Successful Professional Learning Ideas

A great question that we all need to consider when coaching others. My response does not contain detailed topics, but a method for presentation and workshopping/brainstorming. I'm not sure if it is what you are looking for, but I'll share anyway. :)

I have found that sharing concepts/activities/processes/tools with teachers and then giving them time to brainstorm (preferably with peers) how they might integrate those concepts/activities/processes/tools within their classrooms is typically effective. The technology is only useful if they can envision ways to incorporate it into their work. Many teachers are good at this, but most truly benefit from roundtable discussions with peers who teach similar content.

Thank you for posing this question, giving me a moment to reflect upon my experiences and get this day started with motivation.

Once a month I've been offering an optional, informal morning PD. The principal provides coffee and pastries and we pick a topic. Then teachers come and we have an informal conversation about said topic. Teachers get the opportunity to share with each other and ask each other questions. I always have some fall-back resources just in case no one shares. It's generally been a small group of people, but there's always good conversations. I also try to capture the ideas and put that out in a newsletter or handout for the teachers who couldn't come.

The most successful PD that I attended was on Zoom. It had mote to do with the topic and the presenter. It was on Creating phone apps with code.org, which I have been using as one of the tools with my students, but had not started using that tool. The presenter was really well informed and you could tell that he has used it in his own classroom so he was excited to share what he liked to use.

Upon reflection I have two take a ways. One, it was a relevant topic about a tool that I could use in my classroom right away. Two the presenter was engaging and passionate about the tool and you could tell it was authentic.

I always try to model a tool that teachers can easily use in their classrooms. So despite the topic, I find a way to throw in something else.

A few that have been really successful:

• Peardeck
• Padlet
• Wakalet
• Blooket

I've been very intentional about planning for 15-20 minutes of "play" time, where teachers can dive in and actually look at the stuff we're talking about. Time is so limited, and teachers don't have enough of it. So if they are forced to sit through a meeting/PD with me, I am, at minimum, giving them time to actually look around and try it out for themselves.

I started an initiative called ‘itime’ which is personalised PL for teachers. One afternoon a week I make myself available for an hour and a half and teachers can come in and out with questions and queries or just come and create. The initiative has been very well received with teachers putting aside that time to come and create templates and scaffolds, share ideas or discuss their students inquiries and consider where best to integrate technology.

I plan and deliver a lot of professional learning (and I almost always start with a needs analysis at the beginning of the year to help guide my plans) but I have found the just-in-time PD that happens when I’m on a campus and just run into a teacher who sees me and starts a coaching conversation has been so beneficial! Those interactions can turn into something right away or they can turn into a full coaching cycle (which is always great!).