Professional development happens every year for every teacher, and yet there鈥檚 broad agreement among educators that it very often misses the mark. In some places, teachers are turning their districts鈥� attention to longstanding blind spots in PD, and helping make training more targeted and meaningful. In this virtual event, 澳门跑狗论坛 reporters and their expert guests will look at some of the most prevalent problems with and oversights in PD, and offer ideas for fixing them.
Event Video
Blind Spots in Teacher Professional Development: In Conversation With 澳门跑狗论坛
Agenda
1:00鈥�2:30 p.m. ET | Discussions Open
1:00鈥�2:30 p.m. ET
Implicit-Bias Training: What Is It and Why Do Teachers Need It?
Diversity training asks teachers to understand their students鈥� backgrounds. But implicit-bias training goes a step further and asks teachers to look at themselves. Hear what this kind of training entails and why some districts are making it a priority.
Sarah Schwartz is a reporter for 澳门跑狗论坛 who covers curriculum and instruction.
Rachael L. Coleman
Principal,
Roxboro Middle School, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Lisa M. Hunt
Family Engagement Specialist,
Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, Ohio
1:00鈥�2:30 p.m. ET
Bouncing Back From Failure: How to Help Teachers With the Constant Struggle
Every teacher will experience a lesson gone wrong at some point, but few receive professional development that centers around 鈥渇ailing forward,鈥� or using the experience as an opportunity for growth. 澳门跑狗论坛 reporter Madeline Will and two award-winning educators discuss ways to help teachers develop strategies to bounce back after a bad lesson.
Madeline Will is an assistant managing editor for 澳门跑狗论坛, leading coverage of school leadership and general education trends.
Jason Jowers
Principal,
Eno Valley Elementary, Durham, N.C.
Sarah Brown Wessling
Teacher Leader,
Wessling Johnston High School, Johnston, Iowa
1:00鈥�2:30 p.m. ET
Making PD Work for Teachers of Students With Diverse Needs
Many English-learners and students with disabilities spend most of their days in general education classrooms. But the teachers there often lack training in how to meet their needs. In this session, we鈥檒l discuss the ways teacher training falls short for ELLs and students with individualized education plans, and what schools can do to improve.
Corey Mitchell was an associate editor who covered special education, English-language learners and other special populations.
Janet Eichenberger Hiatt
ESL/Diversity Consultant,
Heartland Area Education Agency, Johnston, Iowa
Jennifer Flores Samson
Associate Professor and Chair of Special Education,
Hunter College, School of Education
1:00鈥�2:30 p.m. ET
Too Many PD Requirements, Too Little Time
Schools are feeling more pressure than ever to train their teachers on a host of non-academic issues鈥攆rom suicide prevention to food allergies to sexual assault. And that鈥檚 in addition to the regularly scheduled academic PD. So what happens when the training mandates are too steep, and teachers are struggling to comply? How can schools prioritize trainings that will help teachers and students the most?
Kate Field
Teacher Development Specialist,
Connecticut Education Association
Patrice McCarthy
Deputy Director and General Counsel,
Connecticut Association of Boards of Education
1:00鈥�2:30 p.m. ET
Bringing 鈥楽urprise and Delight鈥� to Teacher Training
A former Disney World employee who now trains teachers outside Wichita, Kan., aims to give professional learning 鈥渆lements of surprise and delight.鈥� She鈥檒l explain how she designs can鈥檛-miss PD sessions that teachers both love to attend and find useful once they return to the classroom.
Dyane Smokorowski
Technology and Innovation Lead Teacher,
Andover Public Schools, Andover, Kan.
1:00鈥�2:30 p.m. ET
How will you inspire your teams to succeed?
Content Provided by Solution Tree
Solution Tree partners with the brightest minds in education to develop the services and tools you need to grow the expertise of your teams. Download our free Educator鈥檚 Guide to Professional Development to browse our results-driven professional development services.
Solution Tree partners with the brightest minds in education to develop the services and tools you need to grow the expertise of your teams. Download our free Educator鈥檚 Guide to Professional Development to browse our results-driven professional development services.
1:00鈥�2:30 p.m. ET
Identifying the 鈥楤lind Spots鈥� in Literacy Professional Development for Today鈥檚 Teachers
Content provided by Voyager Sopris Learning
As more districts realize a large percentage of their students are not succeeding in reading, teacher preparation is at the forefront of industry discussion. Where are the gaps in professional development for literacy educators? How can concerned educators make a difference for teachers and students alike? Join this eye-opening discussion where respected experts will review the 鈥渂lind spots,鈥� discuss the importance of a structured literacy approach, and share ways administrators can fill the gaps and prepare their preK鈥�8 teachers to help every student learn to read and reach new levels of lifetime literacy success.
As more districts realize a large percentage of their students are not succeeding in reading, teacher preparation is at the forefront of industry discussion. Where are the gaps in professional development for literacy educators? How can concerned educators make a difference for teachers and students alike? Join this eye-opening discussion where respected experts will review the 鈥渂lind spots,鈥� discuss the importance of a structured literacy approach, and share ways administrators can fill the gaps and prepare their preK鈥�8 teachers to help every student learn to read and reach new levels of lifetime literacy success.
Carrie Doom
Vice President of Implementation鈥擶estern U.S.,
Voyager Sopris Learning
Louisa Moats
Literacy Expert, Researcher, and Author of LETRS庐,
Professional Development for Literacy Educators
Lucy Hart Paulson
Educational and Professional Development Consultant, and Author of LETRS庐,
Early Childhood Educators Professional Development
2:30鈥�3:00 p.m. ET
Final Reporter Wrap-up
Blind Spots in Teacher Professional Development: In Conversation With 澳门跑狗论坛. Led by the Assistant Managing Editor Liana Loewus, the 澳门跑狗论坛 newsroom will close out the day with insights from the discussions they鈥檝e had with you, the readers.