Professional development is happens when you gain new skills, expand your worldview, and improve your conceptual understanding within your profession. It involves attitudes, beliefs, mindsets, and values. It goes to the core of your professional identity. And ultimately, there are specific ways that you can own your professional learning. In this series, we explore how to make that a reality.
Empowered Teachers Empower Students
Right now, teachers all over the world are meeting in small groups, doing book studies to refine their practice. Without prompting from a district or a principal, they are are taking ownership of their learning. They own their learning.
Go to Twitter at any given moment and you’ll see teachers wrestling with big ideas, engaging in deep discussions about how to transform their practice. Some of these are formal chats. Others are doing it informally. They own their learning.
Meanwhile, teachers are making things from scratch. They are experimenting with new ideas, diving deep into the maker culture, and building new things. In some cases, they’re not building stuff. They’re building movements and making change. They own their learning.
These teachers are reading books and blog posts. They’re watching YouTube videos to get ideas. They’re listening to podcasts and audiobooks. They own their learning.
Many of these activities don’t count as official “professional development.” They can’t be used to get hours for re-certification. But they are all prime examples of what happens when teachers own their learning.
How to Own Your Professional Learning
The following are the articles I’ve written on how to own your professional learning. Note that I continue to update this and revise this, so be sure to bookmark this page an come back to revisit it periodically.
- START HERE: 16 Ways to Own Your Professional Learning
- Professional Learning on the Go: How to Use Webinars, Videos, Courses, Webinars, and Podcasts to Provide Anywhere / Anytime Learning
- How to Use Mastermind Groups to Improve Your Professional Learning and Help You Attain Your Goals
- How to Use Book Clubs for Deeper Professional Learning
- How to Read 50 Books in a Year
- Why Rest, Restoration, and Self-Care Are Vital for Professional Development
- Using a Personal Genius Hour to Spark Deeper Professional Learning
- How Creating Your Own Content Leads to Deeper Professional Learning
- Coming Soon: How Content Curation Leads to Better Ideas
- Coming Soon: The Power of Un-Conferences
- Coming Soon: Using Professional Observations with Peer Feedback to Improve Your Professional Learning
Video Playlist
Professional Development Opportunities
Here are a few professional development opportunities I offer:
- If you want to get a brief overview of ideas and concepts, you can check out my webinars here.
- If you want to take a deeper dive into design thinking, project-based learning, or distance learning, you might want to check out these self-paced courses.
- If you are interested in starting a book club, you can find the study guides to my books right here.
- If you want free PD on the go, please subscribe to my podcast and subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
- If you are looking for a workshop or keynote, please check out my speaking page.
- If you are a district or school leader interested in creating a personalized professional development system for your teachers, please contact me at [email protected].
You can also contact me by using the form below: