purchased for all 750 BCSC teachers as a hands-on resource for UDL implementation. BCSC also has created the option of elearning days and used UDL in The Cloud as a guide in many of the aspects of online course development. Katie is exciting, engaging and practical, but most important Katie causes you to think and explore your own beliefs and practices.”
“Dr. Katie Novak and I first met when we created the #UDLchat on Twitter with Mindy Johnson, Kit Hard, and Elizabeth Stein. Since, we have collaborated closely working towards the common goal of implementing Universal Design for Learning in more classrooms through a network of supports. She is a leader that never sleeps, and I'm happy to say we have been friends and working colleagues for over five years now. Katie listens closely to the needs of teachers, administrators, and others, and the insights she gains from that is beautifully reflected through her books on Universal Design for Learning and her work in school districts nationwide.”
“You will laugh, you will engage, and most importantly, you will learn. These experiences are ones to look forward to if you are fortunate enough to attend any professional development designed and delivered by Dr. Katie Novak. Katie practices what she preaches, and that is all things Universal Design for Learning (UDL). You might be asked to attend a dinner party in the 1970s or line dance with a room full of strangers, but will do so while thinking about how to meet the needs of every single learner in your district, school, or classroom. Be prepared to put your thoughts into action and plan for learning, development, and implementation regardless of your role in education. Katie has the ability to validate every single participant’s interests, viewpoints, and understandings. Whether there are twenty or two hundred people participating in a professional development session, she will make sure it will meet the individual learning needs of all. If you do not have the opportunity to participate in a learning session with Katie in person, be sure to check out her books as well. Reading any of Katie’s books is like having a casual conversation with a colleague and friend. No matter the learning method, you will not be let down!”