A quick way to find out what you’re passionate about is when you take on a task you didn’t even know you wanted. I have always believed that teachers and all educators DESERVE relevant professional development and learning. As educators we need to keep learning… we’re in the business of learning and we shouldn’t stop learning if we want to teach kids. Education is always changing.
One of the most frustrating things for me as a teacher was when professional development was planned for us by administration, but administration wouldn’t even attend the PD. Some of this PD was how to implement a new program or curriculum the administration would want us to use and they wouldn’t be able to help us because they didn’t even attend the PD they arranged for us… That’s frustration number one.
The second frustration was while I was a guidance counselor, and as everyone knows- PD is usually NOT relevant for specialists or other certified non-teaching staff…. And so you usually leave the full PD day thinking “those are 6 hours I’d love to have back”.
I’ve been on the professional development committee in every district I’ve worked (ok, maybe this really was a passion of mine before I even realized it!!!) My goal- make the PD relevant and have something for everyone! We all need to learn- administrators, teachers, nurses, guidance counselors, art & music teachers. I made it a priority for any PD that I was involved in planning to make sure it met these criteria. I want participants leaving feeling they got something out of it and often it’s not hard to make it better than their last PD day….
Fast forward to my current position…. I have a lot of autonomy as a Catholic School principal. I’ve worked really hard to make learning relevant for my teachers and something they can use in their classrooms. I’ve also invited other schools in to learn with us.
Here’s the sticking point- we have ONE day a school year, just one day that ALL of the teachers in our Diocese come together to learn together and connect. These have been some of the most excruciating days for our teachers. Now, I’m not putting down the people planning the PD as this has simply been a case of doing what they’ve always done and not knowing how to make it different…. So I ‘volunteered’, yes volunteered to help plan this year’s PD Day. I wanted this ONE day we come together to be VALUABLE and INSPIRATIONAL for our teachers. I also want time for our teachers to connect… they don’t even know each other or who the other same grade teachers are they could reach out to if they wanted. The teachers want this too…
I became a ‘connected’ educator over a year ago and have met lots of amazing administrators and educators through Twitter and was able to use my new found ‘friends’ and learning to start planning.
Who better to Keynote a day like this than fellow pirate and principal in action- Adam Welcome! I pitched my idea to the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent and an idea was born. Our Teachers don’t do a lot of reading (GASP) so a “Kids Deserve It” Day was born. With Adam as our keynote, we decided to give EVERY teacher a copy of his co-authored book with Todd Nesloney, Kids Deserve It. I wanted to make sure their learning continued after the day ended.
For anyone that has planned a PD Day for 400 teachers… most of which you have never met…. And ‘recruited’ teachers to facilitate sessions, well maybe not even recruited but ‘voluntold’ a few of your own staff who have amazing things to share so you could fill the schedule… you know how much work this is (I have notes so that I can get more help with the planning and execution next year)…
Friday, October 5th was the BIG Day… it was like a Wedding day where you’ve done all of your planning and now whatever happens- happens. I have to be honest, I was soooo nervous… wait, what’s a word that’s more nervous than that? That’s what I was. I knew Adam was going to be amazing (we even had a few of my principal pals that ‘crashed’ the keynote because who wouldn’t want to hear Adam speak), but this was something completely NEW to everyone sitting in the Holy Name High School auditorium.
What I didn’t mention is that we always start our day together as a Diocese with Mass with the Bishop- and during his Homily he talked about a ‘traditional’ Catholic education experience right down to discipline and I’m thinking ‘uh oh’ what have I gotten into. However, from the success of my little school, I know that you can have a strong Catholic Identity AND be innovative and do what’s best for kids to prepare them for jobs that don’t even exist yet.
Adam was amazing! He made us laugh, cry, reflect and create an energy you could feel through the entire auditorium. I think the teachers could have listened to him all day. I don’t think they were anxious to get to the coffee and Danish. They were listening to every word… and this was evident when they gave him a standing ovation- I say this because it’s a BIG DEAL- not just for Adam (who’s message EVERY educator should hear) but because when those teachers stood up and continued clapping, I felt relief and PRIDE… I did that- I brought Adam here to share his message and the teachers responded, they wanted to hear that message, they want to do what’s best for kids, they want to talk their language, they want to be fearless learners.
I’d love to end my blog post here… but you need to know the rest of the day went just as well.
After their much needed coffee & Danish, the teachers met in grade alike groups. We just put all teachers who teach the same thing in a room… they didn’t know what to do!! They were waiting for someone to facilitate or to tell them what to talk about…. For some it took over 5 minutes until they just started talking and someone to get the conversation going, in other rooms, they needed to encourage some of the teachers to join in. This was a brand new concept for them, even though it’s something they’ve asked for.
The following break out sessions led by teachers in the Diocese were equally well received. The Thank you’s I received throughout the day were vast and many saying the same thing “this was the best PD day I ever attended”, one even added in 22 years. Teachers were rolling down their windows and saying the same thing as they left the parking lot
I am thankful and blessed that I was able to use my passion to plan something for the teachers and everyone else that stepped up, took a risk, and dove in head first to be part of this amazing day. I write this post to share my experience with you in hopes that if you have the opportunity to plan a professional development opportunity for 400 or 40 that you take into consideration what the staff needs? Is it relevant? Do they have some choice and voice? Can they take the message and/or ideas back to their schools and classrooms? Our Teachers Deserve it!
