Month: September 2021

Recently, because of the pandemic, school administrators quickly had to implement action plans to support teacher training, particularly in connection with digital skills. The new school year provides a great opportunity for leaders to keep this learning approach alive, one that we’ve all had to experience for over a year now, in spite of ourselves. How can a management act now, and how can it influence the continuation of this professional development process among its teachers?

A study carried out among 708 Québec teachers designed to address the lack of information about the nature of professional development (PD) activities in which they participate made it possible to draw some very interesting findings. This report summarizes them and enables us to take stock of the characteristics supported by research of so-called effective PD activities, in addition to learning about avenues of intervention to be considered to promote teachers’ participation in their continuous professional development. 

Even within a united team, each teacher is unique, and has their own way of seeing their class and, above all, their way of envisioning it, of guiding it. In order to meet your personal and professional aspirations, it’s important to stop, think and take time ”to align your #profdev”. Consistency is indeed a recognized feature of effective professional development. Here’s a reflection path that can support those who wish to better structure their professional development.

The team at CADRE21 has developed a professional development matrix that enables different stakeholders to identify a variety of forms of support, while respecting their communities’ existing conditions and organizational culture. This aspect appears vital: when it comes to professional development, each setting’s conditions will often dictate the level of individual or collective commitment. 

Inspiring quotes suggested by Myra, a primary school teacher. She also shares her mantra for the school year.

In a flash, COVID-19 forced a dramatic shift in teaching and learning. Schools pivoted to remote instruction and educators quickly immersed themselves in educational technology—willing or not. Schools scrambled to adjust to this new educational environment and many teachers struggled to forge effective teaching environments online. However, many teachers seized the opportunity to learn more about educational technology and to rethink the student learning process.

Discover or re-discover various apps and sites ideas!

Beginning something new and confronting new circumstances requires us to bear the discomfort of being a beginner. It necessitates experiential learning—any learning that happens when we intentionally consider our experience to be a source for a potential lesson. Research insights into how students learn through experience can benefit anyone who is facing the discomfort of new learning.

Why are some leaders successful and others not? This is the big question Ontario researcher Michael Fullan tries to answer in his work, and he has several answers! Here are a few from a recent conference for school administrators, which we attended. 

In the heat of a school year, there’s a LOT on teachers’ to-do lists. Lesson planning. Grades. Emails. Meetings.
Oh, and we have to teach, too!
But sometimes, it’s necessary to do some big-picture thinking. We can reflect on and plan for bigger goals, plans, and strategies than we can feasibly in the heat of a school year. If you’re ready to level up your teaching, here are some questions to consider.