Week 2 - #CathEdSocial - Professional Development for Catholic Educators

Week 2 - #CathEdSocial - Professional Development for Catholic Educators

By: Denise Brickler (@denisebrick)

In Catholic schools, our students should be receiving the BEST education and the BEST faith formation.  As Catholic school educators, our goals are: 1) to get our students to heaven AND 2) to educate them academically so that they can use their God-given gifts and talents to give glory to God.  This is where Professional Development comes in.  

Catholic school educators NEED professional development; it is not optional!  Catholic school educators must commit to being lifelong learners, willing to learn and put into practice new teaching strategies and methodologies so that our students get the best education possible.  AND Catholic school educators must commit to fostering and nourishing their relationship with Jesus so that our students in Catholic schools can come to encounter Jesus in them.  Below are some #TopTips for offering PD to Catholic school teachers.

@denisebrick with Superintendent Sr. Nathalie (via YouTube) at PD for PSR Catechists

Top Tips for Offering PD in Catholic Schools

1. Differentiate PD - Just like classroom instruction should be differentiated, PD should also be differentiated. This means that it may not be effective to have a guest speaker come to talk at a group of Catholic school educators during a faculty meeting. Maybe bring a few speakers and let the teachers choose which one will benefit them and their students the most. Maybe have groups of teachers decide what they need help to learn in groups so there is some support. Maybe offer breakout leveled groups to discuss what the one speaker talked at them about and how they can apply it to their learning and to their students' learning.
2. Pay for Teachers' PD - If teachers ask to attend a workshop, a conference, or a professional learning group, please find the money to pay for it. Student learning is important, and if a teacher wants to learn something to implement in their classroom that will improve or increase student learning, then find the money to pay for it. If a middle school math teacher wants to meet with another group of middle school math teachers to learn how more effectively teach math to her middle school math students, then make it okay to leave the school building. Find a sub. Make it easy for professional learning to happen.
3. Focus on the Biggest Learning Need - Choose the BIG learning need for the faculty to focus for the school year. It becomes very confusing when there are many different "programs" happening. Pick the biggest learning need and focus on that one need. It may be your 1-to-1 technology initiative. It may be focusing on disciplining with dignity. It may be on differentiating instruction in each classroom. Teachers will find their own professional learning goals on which to focus. As a faculty, focus on the ONE big learning need.
4. Ongoing Coaching - Provide ongoing coaching to implement ideas/methodologies/strategies learned in PD. If PD is going to be effective, then there needs to be some follow through. Coaching can provide that follow through. The coaching could come from a teacher leader trained or with a special gift for your one big learning need. The coaching could come from a parent helping implement technology. The coaching could even come from students. Identify who has these gifts, and ask them to share their gifts for the improvement of the learning happening in your school building.
5. Live Collaboration - During faculty PD meetings, encourage live collaboration by setting up a shared Google doc on which to take notes, ask questions, and make comments. Resources can also be shared digitally using a shared folder on a Google Drive. Faculty members can even live tweet the PD using an agreed-upon hashtag.
6. NO PowerPoints - If it HAS to be a PowerPoint, at least convert it to a superior Google Slide presentation and encourage teachers to type live comments and questions during the presentation.
7. Teacher Engagement - Keep teachers engaged. They should NOT be grading papers during faculty PD! They should be discussing, collaborating, and engaging with colleagues.
8. Provide Food - Feed the teachers during PD. Catholic school teachers usually like having more than 10 minutes to eat lunch during a faculty PD. Provide snacks. Put chocolate out on the tables. Keep the teachers happy.

Catholic school teachers also need to be lifelong learners and willing to learn professionally on their own. This is personalized PD, where Catholic school educators seek out their own professional learning. Below are some #TopTips for Catholic school educators for finding their own personalized PD.

Ideas for Personalized PD for Catholic Educators

1. Read Blogs - I recommend:
1. tduhl.wordpress.com
2. catholicfaitheducation.blogspot.com
3. bethanyshill.com/blog-posts
4. weprincipal.blogspot.com
5. www.jesusteachertech.com
6. theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com
7. catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com
8. www.churchsocialtips.com/blog
9. www.thehealinghaven.net/blog
10. jazzyjean72.edublogs.org
2. Listen to Podcasts - I recommend:
1. The Catholic Teacher Podcast by Jonathan Doyle
2. Catholic Ed 4 All Podcast by Dr. Raul Escarpio
3. Catholic School Matters by Dr. Tim Uhl
4. Do Something Beautiful by Leah Darrow
5. The Electric Waffle by Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady
6. Pints With Aquinas with Matt Fradd
7. Word on Fire Show with Bishop Robert Barron
8. Catholic Stuff You Should Know by 4 Catholic priests in Denver
9. Hello and Welcome Show by Kristine Franklin
10. Sunday, Sunday, Sunday Podcast by Mark Hart
3. Read Books - I recommend:
1. Teach Like a Pirate: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator by Dave Burgess
2. Lead Like a Pirate: Make School Amazing for Your Students and Staff by Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf
3. The Four O'Clock Faculty: A Rogue Guide to Revolutionizing Professional Development by Rich Czyz
4. The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity by George Couros
5. The Catechist's Backpack: Spiritual Essentials for the Journey by Joe Paprocki and Julianne Stanz
6. Tools & Fuels: How Catholic Teachers Can Become Saints, Beat Burnout and Save the World by Jonathan Doyle
7. Called to Teach: Daily Inspiration for Catholic Educators by Justin McClain
8. Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young
9. Your School Rocks: Passionately Pitch and Promote the Positives Happening on Your Campus by Ryan McLane
10. My Sisters the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir by Colleen Carroll Campbell
4. Follow Hashtags - I recommend:
1. #CatholicEdChat on Saturdays at 8AM CST
2. #BigFan
3. #JoyfulLeaders
4. #BeTheGreaterGator
5. #PriestAtProm
6. #CatholicSTL
7. #StEsStrong
8. #SignalGrace
9. #CatholicTwitter
10. #SaintOfTheDay
5. Build Your PLN - Find your tribe! Get on Twitter and find other Catholic educators to pray for you and give you new ideas to try. Or gather your teacher friends and make other new teacher friends in real life to pray with them and exchange new ideas. It is all for making our Catholic schools stronger and leading our students to heaven!