2017.11.10
Professional Learning
A reflection on the 11/7 PL Day and the importance of quality PD
“Outtakes”. A snippet of thoughts to kick off this blog post:
Professional Learning is a key component to continuous improvement.
What I am looking forward to putting into practice, or continuing:
Helping others find the benefit (and power) of expanding their professional learning network (PLN)
Quote(s) that resonated with me this week:
“I will prepare and someday my chance will come.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
The first (or second) Tuesday of November every year is election day. It is also typically a Professional Learning (PL) Day for staff in public schools across Connecticut. This past Tuesday, NCHS staff participated in their PL Day and it was a great day of collaborating, learning, and creating. The building was bustling with staff in their respective departments as well as staff from other levels/buildings. All in the name of continuous improvement and providing the best education possible for the students of New Canaan!
The departments that I work most closely with are, Career and Technical Education, Health and Physical Education, and Science. The Science department worked with a consultant to learn more about the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and how they will help the program evolve to best serve the varied paths that NCHS students take. They even did a K-12 Science teacher meet-and-greet at the end of the day to continue to build community and bridge the gap between K-8 and NCHS. Awesome.
The Health and Physical Education staff discussed curriculum and visited an annual statewide workshop that brings in and shares some of the latest research and best practices in the field. The Career and Technical Education teachers worked on some exciting course proposals, researching resources to enhance student’s experiences, and collaborated on current trends. We even had staff present at a state conference, which is a complement to our district and a nice way to build a greater network of professionals within respective disciplines.
Overall, the opportunity to work with colleagues (course-alike, and non…) on a regular basis throughout the year is essential. It fosters the growth mindset for staff and translates to an improved learning environment for students. NCHS staff are committed to providing the best for their charges. In addition to the regularly scheduled district PL days and local conferences that are attended, many staff engage in quality professional development through social media, webinars, podcasts, and more (there are so many options. This will be a blog post for another day…). I felt it was important to share a quick behind the scenes look at the great work that is going on in the schools when students are not in session! Here are a few pictures too…
Please feel free to contact or follow me:
Email: david.gusitsch@ncps-k12.org
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