Teaching the Teacher
Posted: October 03, 2007
Rarely does one think of October as "back to school," but for educators across the state of Idaho, the first week of October provides an opportunity for teachers to become students again. Professional educators from around the state gather during state in-service days to collaborate, share, and grow as professionals.
Just as doctors, bankers, and farmers attend training and seminars to increase productivity, educators must also have opportunities to increase their knowledge about teaching techniques. In-service offer educators opportunities to learn new strategies and information that can be incorporated into their daily teaching. Collaborating with other educators takes on an increased importance for educators. Unlike other professionals who meet daily to discuss and brainstorm, teachers are often isolated in their classroom. With lesson planning, grading, and instructing, educators often feel alone in their environment. In-service days thus take on an added meaning for the professional educator.
In addition to the October state in-service days, local school districts also offer professional development throughout the school year. Districts analyze their curriculum goals and then design training to support these plans. This year, Minidoka School District is focusing on student engagement, vocabulary development for students, and effective instruction techniques. In August, staff members attended two in-services. In the first training, Michael Prichard, a motivational speaker, urged staff members to enjoy what they do. He stressed the positive ways to interact with students. During the second in-service, Hannel Consulting Firm demonstrated highly effective questioning techniques aimed at increasing student participation and engagement. In February, renowned reading expert, Anita Archer, will visit the district to focus on increased vocabulary development and student participation. The district continues to work diligently to provide quality training.
So, the next time you are notified about teacher in-service, just smile and know that your child's teacher is "back in school."
By: Colleen Johnson, Principal, Paul Elementary School