What's the most ridiculous PD experience you've had?

My funniest was my first day as brand-spanking-new teacher after 2 years of preparation….The district curriculum director gathered all the new recruits for the district into a small conference room and trapped us there.  All. Day.

Ok, I bet you're thinking…”I've had to do that. That's no big deal.”

But wait!

All the new recruits were fresh out of great undergrad and master's programs–mostly master's programs–where 85% of what we learned about was reaching all learners with through all learning styles:

  • How to provide instruction for all the senses so every student could connect.
  • How to vary instructional routines so students would stay engaged.
  • How to split up the 90 minutes of a block scheduled class with video, lecture, group discussion, independent work, & more.

So, what did the curriculum director attempt to teach us?

Ways to vary instruction to increase understanding and engagement.

The problem?

It was all through lecture. All. Day.

Lecture about how to do group work.

Lecture about when to use video.

Lecture about the importance of peer discussion.

I was So. Bored. Didn't get to know any of those other new recruits, either. There was no peer discussion, right? 😮

How could one teach about varying instructional routines without varying one's instructional routine. For a whole day?

Oh, the irony.

My friend, never fear! I have an antidote to the most ridiculous PD experiences of your career! Stay tuned for:

15 Nights of PD via Facebook Live!

A troupe of English teachers and curriculum creators have come together to offer great solutions to your biggest problems as English Language Arts teachers–just in time for those who are headed back to school. Get ready for your best year ever!

Tune into to 15 nights of Netflix-like PD programming delivered right to your Facebook feed each night at 9 pm (EST) from Aug 1 thru Aug 15. We're calling it ELA Live (#ELALive).

Each night a different teacher–from her own Facebook page–will share solutions to big problems.

Each night a different speaker!

Each night we get to engage with the speaker via comments and Likes and Loves!

Many nights we may even snag freebies–I'm giving away a special offer on my night (Aug. 4, Fri. @ 9 pm-EST)!

The maven behind this fun PD experience is Betsy Potash of the Creative High School English Facebook group.

Betsy's written about the special event here at Teachers Pay Teachers and shared 3 ways to use Facebook Live at We Are Teachers. #ELALive

The TV Line Up – #ELALive

Ok, don't actually turn on your old-fashioned TV to get this free PD in your PJ's.

Instead, each night for 15 nights at 9 pm (EST) between Aug 1 and Aug 15 go to the relevant links below to tune into each teacher's solutions on her own Facebook page.

Aug. 1st at 9 pm EST
“Project Based Learning for Secondary English Classrooms” with Mud & Ink Teaching

Aug. 2nd at 9 pm EST
“Strategies for Writing Commentary for Literary Analysis” with Bespoke ELA

Aug. 3rd at 9 pm EST
“Ideas and Strategies to Incorporate Choice Reading” with Doc Cop

Aug. 4th at 9 pm EST
“Pinpoint the Source of Most Reading Problems in Five Minutes” with Reading Simplified

Yep, that's me up above!

After assessing hundreds of beginning and struggling readers of all ages for 20 years, I've realized how broken our ELA assessment tools are. 🙁

The Good News?

You can discover how just 1 quick test can pinpoint the source of most of the problems your struggling readers have.

It's hidden info that can change the efficacy of your teaching! So please tune in to my Facebook page at Reading Simplified especially on Fri. Aug. 4th at 9 pm (EST) to discover how to pinpoint the source of most reading problems, in about 5 minutes.

But the fun and the learning just keep rolling….

Aug. 5th at 9 pm EST
“How to Teach Students to Elaborate on their Thinking” with English, Oh My! 

Aug. 6th at 9 pm EST
“How to Run a Book Club” with The Reading and Writing Haven

Aug. 7th at 9 pm EST
“Encourage Independent Reading in Reluctant Learners” with Samson's Shoppe

Aug. 8th at 9 pm EST
“Using Showcase Projects to Increase Engagement” with Spark Creativity

Aug. 9th at 4 pm EST
“How to Publish Student Writing Online and Create E-Portfolios” with Amanda Write Now

Aug. 10th at 9 pm EST
“5 Hidden Gems (books!) that Both Teachers and Students will Love with 2 Lifelong Teachers

Aug. 11th at 9 pm EST
“Starting on the Right Track with Struggling Secondary (Dependent) Learners” with Secondary Urban Legends

Aug. 12th at 9 pm EST
“Back to School Digital Escape Room” with Lit with Lyns

Aug. 13th at 9 pm EST
“Conferring with Student Writers” with Wild Child Designs

Aug. 14th at 9 pm EST
“Giving Meaningful Feedback to Writers” with Read it. Write it. Learn It. 

Aug. 15th at 9 pm EST
“Grammar Manipulations: Holding Language” with Language Arts Classroom

Will you please join me in some or all of these PD sessions? How cozy we can all be in our jammies cuddled up with a drink of some sort! 😉

I'll be tuning in and commenting–no quiet classrooms in this series!

Bookmark this page so you don't forget where to tune in each night. Most of the speakers are middle school and high school English teachers but much of the content will likely relate to all of us who teach readers and writers of all ages!

And if you have a complaint to lodge about your most ridiculous PD experience ever, I know your teacher friends would love to hear it! Please share in the comments below.