CEC Conference Summary

When teachers apply to the Pro-D Fund for conference funding, we ask that they find a way to share what they have learned, pass their professional learning on to colleagues, and make use of new skills or ideas with their students. We also ask them to craft a statement to be posted here. We are pleased to celebrate the professional development of our teachers.

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Conference: Council of Exceptional of Children (CEC) Convention

Participant: Shelien Hadfield, teacher, Nusdeh Yoh Elementary

Summary: The workshops at the Council of Exceptional of Children (CEC) Convention helped me to refine my thinking about how I provide support services to students with disabilities/learning difficulties and how I can intensify interventions when students aren’t responding well. Many of the workshops referenced Response to Intervention (RTI) models explicitly (“this is how we designed our tiered intervention”) or implicitly (the intervention described was implemented in Tier 3). In the sessions that spoke explicitly about RTI a common theme was the importance of having universal classroom instruction that is meeting the needs of 70-75% of learners. This allows your school support staff to focus their efforts more intensely on the 25-30% of students who aren’t responding well. Screening two to three times a year allows us to gauge how effective our universal instruction is for our students and identify students that need more intensive supports. To implement this suggestion, I’m going to take a more active role in analyzing data that teachers are already collecting such as Developmental Reading Assessments (DRA) in the primary grades and use this data to gauge whether my support would be more effective in the form of supplemental intervention (small groups) or classwide support (consulting with classroom teacher to decide an appropriate model).
I attended several sessions on how to intensify interventions. A common theme in these sessions was the importance of using valid, reliable progress monitoring tools weekly with students receiving Tier 3 interventions. Progress monitoring data allows us to gauge if our interventions are working. Weekly updates allow us to fine tune the intervention throughout, rather than getting to the end of the unit/term/year and realizing that the intervention didn’t work. A specific approach to intensify intervention is data-based individualization (DBI). Charting progress monitoring data is integral to DBI. When 3-5 data points fall below the goal line, the teacher intensifies the intervention (smaller group size, increase frequency or duration of sessions, increase student response rate, etc.), then continues monitoring the data to decide if the intensity is sufficient or if further changes are necessary. Research on DBI shows that it can help very low performing learners close the gap with their peers. The intensity of this approach highlights why it so important that universal & small-group instruction meet the needs of most learners in our school. Intensive instruction is by nature resource-intensive. I’m planning to use my end of the year assessments to identify five students that I can work closely with next year using DBI.

I’d be happy to discuss these topics with interested colleagues. My preferred contact method is email: shadfield@sd57.bc.ca. Musi!

Mental Health First Aid workshop report

When teachers apply to the Pro-D Fund for conference funding, we ask that they find a way to share what they have learned, pass their professional learning on to colleagues, and make use of new skills or ideas with their students. We also ask them (optionally) to craft a statement to be posted here. We are pleased to celebrate the professional development of our teachers.

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Workshop: Mental Health First Aid for Adults Working With Youth from the Canadian Mental Health Association - Prince George Branch

Participant: Tracy Larson, Prince George Secondary School

Facilitator: MaryLu Spagrud, Education & Projects Manager

Summary: This is a worthwhile program for all public school teachers. It addresses issues that occur at both the elementary school and secondary school levels. The specific topics covered include:
Substance use disorders, Mood disorders, Anxiety disorders, Psychotic disorders, Eating disorders, Deliberate self-injury

It also teachers crisis first aid skills for: Substance overdose, Suicidal behaviour, Panic attack, Acute stress reaction, Psychotic episode

The course instructs teachers, through the use of discussion, case study, interactive activities etc. how to respond when a student is showing signs of these disorders. The goal here is to empathize with the student (the way he or she is feeling) and put the student in contact with supports. The acronym ALGEE was used - A - assess, L - listen non-judgmentally, G - give reassurance and information and , E - encourage appropriate professional supports, E - encourage appropriate self-help and other support strategies.

An ongoing discussion of the professional, self-help, and other supports available in the community was very helpful. The manual provided is also a goldmine of resources.

Overall this was a great use of time. The program is 14 hours and ran over the Thursday night - 4:30pm to 10:00pm and all day on Friday. A nice mix of SD57 employees (teachers and EAs) as well as other community mental health workers.

Spring Fling proposals

The call for proposals now open - if you would like to present or facilitate at the Friday April 24th Spring Fling Educational Conference, please complete a presenter form -- file and conference info at http://springflingconference.weebly.com/.

 This is an annual Professional Development showcase, attracting 1000 educators (from 3 sponsoring school districts), educational vendors and others. We feature a keynote speaker and two break-out sessions or all-day sessions with a choice of about 80 workshops and some local excursions.

This year the Spring Fling is concurrent with a regional New Teachers Conference that will continue on Saturday April 25th -- details to follow.

PTA Conference Summary #2

When teachers apply to the Pro-D Fund for conference funding, we ask that they find a way to share what they have learned, pass their professional learning on to colleagues, and make use of new skills or ideas with their students. We also ask them (optionally) to craft a statement to be posted here. We are pleased to celebrate the professional development of our teachers.

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Conference: 2014 BC Primary Teachers' Association -- http://www.bcpta.ca/wordpress/

Participant: Debbie Byman, Pinewood Elementary

Summary: In October 2014 I had the opportunity to attend the BC Primary Teachers' Association Conference. The keynote speaker, Regie Routman, specializes in helping students achieve success in reading through writing. She inspired me to spend even more time than I already do on writing, and gave me a place to start to further investigate her strategies, which I will share with our staff as we are always looking for ways to improve our students' literacy skills.

Another speaker, Colleen Politano, shared many ideas for helping students with self regulation, as did our yoga instructor, Tanya Armstrong. Our school is focusing more on social emotional learning as a foundation for personal and academic success, so I am very interested in sharing what I have learned. We are hoping that improved self-regulation, along with greater academic achievement, will give our students the confidence and resilience they will need to feel successful.

I really enjoyed attending these workshops and connecting with other teachers. I highly recommend this conference to other primary teachers.

PTA Conference Summary #1

When teachers apply to the Pro-D Fund for conference funding, we ask that they find a way to share what they have learned, pass their professional learning on to colleagues, and make use of new skills or ideas with their students. One of the options for response is to craft a statement to be posted here. We are pleased to celebrate the professional development of our teachers.
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Conference: 2014 BC Primary Teachers' Association -- http://www.bcpta.ca/wordpress/

Participant: Lana McGown Rudolph, Pinewood Elementary

Summary: On October 24th, I and a colleague attended the Primary Teachers' Conference. We participated in several workshops concerning reading and math engagement, literacy and learning. We were able to have great teaching conversations with primary teachers from across the province. We saw workshops developed by practicing teachers who are researching and developing strategies and teaching methods that are changing how we teach in our province. We left the conference with a multitude of practical ideas and resources which we are introducing into our own practice and applying to our Learning Team work as well. Specifically, we will be focusing on experimenting with changing how we approach Calendar time in our classrooms to achieve more learning time for all students while also increasing engagement of all learners and decreasing the necessity of managing student behaviour during this learning time. We will be focussing our learning team time on developing new strategies around math to improve our practice and reach more students. I have attended the Primary Teachers Conference twice and I highly recommend it to all primary teachers. These kinds of opportunities allow us to expand our knowledge, improve our practice and develop more effective strategies for our learners. My teaching is already changed due to this experience and I am looking forward to our learning team time as a means of developing both my students’ and my learning.

The Scoop on PD Days

With the October Pro-D day approaching, this is a good time to remind ourselves about the expectations for professional development that takes place on Professional Development (PD) days. I thought I would use the FAQ approach -- scroll down to see if any of these questions are relevant for you.

Q1: Where do these PD days come from?

A1: We have 5 PD days per school year -- these were added provincially to the year by mutual agreement (employer/union) a long time ago in recognition of the need for teachers to take the time they need to improve their practice. This is separate from inservice or training (which should occur during instructional time or paid time), and different from the "Ministerial Orders" day (Admin day at the beginning of the year set aside for school, district, and provincial goals). The placement of these days within our calendar is also by mutual agreement in the district.

Q2: Are all PD days the same?

A2: Generally speaking, one is set aside for a Zone Conference, and the one in October is designated as a "provincial day" with many Provincial Specialist Association conferences taking place. The other three are considered "school-focus" days although we sometimes see district mini-conferences taking place. Some consider the late January/early February NID to be a "semester turn-around" day for secondary teachers but this, too, is a PD day and should be treated as such. On all PD days, there are often a variety of PD events taking place, some planned (small group, school, and district level) and some impromptu (usually individual or small group).

Q3: Do I have to attend a scheduled PD event?

A3: On ALL PD days, PD is teacher-directed and voluntary in nature -- you decide on your PD and do it. Schools (or Families of Schools) may make specific plans for a staff PD activity -- these should be organized by mutual agreement between staff and principal. However, participation in these school PD events, while recommended, is not mandatory. There are many benefits to joining in on a school-wide PD session, but don't feel guilty if you have planned to attend something else.

Q4: What constitutes acceptable PD on a PD day?

A4: Do something deliberate and learning-focused that improves your practice, makes you a better educator, and will benefit your students. Consider: teacher study group, action research (inquiry project or learning team), attending or presenting at a conference, participating with a LSA or PSA (specialist associations), mentoring a new teacher, building curriculum, reading professional journals/books related wither to teaching or your subject area, watching professional videos (e.g. podcasts/online talks), taking a non-credit online course, gathering evidence for your own submission to an educational journal, attending or presenting at a workshop or share session, facilitating a staff or small group discussion on a relevant topic, doing a make-and-take with colleagues for a new lesson idea, visiting another school to inspect programs or review resources, connecting with a district expert in your field, have a teacher do a demo lesson for subject-area teachers, create a learning resource for use with your students, inviting a guest to speak to a group of colleagues about a relevant topic, conducting an Ed Camp or Open Space meeting (google these), having a Critical Friends or Socratic Dialogue with other teachers (google these). Some teachers find that good PD can be finishing a curriculum or assessment project was started but never finished, or just sitting down with colleagues to discuss what is happening for you in your class and seeing where the conversation leads. Other teachers prefer formal activities with specific learning intentions. Use your professional judgement and do something cool.

Q5: What does not constitute acceptable PD on a PD day?

A5: Avoid marking, lesson planning for the upcoming week, cleaning and organizing your classroom on a PD day, and parent or student meetings. Avoid extra-curricular activities including coaching and tournament set-up. If you want to give up your PD day (like any other working day) to coach, submit a leave application and seek a release or lieu day from your administrator. Avoid working on school or district improvement plans (the employer should provide time for this or do it on their "admin day"). There are also some grey areas. Teachers working on a Masters Degree, for example, will find that many of their tasks involve professional reading, research, dialogue, writing, and technology. Use your professional judgement, to draw the line between coursework-inspired PD that benefits your practice versus specific tasks required in a course (e.g. writing a paper or participating in an online meeting). Do not put "working on my Masters" on the PD Intention Form that some principals use -- describe a PD activity that anyone could do, regardless of whether they are taking courses. School or department meetings can also be a grey area -- if they advance your individual professional goals and have a learning focus, they can be considered PD, but they can also eat up time that you might wish to spend doing PD you've designed for yourself. It's your call, not your school or department's call.

Q6: Does my principal have to approve my PD or can he/she ask me to submit a plan?

A6: No, although it is fair for your principal to request information about where you will be and what you'll be doing, as long as it fits the description of PD. Having an active PD plan is a great idea, as is sharing with colleagues and your principal what you are doing, but is not a contractual requirement. It is also a good idea for administrators to have and share their personal PD plans. We (all of us) should not be shy about celebrating our professional learning and being accountable for the use of our PD time. The main purpose in dialogue between admin and teachers about where they'll be on a PD day is to establish safety (so that you're whereabouts are known) and provide support (if your admin knows what you're doing they can suggest resources or offer additional opportunities related to your goals). Principals should not be evaluating your PD plans (unless you've invited them to). Ideally, principals are part of your learning network and they will have valuable contributions to make towards your professional growth (goes both ways). If they think your choice of activities does not constitute "valid" PD they can engage in respectful dialogue with you about that and they are also welcome to talk to the PD Chair (currently me) about valid PD.

Q7: Does PD have to take place in school?

A7: It depends. PD usually takes place in schools, but some events are planned for other spots such as a conference centre, rented facility, field location, Friendship Centre, Exploration Place, UNBC, etc. PD can take place outside of the district, but this goes through either the PD Committee, School Principal, or Board Office, and requires a leave application. With very few exceptions, PD should not take place at a location that is not intended as either a worksite or a meeting place (e.g. your house). Rule of Thumb: If your out-of-school PD activity is not an organized/advertised event within the school district designed primarily as teacher PD, you should be at your school or joining an activity at another school.

Q8: What parts of our collective agreement talk about PD days?

A8: See http://www.bcpsea.bc.ca/documents/57-pca-0611.pdf
Section F Article 20.1 -- (summary) PD is voluntary but participation in planned events is encouraged
Section F Article 22.1 -- (summary) Non-Instructional Days other than the "District Day" (Our Zone Conference Day) are to be used as mutually agreed between staff and admin, in other words the whole staff should agree what activities are planned on which days. In recent years, we've formalized the pattern. The first NID to be the admin's day for curriculum implementation, Ministerial Orders (a focus of some kind mandated by the provincial government), and work on school-wide goals. The next 5 NIDs are teacher PD DAYS, one of which is the Zone Conference, and the last day of the year is an Administrative Day where principals can again direct activities (typically it is a staff breakfast or lunch plus a year-end staff meeting). In short, the shape of all NIDs (including our 5 PD days) should be the result of collaboration and inclusive decision-making.

Q9: What does the BCTF say about PD days?

A9: See background reading at https://www.bctf.ca/ProfessionalDevelopment.aspx?id=6388

Here is a key bit: 30.A.19 — "That the member, as an autonomous professional, determines, in concert with BCTF colleagues and/or the local union, the content of professional development activities scheduled for professional development days, and further, that professional development days are not used for school goal setting and/or School Improvement Plans, marking accountability assessment tools, or voluntary activities (e.g., sports tournaments, science fairs, music festivals, drama productions.)"

As you'll note, the guiding principle is that your PD choices require you to think about what's best for your teaching practice and your students, and engage in professional learning that you or others have designed to improve your work with students. As professional we have both autonomy and responsibility to each other to engage in professional development, and as employees we have a duty to complete professional development activities on PD days because we have agreed to use these work days for this purpose.

Position Continues

The School Board has reversed their cut to the Pro-D Fund Administrator position. This means that Pro-D Coordination will continue next year and applications for conference travel will now be accepted for Fall 2014. Thank-you to all who advocated for this position by email, social media, and other ways. This includes about 100 teachers who sent individual and group letters to trustees, telling their stories about professional development and explaining how it was supported by the coordination that takes place. Thank-you to the trustees who realized that the relationship between stakeholders (on the Pro-D file) was worth protecting. Spring Fling 2015 is a go, as are the many other Pro-D services that were in jeopardy. And thank-you to the PGDTA exec for applying some appropriate pressure in the form of a motion related to teacher and district-offered pro-d.

The broad spectrum of Professional learning takes many forms in our educational community -- it can be initiated by individuals, teachers, schools, the district, or beyond. Every school district in BC has an arrangement with it's teacher union to provide funds for teacher-directed pro-d in addition to the other activities that teachers can access. Our district has had a long run of successful teacher-directed pro-d made possible by district funding, including the funding of a coordinator position. Like any issues that involves money and control, there is some politics involved and we can be thankful that this issue was resolved, for now, without erosion of teacher autonomy in regards to pro-d. When teachers have a strong support base for personal inquiry and group learning, we all benefit, especially the students. Despite the contention around this funding issue, we finish the year with respect for all forms of professional learning, including the core value that teachers know what they want to learn next, and are the best judge of how to develop this learning. This is a good news story for SD57.

Spring Fling Follow-up

Thanks to all the volunteers, presenters, vendors, and participants for  your contributions to this year's Educational Spring Fling Zone Conference. Your time, energy, and love of learning is appreciated.

With over 1000 registrants and enthusiastic feedback from attendees about the keynote and workshops, it is fair to say that the 10th annual Spring Fling was a success. 

Unfortunately, budget cuts from School District 57 related to teacher Pro-D coordination means that we may not be able to host a Zone conference in the future. The cut is not set in stone until 2014-15 budget decisions are made by the Board of Education. 

Professional development by teachers and for teachers is an important component of the overall professional learning environment in the school district. We are concerned over the impacts that cuts to the coordinator position will have on both the relationship we have developed between teachers and district partners on professional learning goals, and on the specific services that we will not be able to offer without coordination time: out-of-district travel applications, support for mentorship, rural travel subsidies, shared inquiry projects, and facilitation of pro-d opportunities and events through-out the year, including the Spring Fling.

You can read more about how teacher Pro-D is organized in SD57 at http://pgdta.ca/pro-d. 

You can also leave feedback on the conference via this two-question survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9L86NWH.

Chris Hadfield and Kudos for Teachers

This year our PGDTA PD Committee decided to sponsor a table at the Bob Ewert Memorial Dinner.  Our plan was to use the dinner (with keynote speaker Cmdr. Chris Hadfield!) as a recognition of service to teachers who volunteered to put on top-quality professional development for others this year, and also as a prize for early-bird registration at the Spring Fling Conference.

We asked for nominations from teachers -- descriptions of great Pro-D experiences this year in and outside of Pro-D days, and the people that made it happen.  We recognized the following exceptional teachers for putting together worthwhile Pro-D: Shirley Madsen (math workshops), Kathy Rice (technology, genius hour, inquiry), Jerry Bleecker (technology, assessment), and Caitlin Marquis (organized two mini-conferences for TTOCs). Our early-bird registration winner was Elyse Schebesch, a new teacher in Mackenzie, who was thrilled to be a part of this event.

Hearing Cmdr. Hadfield speak is its own form of Pro-D, and we hoped that these teachers would take joy from a chance to be on the receiving end for a change.  I wish we could have sent dozens of teachers to the Bob Ewert dinner, for we have many that volunteer their time to organize events, host a professional learning session of some kind in their class or school, and share widely their time, talent, insight, and ability to listen and reflect.

In short, thanks again to the many teachers who make themselves available to be professional development leaders in our school district.

Spring Fling Conference

Conference Website -- http://springflingconference.weebly.com -- information on workshops, keynote speaker, vendor displays, and registration.

The Educational Spring Fling is a conference for educators in SD57 (Prince George), SD27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin), and SD28 (Quesnel), plus other educational professionals, advocates, specialists, and community members from Prince George and beyond. This conference takes place at Prince George Secondary School on the traditional territory of the Lheidl T'enneh First Nation. With the involvement of PITA (Provincial Intermediate Teachers’ Association), local and guest workshop presenters, special speakers and trainers, vendors, publishers, and partners in the educational community, we have put together one of the largest and most varied K-12 conferences in BC.

This conference is the result of the cooperative efforts from the following PD Chairs and their committees from these BCTF locals:
Shirley Giroux, PD Chair, Cariboo-Chilcotin BCTF local 27
Carlie Borrett, PD Chair, Quesnel BCTF local 28
Glen Thielmann, PD Chair, Prince George BCTF local 57

The Spring Fling is made possible through professional development funds from each local, and is also supported by contributions from CUPE local 3742, the PGPVPA (local Administrators Association), and the SD57 Aboriginal Education Department. The success and quality of this conference can be attributed to the ongoing support of the PD Committee Chairs, the numerous volunteers who contribute their time and energy, presenters and facilitators who willingly give of their time to share their knowledge, publishers who present their materials and provide door prizes, and District PD Committees that enable each of the locals to share this common Professional Development Day.

A reminder: parking is limited. Parking is limited at PGSS. Please consider carpooling, walking, or alternate transportation. We are discouraged from using Pine Centre Mall as overflow parking. Do not park against the PGSS building (e.g. under the overhang) or you may be towed. Your efforts to minimize parking problems are appreciated.

On behalf of all involved, I trust you’ll have a great day and come away challenged and refreshed. It has been great to work with everyone involved in creating a conference of this magnitude. Enjoy the conference!

Spring Fling coming

The 10th annual Educational Spring Fling is coming on April 4th, 2014. This is a one-day conference for teachers and other educators/community partners.

If you are interested in being a presenter, attending, or setting up a table in the vendor's area, check out what we have planned so far at http://pgdta.ca/pro-d

Professional Learning Log November 2013

SD57 had some great professional development opportunities on our Nov 29th Pro-D Day.

Taking kids outside for nature-based learning, presentation & discussion on project-based learning, exploring and addressing the reality of poverty, bootcamp for TTOCs, assistive technology... just a sample of the events promoted across the district. There were lots of workshops and organized PD that were site-based, or part of small groups, and a SmartLearning literary focus for one "family of schools." No doubt many individual teachers stuck it out alone, catching up on professional reading, taking a closer look at teaching & learning problem, or conducting inquiry. Maybe you made something, or taught somebody something, or challenged your own thinking.

Outside of our inner circles, we so seldom hear from each other about our professional learning on Pro-D days... it would be great to hear what you got up to on Friday. Consider leaving a comment below that describes briefly what you learned or got out of the Nov 29th Pro-D Day, and maybe a bit about the context.

Nov 29th PD Opportunities

There are a number of great opportunities lining up for professional development on the Nov 29th PD day (sign up on the Firstclass "PD ReG" feature):

• Project-Based Learning -- guest "Skype" presenters from Calgary and a PBL Edcamp; lunch provided (@PGSS Library) 
• Clicker 6 -- Hands On workshop for use of a "UDL" tool for special needs students and others in developing reading & writing (@Westwood) 
• Elementary Core French -- discussion and ongoing inquiry for matching instructional design to Core French ELOs (@Peden Hill) 
• Sub-Conscious TTOC mini-conference -- assessment, classroom management, Daily 5, support programs, classroom technology; lunch provided (@ D.P. Todd) 
• Below Zero -- connecting kids with nature... outdoor ed/nature play/environmental awareness, UNBC facilitators (@ Pinewood) 
• Foodsafe Level 1 Certification -- two sessions, one by Ab Ed dep't, one for general audience (@ SBO, Duchess) 
• Aboriginal Coaching Modules -- working with Aboriginal youth and athletes (@ Nusdeh Yoh) 
• Assistive Technology -- working with Boardmaker (@ Duchess) 
• Poverty: Exploring our Reality -- participant discussion and community panel (@ Van Bien) 
• Behaviour Intervention Strategies -- Ed Assistants and Youth Care Workers welcome (@ SBO) 

And some more that are not on "PDReg" -- contact the organizer to register:

• Printmaking - part of a Day of Art -- contact Val Wright (@Heather Park)
• Smart Learning with Susan Close -- follow-up on the work done the day before w/ Foothills, Quinson, Heritage -- contact Sarar McGuffie (@ Foothills)
• English Language Learners (ELL) teachers afternoon workshop -- lunch at Moxies, then Edcamp/Idea and Resource Sharing -- contact Tennys Scott (@PGSS) 
• Pre-Employment Program (PEP) teachers morning workshop -- resource review "7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEENS" -- contact Gerry Chidiac (@Duchess ) 

Let the PD Coordinator know if you have other submissions or would like your school-based PD event shared with/for others. I'll update a little closer to Nov 29th.

Still looking for something to do? Here are some suggestions: http://sd57pd.blogspot.ca/2013/11/varieties-of-pd.html 

Don't forget, these 5 PD days we have each year are for your professional development. They represent the formal PD time that adds to all the informal PD you do through-out the year. They are 100% up to you as professionals to decide how to use (within some contractual goal-posts and generally accepted definitions of what constitutes PD). Know what PD means, what you want to get out of a PD day, and use them well! The PD Committee would love to hear how your Nov 29th day goes -- feel free to share your story.

Varieties of PD

Last week we had a fantastic Pro-D Rep Training session at the Van Bien T&D centre with BCTF facilitator Donna Bulmer. We had our best turnout in a decade -- 22 teachers school PD Reps and PD Committee members. Our agenda: explore the nature/purpose/possibility of PD models, growth plans, teacher inquiry, professional learning communities, and issues in professional development.

The feedback indicated that the PD reps each had a few new perspectives on how professional learning could be supported in their schools, and some fresh ideas on how to individual and group inquiry.

One of the "take-aways" was a reminder of the variety of forms that PD can take. Here were some suggestions:

1. Attend a conference/workshop locally.
2. Attend a conference/workshop regionally/provincially/nationally/internationally.
3. Attend a workshop/conference or summer institute/course.
4. Be a sponsor teacher for a student teacher.
5. Become a BCTF PD associate, and carry on the Teachers Teaching Teachers Tradition.
6. Become a BCTF Program Against Racism or Status of Women Program associate, and carry on the Teachers Teaching Teachers Tradition.
7. Become active in your local association.
8. Becoming a facilitator, and give a workshop locally, regionally, or provincially.
9. Begin/continue university studies.
10. Develop innovative programs for use in your classroom.
11. Develop an annual personal PD plan, and maintain a PD portfolio.
12. Explore the possibilities of bringing the BCTF’s Program for Quality Teaching to your local.
13. Form/join a teacher research group.
14. Participate in group planning.
15. Hop on the Internet through BCTF Online or another PD site.
16. Job-shadow in a related work situation.
17. Join a professional organization/network: Provincial specialist association (33 within the BCTF),  Local specialist association/Local Chapter of a PSA, International network (ASCD, MSCD)
18. Mentor a beginning teacher.
19. Observe another teacher, and talk together about the lesson/program.
20. Participate in curriculum development.
21. Pilot curriculum/program.
22. Read professional literature.
23. Reflect, discuss, and research for the purpose of planning individual or group ongoing professional development.
24. Develop the discipline of reflective journal keeping.
25. Serve as your school’s PD representative.
26. Share with colleagues what you found at a conference/workshop.
27. Subscribe to/read professional journals.
28. Watch professional videos.
29. Work on a provincial committee (MoE or BCTF).
30. Work on the Local Ed-Change Committee.
31. Work on your local’s PD committee.
32. Work with a colleague to discuss, observe, and critique a lesson/program (peer coaching).
33. Write professional articles for your local’s newsletter, your PSA’s publications, or Teacher newsmagazine.

Source: Tools for Self-directed Professional Development - http://www.bctf.ca/ProfessionalDevelopment.aspx?id=6380

To this list, I would add a few personal favourites:

1. Use a face-to-face get-together to "unpack, mull, and fuse" -- make sense of the professional learning and teaching stories that have occurred over the last month.
2. Use Social Media (like Twitter) to engage with a personal learning network, scan educational links and articles, or join live chats with other educators.
3. Map out an educational ecosystem -- lay out a big poster and make lists, webs, and sketches of what's happening in a teaching context (class, dep't, school): values, goals, evidence of progress, schemes, unifying projects, new roles for parents, observations on inclusion and differentiation, etc.

Feel free to leave a comment and share unique things you do to support your professional learning.

Beyond Search: Google Apps for Education

Guest Post by Jerry Bleecker, teacher at College Heights Secondary, Prince George School District 57

Learning, Sharing, Collaborating: Kamloops GAFE Summit 2013

Earlier this summer, I was perusing the web, looking for a professional development opportunity focused on educational technology and teaching in a flipped classroom. September being just around the corner, I was eager to see what other teachers were sharing and reflecting upon. One evening, I happened on a blog post where a teacher discussed how excited she was to attend a Google Applications for Education (GAFE) Conference. These conferences, I was to learn, are held world wide and are tremendous professional development opportunities for educators to share their experiences, network, and acquire new skills working with technology in the classroom. I signed up for the October 25th/26th Kamloops Conference, enthused by the glowing testimonials from the blog and from teachers commenting the conference was perhaps the best they’d attended in a very long while.

The days of summer went quickly, and October arrived before I knew it. Driving to the conference, I was excited by the itinerary I’d booked online the night before. There were so many sessions to choose from. First there was a keynote - Transformational Teaching and Learning with Technology. Then, there was Critical Thinking and the Web, Blended Learning Ecosystems, using Forms to Create a Choose Your Own Adventure Web-quest, and finally the Demo Slam, an opportunity for presenters to showcase unique technologies for learning. As the keynote began, there was a keen sense of anticipation, and the presenter, Ken Shelton, delivered a riveting discussion on the purpose of technology for learning. Never before has there been more opportunity to create understanding in a social context as exists today. Never before has the world been so connected with resources for learning, from Twitter to Facebook, YouTube, to online media. At the speed of the electron, the opportunity for human interaction and sharing is only a click away. Education, itself, stands at the precipice of the most networked opportunity in history. As I said, the keynote didn’t disappoint. It lead into sessions throughout the weekend that detailed the opportunities illustrated.

In my first session with Tanya Averith, I was impressed by the emphasis paid to creating empowered, knowledgeable digital citizens. Working alongside students, teachers need to impress and model how to critically evaluate information for authenticity and bias. Searching for information is quite insufficient next to knowing and evaluating its veracity. Tanya expertlyshowed numerous techniques for vetting soft information(online information), websites, and demonstrated power tips for more effective searching. “A Google Certified Teacher and Apple Distinguished Educator from Montreal, Canada”, Tanya teaches Educational Technology and Digital Citizenship as a Lead Teacher for the Lester B. Pearson School Board. I was amazed by her zeal, knowledge, and forthright enthusiasm for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead with educational technology.

In my second session, I had the opportunity to learn with Michael Wacker. A former elementary teacher, Michael served as an Online and Adult Learning Specialist and helped spearhead the implementation of Google Apps for Education in his district. Posting a simple website address at the start of our session, Michael challenged a room of forty educators to simultaneously edit a single Google word processing document and collaborate in real time on how teachers were using educational technology to provide a blended learning opportunity. The highlight of the session was the collaborative document teachers created together in a few short minutes.

Rounding out my first day, I attended Michelle Armstrong’s session using Google Forms to create a Choose Your Own Adventure quest. Using a series of yes and no decisions, Google forms is an incredible way to tell stories in the genre of Choose Your Own Adventure. With a bit of coaching that highlighted examples of how to create forms, Michelle set a group of thirty educators to work creating their adventures. With my head swimming with information and incredible possibilities from a full day of conferencing, I set to creating my quest. Here it is for your enjoyment - brief, but true to the genre. It was incredibly fun to create, and I was almost taken aback with the ease in its creation and ability to share.

Spent, I returned to my hotel amazed by the educational possibilities, philosophies of digital citizenship, and opportunities to share and collaborate using readily available Google applications. Google, it turns out, is much more than a company focused on search. There is an educational tenet of collaboration and exploring evident in the tools provided and presentation of their use in unique, social, and fascinating pedagogical ways.

Day two, I awoke two hours earlier than normal, eagerly anticipating my second day. Spending much of my time with Tanya Averith, we explored digital portfolios and the amazing continuum of student achievement cataloged and brought to life by students from their elementary years to graduation. One key quote had a hauntingly prophetic ring. “If you Google yourself online,” Tanya said, “what result will you see? Students are putting so much information online, isn’t it better to be a knowledgeable guide, helping them create a positive digital identity than forgoing this responsibility?” I was struck the importance of these sentiments. A digital reputation is simply a fact in a modern world, connected by social media and the World Wide Web. Working with students to create a positive digital persona that reflects their accomplishments and values suddenly struck me as a key responsibility we as educators hadn’t adequately considered. !

For much of the afternoon on the second day, I attended seminars examining how to bridge the digital divide and provide students with online software and technology for learning. While each presenter demonstrated technologies - Google Drive, word processing, slideshows, and forms, I was struck by the diversity of machinery at the conference. Many presenters used MacBooks. Kamloops teachers and technicians attending used Chromebooks, a new low-cost Linux-based laptop running the Chrome web browser as the chief environment for applications, and web programs. There was a myriad of devices, Apple, Google, Windows, etc. but each running Chrome was able to access documents, share interactions, and load cloud applications. I learned Chrome extensions provided additional software abilities and functionality to meet virtually any software need, from creating podcasts to editing digital video and publishing it online to YouTube, Vimeo, etc. The Kamloops School District has in fact, moved to adopting Google Apps for Education and has invested in low-cost Chromebook (laptop) and Chromebox (mini-Desktop) technology in a manner that provides incredible indemnified tech support from Google, Cloud storage, applications for learning, and more. Considering that average desktop technologies running Windows average $700-$1000, the cost savings alone from highly secured Chromebooks ($270-$400) was impressive. Considering the advantage of Google Applications, secure cloud storage, and an expansive list of web programs to install in Chrome, the value for students and educators was readily apparent. The Roadmap for Successful Implementation of Chromebooks was informative on so many levels. I left hoping to communicate these incredible advantages to my own district. Providing teachers and ideally, students, with a portable cloud- based, secure, indemnified device with so much free software creates an opportunity for learners to work from home, creating new materials to share and promote learning in a 21st Century, Web 2.0, socially connected world.

As the Summit concluded, there was a palpable sentiment that teachers couldn’t wait for the next opportunity to return next year and share their experiences using Google Apps for Education and what they’d created, and what they’d done with educational technology to improve their teaching and the learning of their students. The tools weren’t the point, the rationale for their implementation was. However, these are undeniably excellent tools in a fabulously connected online medium - Google.

There were just three teachers from SD57 at the Kamloops GAFE Summit. Next year, I hope to convince many more to travel to Kamloops for the proposed 2014 GAFE Summit. If you don’t wish to wait that long, here is the master schedule. I highly enjoyed the Summit and look forward to attending next year. The philosophies, reflections, training, and collaboration from this experience have already resounded in classroom opportunities for my students. Oddly enough, it feels like my students and I are just getting started.

Jerry

kazoo pedagogy

Guest Post by Trina Chivilo, teacher at Harwin Elementary, Prince George School District 57

Teacher As Songwriter: Kazoo Pedagogy and Professional Development

I am in my sixth year as a certified teacher, the last four years in a Kindergarten classroom. That’s probably the first thing to know about me; I am brave. Good thing too, because in the summer of 2013, I engaged in an extraordinary learning experience; I took an intensive song-writing workshop with Canadian folk-children music guru Fred Penner!

By the end of the school year I was anticipating an assignment change from Kindergarten to Music education K-7, so, I sought an opportunity to hone this side of my craft, or more correctly to bridge what was a personal joy into a professional skill. I found my opportunity with ten other songwriters in Wells, BC where we worked with and wrote songs with the beloved Winnipeg-based song-writer and performer.

It was a great week and a great professional development experience. Immersed in a provoking, generous, and collaborative musical community, I wrote four songs in four days. I was both humbled and nurtured as I risked and grew - something midst my deep interests and where I needed to be stretched. My teaching practice is expanding because of this professional development and so far, student engagement is high in my new music classroom. Three of the songs I wrote we will sing this year as repertoire in a new school choir. Now I can teach students, in small steps, how to write their own songs because I have learned a method from one of Canada’s heros. It’s going to be a great year.

In celebration of my learning with Fred Penner, I asked my school to buy 90 kazoos. I have introduced this hum-driven, buzzy-sounding instrument from the 19th century to the intermediate classes. The students are using kazoos to hear, match, and echo pitch; to play in unison, as ensemble, or as solo; to add accent, colour, or texture to musical phrases. We are having a blast discovering as we create, play, and collaborate. Most of the Grade Seven boys have yet to realize that they are also learning to sing in pitch. Ta da! Soon we will be writing songs.

Thanks for taking the time to read about what one ordinary teacher does while engaged in professional learning and practice. I hope you are inspired some time to share about your own teacher learning journey and the who or what that is inspiring you.

Trina


Photo: Fred Penner and Trina Chivilo, IMA Songwriter’s Showcase, Bear’s Paw Cafe, Wells, BC August 2013

ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art: http://www.artswells.com

The PD Committee

After two PGDTA Professional Development Committee Meetings, it has become clear that we have a great team in place with profound respect for autonomous professionalism among teachers, a desire for mutual accountability, and creative ideas for change.

We have tried to clear much of the administrivia and information-only items from our meetings in order to focus on dialogue and planning. This respects the fact that our committee members are not passive attendees but actual PD leaders in the district. Last year the PD Committee began talking about how their role might shift, including that of the Chair, and how the use of the PD Fund might shift as a result. This year, after two meetings, I think we are ready to describe what that shift might look like. These four items represent the core of a vision, and will give us plenty to mull over for the remaining seven meetings ahead in 2013-14:

1. Committee: the committee should have more opportunities to lead PD whether this is facilitation, presentation, or organization -- and also share in the promotion and celebration of the PD of others. One way this might happen is to conduct conference participant interviews with the aim to publish short celebrations of learning for other educators and the public.
2. PD Fund administrator: as PD chair and also in possession of a half-time coordinator's position, this person should be as active as possible on the professional learning side of the equation as the Fund administration duties; while it is already a busy job with pulls in many directions, there is always room to change how it is used. Solid precedents have been set by the past Chairs' involvement in Learning Partners, facilitating teacher inquiry projects, and the work of organizing the Zone Conference.
3. Fund applicants: we need to adjust our policies and do more to make use of the professional learning that takes place when we send teachers off to conferences. We did not used to have many expectations for what participants did with what they learned -- a very basic paper report was the default. We need to provide more and different opportunities for teachers to share -- not everyone wants to put on a workshop.
4. The PD Fund: currently, we allocate about 67% of the fund to out-of-district travel, 5% to in-district registration, 19% to the Zone Conference, 8% to special projects, and 1% to other items. We would like to develop strategies so that big-ticket items (conference travel) results in maximum benefit to teachers and their students. This may mean shifting some of the allocation towards more in-district events where more local teachers can access high-quality PD speakers and workshops, and also begin using part of the Fund to promote local talent and build capacity.

Robson Valley Fall Conference

The McBride-Valemount Teacher's Association, a local of the Prince George Teacher's Association, is excited to host a mini-conference on the Friday October 25th Professional Development Day. The 8:45-3:00 session takes place at McBride Secondary.

Session topics for primary and intermediate teachers:

• Math (am for Primary, pm for Intermediate) - presenter: Brian Hatcher, SD57 Math Resource Teacher
• Educational Technology (am) - facilitator: Joel Zahn, McBride teacher

Session topics for intermediate and secondary teachers:

• Project-based Learning - special guest presenter: Stephen Chase, Prince George teacher
• The Magic Egg - working with Pysanky

See full descriptions here (word file).

Registration is free, lunch provided. If space is available, administrators and parents are welcome to join, as are participants from outside the Robson Valley. Mileage can be claimed for PGDTA members if applied for by Oct 18th. 

Please contact McBride teacher Jill Howard (jhoward @ sd57.bc.ca) or Valemount teacher Brian Hanson (bhanson @ sd57.bc. ca) if you are interested, and contact Glen Thielmann (gthielmann @ sd57.bc.ca) if you intend to claim mileage or accommodation, or simply fill in an Individual PD Form and submit by Oct. 18th.  Here are some cabins for rent in McBride (sleep 3-4): http://www.mcbridebc.ca. I believe there are others, too.

September Pro-D News

The PD Fund: the budget for July-Dec out-of-district travel has almost been reached -- currently $47,600 out of the $50,000 allocated has been committed. The next 2 or 3 applications will finish this off. The majority of approved out-of-district travel was for conferences on (or including) the Oct 25th PD day -- 41 of 53 applications. In-district events and special projects may still be funded (all year), as well as out-of-district travel after December. This year, one of our goals is to evolve the expectations for conference attendees, mainly in providing more options for sharing professional learning.

Robson Valley PD on Oct 25th: presenter needed on topic of project-based learning; $400 honorarium & travel expenses paid -- details here: http://goo.gl/9UQ0pm -- contact me if interested by Oct 2nd.

Program for Quality Teaching: BCTF grant for teacher collaboration -- application deadline is Oct. 4th -- details at http://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/public/AboutUs/ServicesHandbook/16PQT.pdf

PD Reps: most schools have found one. Being a PD rep can be as simple as being a contact, or can be kicked up a notch to include planning PD with other staff or helping teachers develop ideas for their PD. PD Rep training is taking place Oct 30th at Van Bien - last year this was a great day and well attended. This year our emphasis is on self-directed teacher inquiry. Contact me if you need to be convinced. Sign up on PD Reg, fill in a leave app, and phone sub service to book a TTOC. The specific leave app info will be posted here as well as sent to your school secretary once you register.

Sep 27 PD reminder: some schools have planned activities on this day (by mutual agreement and voluntary participation), while many teachers are working on independent inquiry or collaborative professional development in formal or informal groups. Others are seeking out a colleague with which to work through common problems. Still others are attending workshops or conferences, viewing webcasts or joining webinars, exploring ERAC resources, or even reading & reflecting on professional literature. Please be aware of our responsibilities regarding doing PD on PD days -- it is not unreasonable for our administrators to know where we are and have a rough idea what we are doing. There are many things that are beneficial to students and important for teachers to do (like marking and organizing a classroom) that do not constitute professional development by most definitions. There are grey areas, too -- e.g. planning your next set of lessons is marginal for PD, whereas planning for a new unit, course or teaching approach is much better, especially if it involves others. Working from home is not an option, but PD can take place off-site if the in-district venue fits the activity. Feel free to contact me if you need more background on our contractual obligations and also strategies for professional growth. The BCTF also has a good overview of PD days: http://www.bctf.ca/publications/NewsmagArticle.aspx?id=12792

Call for PBL Presenter

On October 25th, 2013, the schools in Valemount and McBride are hosting a day of professional development at McBride Secondary (School District 57) with a main focus on Project-Based Learning.

The PGDTA Pro-D Committee is looking for an individual who is interested in presenting and facilitating a full-day workshop on this topic.

We will cover mileage to and from McBride (presumably from Prince George), cost of accommodation (one or two nights), and a $400 honorarium in addition to one release day for prep and/or travel. Presenters from outside School District 57 are welcome to submit expressions of interest or make inquiries. Additional travel costs or presenter requirements can be accommodated.

The “mini-conference” will be free and open to any educators but will focus on intermediate and secondary teachers from Valemount and McBride (the Robson Valley sublocal of School District 57).

The structure and style of the day will be up to the presenter and the host schools, but may include:

• student examples of PBL 
• strategies for developing good inquiry questions 
• integrating diverse curricula or place-based learning 
• managing the steps of PBL, including presentation 
• assessing PBL (self / peer / teacher / formative / summative) 
• co-developing existing projects from the attendees (e.g. project tuning) 

Expressions of interest (brief description of your PBL background and presentation approach) and general inquiries can be made to:

Glen Thielmann, Pro-D Chair  gthielmann @ sd57.bc.ca
email or phone (afternoons M-F) if you have questions 250-562-7214 loc. 104 

Deadline for expression of interest: Oct. 2nd, 2013

Presenter will be selected by Pro-D Committee and notified by Oct. 8th, 2013