So maybe it IS me. Over the years I have stopped giving afterschool PD sessions because it was harder to get anyone to come. I agreed with their excuses about tutorials, meetings, papers to grade. I am not bad at giving or planning professional development. In fact my reviews and feedback are complimentary. Honestly, if teachers HAVE to attend PD sessions they will come to mine, I will have a packed room for each session. But if they did not have to attend,then only a few will come. Is that the reality of today’s teachers? They do not have time? It is to an extent, but maybe it is time for me to step up my game the same way teachers are being asked to step up their game in the classroom.
In Teach like a Pirate, Dave Burgess asks the question if kids did not have to come to your class would they? On twitter @McLane_Ryan shared his school’s Teach Like a Pirate Day experiment that challenged teachers to develop lessons and then gave choices to kids to decide what lessons they wanted to go to. Check out the promo video here: http://goo.gl/iFJQhI
This is my challenge. It is time to step it up a notch. What can I do differently to make them want to come even though they do not have to. I have been thinking about this over night and have been thinking about what hooks described in the book would be applicable to this situation. One that has come to mind is costume. I could offer Google Ninja training and dress like a ninja! In promoting PD in your Pjs, I could come in my pjs (with principal approval) to get folks excited about it. But I also need to work in hooks for when they walk in the door to encourage them to stay, to come back and to bring their friends! I am also looking at how I am offering professional development. Maybe face-to-face afterschool time is a thing of the past. If so then I need to explore other ways of providing the training teachers need in ways that make it accessible to them.
No comments:
Post a Comment