Join the Collaborative Professional Development movement! Every month, Jennifer Williams and Participate invite you to share how you are incorporating blended learning tools and ideas derived from other educators into your instruction and professional development. This chat is great if you are new to Twitter, or a seasoned social media maven. Ultimately, it’s about empowerment and self-discovery through the expansion of personal learning networks, and the ability to blend in voices, concepts and tools from all over the world.
My name is Katie Bradley and I am a student at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. This is my first twitter chat and I am excited to see what this is about! #CollaborativePD
Hello Everyone! I’m Stephanie, a literacy teacher educator from NY! I’m looking forward to tonight’s #CollaborativePD chat! Others who support high-quality PD? @fentonsann@kmsenatore@strakat12
My name is Katie Bradley and I am a student at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. This is my first twitter chat and I am excited to see what this is about! #CollaborativePD
HI! I'm Lauren McCool and I am the Education and Recognition Coordinator at the National Speech & Debate Association. We at @speechanddebate are partnering with @participate to be able to offer high-quality PD to our member educators! #soimportant#CollaborativePD
Hi! Sylvia, Academic Coach / ENG Tchr at Title 1 HS in Tampa FL ... going to lurk and dip in & out so as to not be rude to my dinner guests 🤭#CollaborativePD
#collaborativePD@participate I'm Steve Sostak, an international school teacher in Beijing - teaching global citizenship, media, EAL, humanities for 14 yrs. This summer, I'm going independent, training teachers & schools on innovative ways to embed #TechSDGs Happy to be here!
A1 So, the easy answer is "time." Real-talk though, our school days are the same. Some just know how to use a master calendar better than others... #LookingAtYouPrincipals#CollaborativePD
A1: PD Barriers? A big one I see in schools is time for high-quality collaboration that places teachers in charge of their own learning. #CollaborativePD
Yippee!!! We are so happy to see you, Amber. Already packing for #ICE18--can't wait to learn & share with your incredible community of educators!!!!! #CollaborativePD
In reply to
@amber_heffner, @ice_il, @SCoussens, @joannacarroll96, @tsuejohnson
A1: We should amend question to "access to QUALITY PD" because one big barrier is the lack of voice and choice for teachers in selecting the PD that they need over the pre-packaged "required" PD that takes up so much of teacher's time. #CollaborativePD
A1: Mostly cultural norms. The nature of teaching is often siloed. Opportunities are built with #CollaborativePD in mind. We also lack norms and processes for good collab. It’s mindset more than anything imo.
I think a lot of teachers don't find PD that is relevant to where they are in their educational career journey. Often in #CollaborativePD chats we talk about how important choices are in PD - Relevance can come from choosing your own PD. Oh... and Time + Money. Of course.
My name is Emily and I’m the Community Connected Experiential Learning Coordinator (K-12) for the Rainbow DSB in Northern Ontario, Canada. #CollaborativePD
A1: Time, distance, relevance and quality are all issues here. However, the foundational element is mindset. Once educators and administrators alike understand that PD could and should occur anywhere and at any time, we will all benefit. #CollaborativePD
A1. Mindset is another barrier. Many people do not recognize the variety of ways an individual can learn, and just rely on an “expert” to show them step by step how to do things. #CollaborativePD
A1: Sometimes it's lack of knowledge about where to find quality PD & the understanding that quality PD can be done in your pj's. Can make it accessible for yourself :) #CollaborativePD
A1: As a former school principal, I'd have to say site funding. Many times we'd have to sacrifice a great PD opportunity for much supplies needed by students or staff. #CollaborativePD
Administration must understand that a great PD is an essential part of growing as an educator and as administration. I say administrative buy in part. #CollaborativePD
YES! Content-Specific PD is sooo important. You may be an awesome Math teacher but I might need content-other-than-math specific guidance and development! #CollaborativePD
Great point! Educators have to learn it is acceptable that we are not the "experts" in it all and we can learn WITH students! #lifelonglearning#CollaborativePD
A1. A barrier to Professional Development in my eyes, would lack of resources and skills needed to teach effectively. A resource could be learning effective ways of teaching a lesson in multiple ways, which is huge in classrooms today. #CollaborativePD
A2: Schools and districts can start by creating and cultivating a culture of continuous teacher and student learning: a community of engaged readers and writers that is driven by teacher expertise and student curiosity. #CollaborativePD
A1: For our educators, one barrier is distance as we are a geographically huge school board and province. Our system does a good job of offering great PD but geography is a challenge. #CollaborativePD
A1: Robin-IL, PD isn’t just for certified Tts anymore. Non Certified have just as much “skin in the game”...TA’s see Ss at unstructured times of schl day. $$, Budgetary Cuts, Relevance. #CollaborativePD
A1- Time and choice. When we get a say in the PD we need your going to get a lot more out of it. Time is something else good PD has to be given. There needs to be true reflection, analysis and evaluation. #CollaborativePD
#CollaborativePD Money/tech access a clear answer...In China, structural barriers exist within ed traditions and gov't standards. Still, things are evolving & innov practices are coming. In int'l schools, we often lose sense of the why & exist in other extremes - PD overload.
A2 our district has moved to site-based PD with a focus on coaching cycles ... we have 5 Academic coaches at our site to work 1-1 with tchrs #CollaborativePD
A2: This has to be set as a priority! Meet with grade level teams yearly, or departments in 6-12 and decide: What is it we need to take us beyond where we are? #CollaborativePD
A2 Step one is have a system in place for teachers to be able to determine and pursue their own needs-based learning experiences instead of deciding that many/all need to be on the same pace, place, path #CollaborativePD
A1: The biggest setback comes from the wrong mindsets. PD needs to evolve as the teachers and the profession evolves! And that takes innovative approaches! #CollaborativePD
A2. Listen, Listen, Listen. We need to listen to what people want to learn and how they want to grow. Then we can work along side them to help them locate quality PD. #CollaborativePD
A2: Listening to the needs of the staff & understanding that teachers need different PD is essential for capacity building in the school. Same as we would do for the kiddos! Always ASK what someone needs! #CollaborativePD
A2 Step one is have a system in place for teachers to be able to determine and pursue their own needs-based learning experiences instead of deciding that many/all need to be on the same pace, place, path #CollaborativePD
A2: Leadership needs to be comfortable with alternative forms of PD - connecting remotely, online platforms, differentiated models, #edcamp styles, etc. FIND A WAY! #CollaborativePD
A2: Ask; don’t presume. Establish a culture of regular collegial dialogue, daily if possible. Provide support on collab processes & interpersonal dynamics & not just “teaching” content. #CollaborativePD
A2 - By listening to what they need, giving them a bigger role in choosing (and building) that PD. Follow up is also important, teachers don't want the one and done trainings. They want those that will be of true valley and that requires followup #CollaborativePD
A2: Leadership needs to be comfortable with alternative forms of PD - connecting remotely, online platforms, differentiated models, #edcamp styles, etc. FIND A WAY! #CollaborativePD
A2: Provide choice in content, as well as means of access. Establish an equal playing field where educators and administrators collaborate on personalized paths. With the right mindset, that can happen within months. #CollaborativePD
A2: Sharing various PD avenues with schools from district level to ensure that admin are listening to the needs of the staff & understanding that teachers need different PD = essential for capacity building in each school. Always ASK what someone needs! #CollaborativePD
A2: PD shouldn't have to occur only within the walls of the building. It doesn't have to occur with only your school or district. There's a whole lot happening out there. It's time to rethink how we connect to it! #collaborativepd
A3: My ideal PD? One that is innovative, builds on my strengths, keeps me connected and is immediately applicable to my own teaching and learning. #CollaborativePD
A2: Leadership needs to be comfortable with alternative forms of PD - connecting remotely, online platforms, differentiated models, #edcamp styles, etc. FIND A WAY! #CollaborativePD
A2. Most PD's are not necessarily what certain teachers need or even address the greatest need. We need the PD's on project based creative learning. Or believing in your students.... Its very focused on scores but not the whole student. #CollaborativePD
A2. A way for the district to ensure that all educators have access to the Professional Development needed, is to really listen to us when it comes to things we need. As a future educator, I want to see less standardized test and more exploration activities! #CollaborativePD
A2 #CollaborativePD asking teachers is key and responding to the information they provide. @ETFOpd our boards and @ONeducation subsidize some PD, related to system priorities which helps to keep it accessible.
In reply to
@JenWilliamsEdu, @ETFOpd, @ONeducation
#CollaborativePD Another consideration is how are we as educators and workshop leaders offering equal access PD? This month, I am using money from running PD in Seoul to go run PD pro bono in Kosovo. Amazing opportunity but is it sustainable? #TeachSDGs
A3 - I love PD that engages the participants all the way through. Not just someone talking at me but allowing me to learn new things while synthesizing it with those tools already in my toolbox And collaboration is a MUST! #CollaborativePD
Maybe because they are not exposed to these kinds of PD, the kind of mindset they have. I have tried sharing the PDs to them sending links but haven't heard any feedback ☹ #CollaborativePD
A3 I’m enjoying various free webinars - even when I view them as recorded (not live) ... live coaching - someone like-minded (in expertise) giving me evaluative & coaching feedback #CollaborativePD
A3 I'd like to partner with companies to do some cross-training. I think it would be neat to teach developers how to teach while they teach me how to build software. #externships#CollaborativePD#GifsForNathan
A3: PD that challenges my mind-set, stretches me as an educator, takes me out of my comfort zone. Can't learn and grow with the same repetitive structures! #CollaborativePD
A3: CHOICE! A variety of options just like we want Ss to have in the classroom. I LOVE Twitter, but not all do, so a mixture of face-to-face, hands-on & online w/ time to reflect #CollaborativePD
A1: Hello, everyone. I'm Jenn from Indiana. I think some would say time and money are the two barriers. Those, and, leaving sub plans! lol #collaborativePD
A3 I would like PDs that actually involves the use of innovative technology or new apps! Our kids love technology so hep me to master tech while still hitting the 4Cs #CollaborativePD
Giving Ts options to find the PD that works best for them and will help their Ss the most. A healthy mixture of F2F, facilitated online courses, and self-paced/webinar options gives everyone options on when and where they can grow as a professional #CollaborativePD
A3 One of the challenges is accessing PD for specialist subjects and/or for experienced providers of PD #CollaborativePD - particularly in rural and remote areas.
Leaders in education take note. Are you creating conditions where teachers feel they can "ask?" Do they know that open invitation exists? #CollaborativePD
A2: I see a theme in responses... LISTENING! Right? Same as we do for our kiddos? Listen to the needs when they are voiced, then support the hunt for quality resources. #CollaborativePD
A3a: To see great teaching first hand & to be seen teaching first hand. Then to have rich, critical dialogue with one another and with Ss about it all, free of the conversational “hygiene” (lack of critical feedback) that keeps us from growing and improving. #CollaborativePD
A3: I would ask for site based feedback (coaching) where skills could be demonstrated and then attempted with support in an effort to build mastery over time. #CollaborativePD
A4: Read, write, think, share and advocate for yourself. Ask for books, resources and experiences that meet your personalized needs and clearly demonstrate how they result in authentic changes made to classrooms. #CollaborativePD
A3. As a future educator, the type of Professional Development I want is ways to make my classroom the best it can be. I want to be able to learn along side of my students, so I can be a role-model for them. #CollaborativePD
Q3/A3: #CollaborativePD PD that gets me out of my seat. PD that puts me in the role of students to vet reliability for my classroom or my teams. PD that inspires me. PD that can lead to empowering my students in a challenging world (linked to standards of course ;)
That has to be really frustrating. I know I get so excited to learn new things that it is sometimes hard for me to understand why others simply "aren't interested" or don't care. #CollaborativePD
A3: Rapid experimentation and iteration with new models of PD. Districts can behave a little bit more like startups, where innovation and risk are required to achieve any amount of success. #CollaborativePD
A3b: The opportunity to collaborate with community partners in many sectors to understand how Ss might make richer impacts on their communities now, rather than schooling for “one day when you’re older.” #CollaborativePD
A3: Something I can do anytime, anywhere (like now at Starbucks) & at the time that I need it. Wonder if that's the culture now?? immediate response to what I need! But it's way more meaningful if the need is met fairly quickly. #CollaborativePD
A3. As a future educator, the type of Professional Development I want is ways to make my classroom the best it can be. I want to be able to learn along side of my students, so I can be a role-model for them. #CollaborativePD
A2: At the district level, two days within the school year can be requested with a submitted plan. A product is then turned in at the end of the two days. #collaborativepd
A3: CHOICE! A variety of options just like we want Ss to have in the classroom. I LOVE Twitter, but not all do, so a mixture of face-to-face, hands-on & online w/ time to reflect #CollaborativePD
A3. As a future educator, the type of Professional Development I want is ways to make my classroom the best it can be. I want to be able to learn along side of my students, so I can be a role-model for them. #CollaborativePD
This sounds like a dream! I often say I'm a "bad student" in that I need lots of space to figure it out for myself and process. I think your mixture of options would have served me well when I was a classroom teacher. #CollaborativePD
Can barely keep up with all these GREAT tweets and ideas here tonight at #CollaborativePD! Hey, @spirrison, do you happen to have anything that can help? #winkwink :)
Absolutely! Our inservice PD have always been a generic one. It helped that I was on twitter so I get to know other PDs that could be beneficial for me 😊 #CollaborativePD
A3: PD that challenges my mind-set, stretches me as an educator, takes me out of my comfort zone. Can't learn and grow with the same repetitive structures! #CollaborativePD
A3: I love the edcamp setup where educators can show their share their strengths and support each other's path to grow! I find it to be 'real life.' #collaborativepd
@spirrison the real PD should be in the classroom with students being modeled where others can come in and be part of the experience. This is where PD should be going. #CollaborativePD
But please don't misunderstand my use of quotes -- I'm referring to traditional sit-and-get-PD where I'm supposed to sit, be quiet, take notes, and then magically be an amazing teacher after two hours. That kind of student? Well I'm not very good at that. #CollaborativePD
Haha! I also like that option! And sometimes I want to be passive, just wanting to be an observer. Need to manage both the intro & extravert in me & I learn A LOT about people by doing that :) #CollaborativePD
