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Shifting from Tool-Focused to District Goal-Focused PD




For the upcoming school year, I'm focusing on three areas where I want to improve when designing and leading PD sessions:
  • Shifting from tool-focused to district goal (or pedagogy) focused PD
  • Trying new strategies to differentiate and support individualized progression
  • Providing more time for meaningful collaboration to promote active learning
I was recently asked to lead an "Intro to Google" PD for a group of first-year teachers in a few weeks, so this is my first chance to try to work on these goals. This group is a cohort of teachers in our BRIDGE program, which is an alternative teacher preparation program.

To try to shift away from being tool-focused, I did the following:
  • Talked with my supervisor to get a better understanding of our district goals
  • Asked our Content Specialists what skills new teachers would need to get started using our district curriculum guides and resources
  • Asked the BRIDGE instructors what skills these teachers would need to be successful in the first few months of this program
  • Reflected on the challenges and areas of frustration that teachers shared over the last year as they were trying to navigate Google Workspace for Education
After taking all of those areas into consideration, I arrived at a framework for introducing this group to Google for Workspace skills. We will explore, discuss, and learn new skills through the lens of these three themes:

Access

One of the basic skills we need to make sure new teachers understand is how to access their Google Drive. However, this past year has also shown us that we need to regularly look for ways to ensure that all of our students have access to quality learning, whether that is in-person or remotely. We can do that by helping teachers learn how to utilize tools such as Google Classroom and Sites to house and organize learning materials.

Efficiency

If there is one thing that is a challenge for new teachers (and really ALL teachers), it is having enough time! Between planning, grading, answering emails from parents, and all of the other things on their plates, teachers never seem to have enough time to get everything done. If we can use technology to streamline some of those tasks, then they have more time to plan really engaging lessons for their students. 

Collaboration

One of the greatest benefits of using Google Workspace in the classroom is how easy it is to collaborate. Meaningful collaboration among students can increase engagement and lead to really powerful learning experiences. The ability to collaborate with colleagues can also really benefit new teachers as they develop their skills in planning and designing lessons. 


I'm hoping this will be a meaningful way to organize the skills and concepts during our PD sessions. 

What are your PD goals for next year?
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