- Allow flexible daily schedules
- Incorporate blogging as a writing platform in 1:1 classrooms
- Explore personalized PD for teachers
I knew I really needed to figure out how to make this concept of personalized PD easier to understand and manageable for my teachers. I will be the first to admit that I have been so lame about stretching my idea of PD outside of those formats you usually think of: in-services, college courses, book study, video and discussion, etc. We talk about these Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) and I just haven't been really grabbing onto the nature of how "open-ended" that term can be. Part of it, I think, is because I enjoy the face-to-face real, out-loud conversations that I can have in a room with real live people. But I know I can gain ideas and information from people who aren't immediately with me, also! Pinterest has been my indulgence for a few years-personally and professionally. And I have recently started appreciating Twitter for the articles and ideas that individuals share. I learn a lot from those...but WHAT ELSE is there. That has been my burning question this summer. I want to provide a broader list of ideas to my teachers as we begin writing the Professional Development Plans for 2015-16.
Monday, Renee B. was gracious enough to be my co-pilot and attend the EdCampLDR in KC. (more on that later!) If you don't know this about Renee already, she is pretty techie...she loves to search and gather ideas and techniques online. She is really amazing at this. We spent the day together and were able to share ideas and listen to other people share ideas about how to make PD more meaningful for teachers.
The understanding that I gained from conversations at the EdCampLDR on Monday really opened my eyes to all the possibilities of ways that teachers can participate in professional learning-face to face and virtually...with people they know and with those they do not. It opened my mind to the idea that when you bring a group of educators together, in any kind of venue, they are naturally going to start sharing their knowledge and soaking up others'. I know this because that is exactly what happened to me Monday. It was like that A-HA moment. I went home thinking about it all night and the next day and even spent some time with Renee the next evening brainstorming around my dining room table! I've been trying to gather a list of possibilities of ways that teachers can connect with other educators and individuals who can help them solve the classroom problems and answer their burning questions. This morning, I realized I finally have a pretty strong list going. It certainly isn't comprehensive--and believe me, I don't even have a CLUE as to how some of these work...but maybe some of you do!
Anyway, this list will hopefully give you plenty of options for connecting with others and designing and driving your own professional learning this year. (More on that later...you will be SO EXCITED!)
Here's the list I have generated so far...if you have an idea that I don't have listed, just comment and I will add it to my master list.
Teaching Channel
Edutopia
ESSD PD Blog
Classroom visits
Twitter Chats
Edmodo
edWeb.net
Teachers Pay Teachers
Google Hangout
Today's Meet
Boxer Groups
Thank you, Renee, for going with me on Monday! We enjoyed our day and got to see: Michelle Nebel, Chris Hubbuch, Brandyn Harmon, Bryson Travis, Ben Rubey, (Also--Claudia Howerton, and a few other friends from out of district too!) It was a great day.