Too often professional development days are one size fits all for teachers. Topics and training are usually selected by the administration and everyone attends regardless of their readiness level. Why can't professional development be differentiated much like teachers differentiate lessons for our students? Simply put there is not enough time. How can administrators with everything else they are charged with, assess their faculty's readiness levels for a presentation or select varying topics based upon need? They can't. However, teachers can create more time to collaborate and share ideas not just with other faculty in their district but across districts if we use the technology accessible to everyone today--the internet. Teachers can create connections and problem solve in real time by blogging. No longer must teachers wait for the traditional professional day or be confined by the walls of their building. The internet allows teachers, and all members of the education community, to make more time for professional development that is more meaningful. Blogging also allows connections to be made with the larger community--universities, libraries, parents, etc. All stakeholders must be involved in our public schools if all students are to succeed.
Idea No. 333