When is the best time for Teacher Training?
So, I tried to time a Tech Tools Workshop (see embedded post below) prior to the start of the second semester for our faculty/staff, but despite a promising 6 teachers in attendance during Period 4, I was only conversing with a few others during the remaining two lunch periods. I'm beginning to think that lunch is not the optimal time. Honestly, I would probably think long and hard about giving up my lunch period as a teacher to attend some internal PD, so I don't blame them. However, I think that I have something to offer with these presentations, and I have been receiving positive feedback on nearly all of my workshops and individual coaching sessions. Therefore, I ask, "When is the best time for teacher training?" How do other schools implement technology professional development for their teachers? My next move might be to hold a workshop after school. As a teacher, I might have an easier time focusing and making an effort to attend if it was not in the middle of an already busy day. Summer curriculum projects would be the next move should after school prove to be sparsely attended as well. I'm envisioning a "Technology Teaching Corps" (or some other catchy name) where teachers would serve as trainers and their classrooms would be demonstration environments for new technologies. Perhaps, the summer can be used to train these trainers and use available funds to encourage aspiring technology leaders to attend. Having attended a presentation on how the Maine schools have developed a cadre of Technology Coaches and Staff Developers, I have an idea of how I want to help develop a similar program at Evanston. If you have suggestions or feedback on the topics above, feel free to leave a comment.
Comments
Also, I think that our current PLC time should be designated once a month to attending a workshop on technology. I think this is totally a worthwhile endeavor and though I am sure most would not want to entirely replace the current PlC time with a technology training time every week, I think it's something that, if done once a month, more teacher would attend and you could get your fabulous ideas out above current and new technology for teacher use in the classroom. Great blog...keep up the good work!
Thanks for your interest, and I'll definitely start planning the "Corps" as a possible summer project.
I think that PLC is a good time, and feel free to spread the word about requesting some training from IIT during that time. I'll work on getting the word out for that as well.