The Joys of Professional Development

It's summertime, and I am fresh off a week of math professional development. There's more to come, of course. Who started that urban legend that teachers get summers off? I am equally tired and invigorated, if there is such a thing. I love learning new things, so I really enjoy getting information about new approaches to teaching math. On the other hand, the time does tend to weigh me down. After years of these trainings, I'm still surprised that I still hear the same concerns from teachers: (1) How can we apply this new-found knowledge to every child in our classrooms, and (2) When will we have the time to apply this new-found knowledge, given the pressure to prepare students for testing?

I, by no means, have the answer. I struggle with the same issues. Our group completed a very interesting activity on volume and graph relationships. I was blown away. I loved it! My brain started working on all the ways to implement the activity in my classroom. Then, I started thinking about the time. Or, what my evaluator would think by some of the more "off-task" components the lesson requires for success?

Now, I'm thinking I need to take professional development on time management and differentiation, and other subjects critical to my enrichment as an educator. But, I've taken those types of PD sessions before. Some things I've gleaned from those sessions worked, and others...not so much. The realities of a classroom full of students changes the perspective of a teacher working in a room full of other teachers. Maybe therein lies the true lesson, and why we all sign up and attend numerous PD each year. We realize that we'll get something, but not everything. So, we have to go back. Learn. Teach. Repeat.

Ahhh, the joys of professional development.

Kids will Rise to the Challenge

The end of the school year is beyond busy; I can't help but wish for 30 or so hours in the day. It is also a time for reflection. I like to think about what went well this year and what steps I need to take to improve. My students tend to dominate my thoughts. How can I fuel their desire to learn math? How can I help them accept that failure is not an ending, but a beginning and an opportunity?


For our final projects, I gave students the chance to choose among several options. Business plans were the most detailed projects, and videos were the least challenging (or so the kiddos thought). I did not have low expectations, but I am still TOTALLY amazed by some of the projects my students submitted. By law (I think), I cannot choose a favorite, but I'm glad I can brag about the awesomeness of my students. One group decided to create a floor-sized board game where humans were the game pieces. Another group built a spinner out of a trellis. Project after project, I kept thinking, "Wow! Wow! Wow!"

The final project experience reminds me that students will rise to the level of expectations given to them. I could have given them restrictive limits, but I chose not to. They had to submit a preliminary plan for approval, submit other items based on their project, and given a final presentation. I wanted them to explore without worry, learn to iterate without fear of failure, and take pride in their final projects. This year taught me that ALL kids want to succeed, and it is my responsibility as a teacher to nurture their abilities and challenge them to be better students.

Summer is upon us now, and as I prepare for professional development and begin to plan for next year's incoming students, I feel a sense of excitement I haven't felt for some time. The possibilities are endless, and I am quite ready for the ride.