Secondary (Middle School and High School)

Secondary (Middle School and High School) professional learning opportunities offered by the Diagnostic Center, Central California.

Professional Development Manual Home | Special Event Offerings | 2025-26 Learning Opportunities

G-1 Inside the Teenage Mind (NEW)

Presenters

  • Dení Dayan, School Psychologist, Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP)

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), School Psychologists, General and Special Education Administrators, Program Specialists, Paraprofessionals, and Behavior Support Personnel

Time

1.5 hours

Format

In person

Summary

This workshop is built for secondary educators ready to deepen their understanding of adolescent behavior. Participants will explore how developmental stages and trauma impact the teenage brain, behavior, and learning. Adolescence is a time of rapid brain change, and behavior often reflects that growth. Educators will leave with practical tools and strategies to support teens as they grow into capable, resilient young adults.

Participants will be able to

  • Describe the triune brain.
  • Name the 5 developmental markers of adolescence.
  • Describe how trauma impacts the developing brain.

G-2 The Apathy Cure (NEW)

Presenter

  • Dení Dayan, School Psychologist, Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP)

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), School Psychologists, General and Special Education Administrators, Program Specialists, and Behavior Support Personnel

Time

1.5 hours

Format

In person

Summary

This workshop introduces motivational interviewing as a powerful approach to working with students who seem disengaged or unmotivated. Participants will learn how to use collaborative, student-centered conversations to spark change and encourage personal investment. Through hands-on practice and real-world examples, educators will build skills to guide students toward greater ownership, agency, and growth.

Participants will be able to

  • Practice 3 phases of de-escalation.
  • Describe the 4 elements of motivational interviewing.
  • Name the 4 traps to motivating students.