ArmchairEd

Teachers are constantly investing in their students, but their own professional growth often takes a backseat. To move up the salary scale, renew licenses, and maintain certifications, they must complete continuing education. Yet after a full day of teaching, many return home to raise families, plan lessons, attend school events, or simply catch their breath. Traditional professional development often adds pressure. It is expensive, time-bound, and rarely designed with a teacher’s actual day in mind.

What if professional development didn’t add pressure, but instead offered support and flexibility?

ArmchairEd makes that possible.

Created by educators for educators, the platform provides high-quality continuing education courses that are practical, affordable, and entirely self-paced. With formats approved for graduate credit and Washington State clock hours, the company is built to support real teachers living real lives. A single, consistent partnership with Seattle Pacific University ensures credit recognition without confusion, and its relevance-centered approach makes learning both meaningful and mandatory.

Support That Starts with Understanding

Teachers are incredibly busy. They teach all day, many raise families, and they stay active in their communities.

“Our goal is to meet them where they are by providing courses that are practical, flexible, and affordable,” says Dr. Susan Kane-Ronning, director.

ArmchairEd offers two primary types of continuing education: graduate-level credit courses through Seattle Pacific University and clock-hour courses approved by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Both are self-paced and follow an experiential learning model, allowing educators to apply what they learn directly to their classrooms.

Participants have up to a year from registration to complete assignments, which include lesson plans, essays, and strategies that can be implemented immediately. This makes each course relevant to their current roles.

Twenty genres cover key areas such as math, literacy, STEM, equity and diversity, early childhood education and classroom management. Many align with Washington State’s approved STEM and equity standards, helping educators meet certification and endorsement requirements without extra steps.

Equally important is the support behind the platform. ArmchairEd is run by educators and Dr. Kane-Ronning is a former teacher who is now a practicing child psychologist. The staff offers responsive, personal help. When life gets in the way, the team listens and adjusts. Teachers can access grace periods and three-month extensions without paperwork or rigid policies.

Real Stories from Real Classrooms

What sets ArmchairEd apart is how often teachers say the platform helps them feel seen, supported, and re-energized. During the COVID-19 pandemic, one teacher struggling with burnout enrolled in a course called Practicing Presence. She called it life-changing and said it helped her find balance and better support her students and family.

Another new teacher, uncertain about staying in the profession, received thoughtful feedback from the team that made her feel understood and encouraged. Rather than checking boxes or navigating impersonal systems, she felt truly supported.

These stories reflect a larger trend. Educators using the platform earn credits and skills while gaining renewed confidence and connection.

Though based in Washington State, ArmchairEd’s graduate credits are accepted internationally. Its partnership with Seattle Pacific University, a regionally accredited institution and NC-SARA member, allows graduate credits to be accepted in 49 states and often abroad. Educators from Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America have used the platform to meet their goals.

The company is exploring ways to support Department of Defense schools and international educators, building on its model that works across borders and time zones.

ArmchairEd is more than a course provider. Built by educators who understand the profession, it offers continuing education that is cutting-edge, practical, and personalized—redefining what professional development can be.