Create Your Own Professional Development!

This is SO incredibly true. How much do teachers actually retain from sitting in a room with colleagues for hours on end, listening to someone drone on about a new concept or technique? I’m sure I’m not the only person who finds their mind wandering to…grading, lesson planning, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, what’s for supper, I need to go to Walmart, etc. Before long, we are totally sidetracked from whatever the presentation actually is, no matter how riveting the topic. I’ve always heard that teachers are terrible students, and that is extremely obvious in a professional development session!

Sometimes, it takes a professional development session to allow us to see how some of our students feel when we drone on and on…no matter how riveting the topic is to us, our students’ minds may eventually wander to other things!

When I go to conferences and workshops, I rarely have this issue…I call it my Teacher ADD. Why don’t I have trouble focusing on the topic of presentations at conferences and workshops I choose to go to? Simply because I CHOOSE to go to them! Which means I have some interest in the topics being discussed. 

Which type PD do you feel you “get the most from?” The so-called “traditional” PD, or PD in which you choose to participate? Most likely, you are most involved in and most excited about learning WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO LEARN!

So, as Jennie Magiera said at ISTE, “create the PD you deserve.”

Where can you look for great professional development opportunities? 

Twitter! Check out #edtech #edtechchat #flipclass #21stedchat #blendedlearning #ISTE #flipcon14 and more! I learn so much and find tons of cool ideas on Twitter 🙂

Sophia! Check out the professional development for teachers, as well as online courses and webinars!

Google+! Join communities on Google+ and connect with educators all over the world!

Pinterest! Shouldn’t we be able to earn PD hours by “Pinteresting?!” 🙂

Webinars and Virtual Conferences! I “virtually” attending FlipCon14 last week and was able to gain loads of great information about something I am extremely interested in…from the comfort of my own home! Many times, viewing webinars and virtually attending conferences is much cheaper than attending traditional workshops, which is sure to please your administration!

How will you “create the PD you deserve” this summer?

Thanks for reading 🙂