From the time that a young child picks up a crayon and makes marks on a paper to when an older child puts the finishing sentence on an autobiography or a poem, a young author is developing the skills that will be used for a lifetime. In this course, you will examine the developmental stages of writing, from the "scribbling" stage to the "standard spelling" stage, so that you can foster your students' skills and gently nudge them to grow as authors. This course is full of practical ideas that you can use to motivate students in your classroom.

You will look at tools such as the writer's workshop, the six traits of writing, and genre studies for ways to teach students about writing. You will see how each of these tools can be used by teachers to encourage early elementary writers. As your students become better writers, they will become better readers, and you will see how well reading and writing instruction work together to support each other.

The course also covers ways to support the writers who struggle, whether due to a lack of motivation, fine motor skills, or ideas. You will also explore techniques for getting parents involved so that they can help with writing at home. By the end of the course, you will have a new enthusiasm for teaching that will ignite your students' love of writing.

For more information or to register please click the link.

Creativity will abound in your classroom as you tap your students' hidden talents. Learn how to use creativity to teach reading, writing, visual arts, performing arts, social studies, science, mathematics, and physical and health education. Develop creative new approaches to field trips, learning labs, activities, exercises, assignments, and evaluation methods. Think beyond the textbook and challenge your students by making your classroom a creative classroom!

For more information or to register please click the link.

Parents, family members, teachers and related support staff, child and youth workers, counselors, nurses and the like will all benefit from the information shared in this course.

You will learn about the many physical, emotional, and cognitive changes that affect the teens in your life and understand the significance of these changes, both for you and the adolescent. You will look at relationships inside and outside the home and how they shape the development of a teen's identity. You will explore personality, moral development and the role of faith.

By the time you finish this course, you should be very well-prepared to understand, appreciate, and meet the needs of the teens in your life.

For more information or to register please click the link.

Harness the power of the Internet to make your textbooks and lessons come alive! Teach your students how to locate and evaluate Internet resources. Improve the caliber and amount of discussion through the use of email and discussion boards. Learn how to safeguard your students and their personal information while they are using the Internet. The Internet can make teaching easier, and this course will show you how to fully take advantage of it.

For more information or to register please click the link.

To work in the veterinary field, you need to understand the medical language unique to the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of animals. This online course will teach you the definition and uses of veterinary medical terminology.

You will master veterinary medical terminology through a simplified learning process that builds on commonly used word parts. Each course lesson is designed to build on this foundation, with the material and illustrations focusing on the new word parts and definitions needed for success in the veterinary field.

For more information or to register please click the link.

***This is ONLY the APPLICATION.  Course costs will be determined upon registration.**

There are few industries that offer as much opportunity ad stability as the healthcare industry.  If you are considering a career in healthcare, becoming a Clinical Medical Assistant may be perfect for you.   A career in Medical Assisting could provide you with everything you’re looking for:  A short training period, excellent job opportunities, a good salary, and a professional working environment.

What is a Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA)?  A Clinical Medical Assistant is a medical support professional that performs a variety of tasks to assist physicians in providing patient care, while ensuring that clinics and hospitals run smoothly and efficiently.  While CMAs working in smaller practices may be required to perform some administrative tasks, those working in larger medical facilities focus mainly on providing support services directly related to patient care.  Here at the Academy we offer both Clinical and Administrative programs that can be combined.

Clinical Medical Assistants are more often found at the physician’s side working in close contact with patients.  Typically, Medical Assistants prep rooms and prepare patients for examinations, while helping manage medical supply inventories.  CMAs may also assist nurses and physicians providing direct patient care by taking medical histories, charting vitals, and assisting in examinations and procedures.  Some even perform more advanced tasks under the supervision of a physician such as cleaning and dressing wounds, removing sutures, collecting blood and other specimens as well as administering medication.

Characteristics of a successful Clinical Medical Assistant:  Excellent communicator, ability to multitask, organized, ability to handle stress and think clearly on the fly.  One must be compassionate while still maintaining a professional distance.  This job often involves working with people who are sometimes frustrated, anxious, tired, sick and possibly even dying.

All courses offered either locally at Adult Education Centers in Maine only.  Externships are suggested, please ask your career counselor for more details or assistance in providing those.

Upon registration, program and application materials will be sent to you.

***This is ONLY the APPLICATION.  Course costs will be determined upon registration.**

•Medical Coding Course- This program will be held once a week for 20 weeks. Upon completion of the program, you will sit for your CPC national certification which is included in tuition. Your title will be a CPC-A, for the first year; CPC-A means you will be considered a certified coder with an Apprentice designation for one year. Once you have worked for a year, you will have your Apprentice title removed and be an official CPC! This program consists of Medical Terminology/Anatomy for ICD-10 and Medical Coding curriculum. $3,950.

•Practicode Course- This course is a 6-to-10-week online practicum taken after earning your CPC-A. CPC-A’s get real-world experience coding actual medical charts. This new coding practice course helps to improve coding skills across multiple specialties, allows a new coder to gain coding experience. It is comprised of 3 modules of 200 actual, redacted medical records per module. Upon completion of this program, you will have your Apprentice designation removed immediately- providing you an equivalency of 2 years’ experience in the field in under 30 weeks. $1,200.

•Medical Administrative Professional Program- This 36-week program combines the Medical Coding Program (CPC-A) and the Medical Administrative Assistant Program (CMAA) with Medical Billing Certificate. This 36–52-week program includes all required textbooks, reference books and national certification exam fees for both programs. Please see the Medical Administrative information package for more details. At the end of these programs, you will have 2 national certifications: CPC-A, CMAA. $6,750.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS All applicants must be 18 years of age. A high school diploma or GED equivalent is also required by program completion. Basic computer skills required.

Upon registration, program and application materials will be sent to you.

***This is ONLY the APPLICATION.  Course costs will be determined upon registration.**

 Medical Transcription is the process of turning dictated medical information into typed records through the use of various types of equipment, such as micro-cassette recorders, Wav files, telephone systems and C-phones. As a Medical Transcriptionist, you are responsible for receiving verbal information and typing that information into a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Word Perfect. This information must be transcribed accurately, using the format specified by the provider (SOAP notes, discharge summaries, and other report forms) Basic computer knowledge is a must, as are basic typing skills and knowledge of commonly used word processing programs.

Most doctors or transcription companies ask for a minimum of 80 WPM, computer, and English grammar skills are essential. Also, many companies now use the Internet, which gives you the opportunity to work out of your home without having to drop off and pick up tapes. Our program now offers you the opportunity to learn how to use the internet and transcribe files through voice files, using FTP and Byte scribe/Express Scribe and foot pedals that connect to your computer. Our objective is to make sure you understand all the types of equipment that are out there for transcribing across the country.

Our course is State Licensed, Insured and bonded and all instructors are at-home medical transcriptionists that will be sure to show you all the tricks of the trade that we personally use. We provide you with a list of job openings while going through the course and will keep in contact after graduation to make sure you are following through with the directions that were given in class regarding finding jobs and where to send your resume. Our website has a message board and job openings will be posted for your convenience, as well as a convenient way to ask questions as you are going through the program.

Medical Transcription is a profession that can also lead to other avenues of transcription. Most jobs provide good pay and benefits, with the opportunity to have an extremely flexible schedule and work environment. You can choose to work at home or in an office, providing services to professionals, such as medical providers, hospitals, insurance agencies, law offices, and physical therapy practices. You are not held to work just in your state. You can work all over the country from your home thanks to technology that is taught in our program.

If you complete the course with a satisfactory grade, you will receive a Certificate of Completion, a Letter of recommendation, a list of companies in the field with web site addresses and phone numbers, and we would be happy to provide personal references. Our instructors are professionals in the industry and can offer you the benefit of their knowledge and experience.

This program is 16 weeks to 6 months depending on the student's choice of breaking up the program. 

**This is an online only class**

 Upon registration, program and application materials will be sent to you.