Throughout the process of planning and implementing my first PD for teachers, I learned so much about myself as a professional developer. I learned that I am stronger at planning PD for teachers than I had originally thought. During the planning process, I knew that I needed to be thorough to creative the most effective PD for teachers that I could. I analyzed more than one needs assessment from teachers and paid close attention to what they were telling me they needed during conversations. When planning, I realized the reason it is so time consuming is because there are many factors that go into creating meaningful experiences for teachers. I kept thinking about how the PD would impact student learning and what teachers would need to become better 21st century teachers. As I was creating the presentations and resources, I I thought about what I would benefit from as a teacher and what I would find useful with my students. By looking at my PD through the lens of the participants, I feel I was able to create a purposeful day where every minute was used wisely.
The teachers view me as a technology leader and the PD day allowed me to shine and show what I have to offer. I learned that I am most effective as a facilitator rather than a dictator, and that my adult teaching style is much like my student teaching style. I build on strengths and recognize the talents around me. I helped to give teachers a voice and share their talents, which is something that does not happen as often as it should at this school. I also learned that I can be flexible and positive in the worst of situations, as demonstrated by my reaction to Google not working. How I react to technology is how teachers react, and I am proud that I was able to keep my composure and continue on when the technology wasn't working properly. After that day, I've seen teachers become more flexible and problem solvers when technology doesn't work, whereas before they would just give up. I feel like I was a good model of a technology leader and used my position to empower teachers. I love being a Digital Learning Coach and playing such an integral role in promoting change at my schools. My experience from this PD day has impacted other professional development I have offered to teachers and has made me a better coach.
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