PD That works: Why do we need summer Pd?

The last day of school has just passed, the kids are gone, your room is cleaned, and your grades have all been finalized. This is when all teachers rejoice and all we can think of is sleeping. The last thing you are probably thinking about is PD.  

We all know it is a myth that teachers have the summers off. Many of us teach summer school, attend conferences, work on curriculum, and some even work other jobs.

When it comes to how you spend your summer and how you recharge your batteries for the next school year, every teacher is different (Take our quiz to see what you may need to recharge!). It is definitely important for us to take time to recharge and take a defined break from teaching so that we can come back the next year ready and willing to teach.

Summer is a good time to reflect on the previous school year and work on becoming a better teacher for the next year. During the summer, we are free from the stress of having to plan lessons and manage the day-to-day of teaching and focus on making ourselves better.  

We came across this article from Edutopia about developing a growth mindset in teachers. It is a good article that discusses the value of growth mindset in teachers and ways to incorporate those concepts into your teaching practice. We always talk about this being a good quality and skill for students, but it is equally important for teachers to be focused on growth and a willingness to learn and improve.

There are a lot of opportunities in the summer ranging from conferences, panels, college classes and webinars if you don’t want to travel.

Where do you find quality PD?
If you are looking for something more involved you can look for local districts to host Edcamps or summer institutes. Don't know what those are? Don't worry! Next week we will be walking you through the steps of planning and implementing an EdCamp or Summer Institute at your school building or district. EdCamps and Summer Institutes are a great way to open up communication about what is happening in other classrooms and learn some new ideas from your peers!

Don't have time to set up a Summer Institute or EdCamp? You can find professional development in a lot of different places now. There are small PD bites and articles all over Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets.  Many colleges also will offer specialized courses and programs for K12 teachers. The Department of Education in your state will also have professional development that you can turn to as well. We have found that sometimes the best pd is finding a group of teachers that are willing to try new things share opportunities and stories with each other. This summer our blog will also focus on PD to help you recharge and reflect over the summer.

• June 12 - Creating Your Own Summer Institute or EdCamp 
• June 19 - Becoming an Apple Teacher
• June 26 - Becoming a Google Certified Teacher
• July 3 - Breaking Down Your Curriculum 
• July 10 - Resources to Create Meaningful Activities For Your Standards
• July 17 - Turning Your Meaningful Activities into a Self-Paced Setup
• July 24 - What Does Your 2017-2018 Classroom Look Like?
• July 31 - Communication and the Nitty Gritty Details
• August 7 - The First Week of School

Can't wait for these dates? Here are some websites that offer online PD in the form of courses, conferences, and webinars.

PBS TeacherLine
Learners Edge
edWeb.net
ASCD - Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development - Webinar Archive
SimpleK12
PBS Learning Media - Webinar Link

Do you know of some good places to find quality professional development? Please leave your ideas and comments below.