Daniel Pink‘s work has really changed the way I view Professional Development for staff members. There comes a point in the school culture shift when teams of teachers are ready to collaborate, build and innovate on their own.  The staff here at Crull has reached this point, they loved our first foray into Self Driven Professional Development so much that I decided to provide additional opportunities through the course of this school year.

We began our PD with team building activities in the gym. Tower building in teams, whole group challenges, and then a look at the SAMR technology model. Finally we reviewed our vision as  a district: Innovate. Educate. Advocate.  Then our school goal: Create Engagement.

Then staff we released to collaborate on any project they wanted to work on. This was their prompt:

• Goal: – Choose tasks that will benefit and impact student learning in math, technology, writing, or instructional groupings. Think differently!
  • Teachers will learn/ explore new techniques for increasing student engagement and student questioning
  • Teachers will modify and redefine
• Technique – Design your activities and project work in your own way, so long as the end result is a benefit to students and increase student engagement OR questioning and discussion.
• Team – You MUST work with a team.  Work with anyone you want to work with today- Consult with the many knowledgeable people in our school! Consider the importance of the collaborative efforts! But, be respectful if a team is particularly engaged.
• Time – Use your time as you see fit. You will asked to deliver a product or status update at 3:00 using the google classroom (this too can be a creative submission video, google presentation…..) that includes:
  • What your project/idea is
  • Who you worked with (if anyone)–Groups can deliver as a team
  • How it will impact students/learning OR increase student engagement and questioning
  • What you completed today- when will be implementation
  • Internet Resources and ALL information that will benefit the whole staff

What did 2 hours yield?

The development of a Howard D Crull Reading Room

• Students can bring books to be in a quiet space and read- while 2 intervention teachers work with students
• The staff members modified the physical space, created expectations for students, and defined their goal
• The staff members posted signs with the expectations in the room for students

Mainstreaming Emotional Impaired Students and Project Based Learning

• This 4th Grade and EI teacher team developed a 2 week project
• Integrated all subjects, developed performance tasks
• Placed students based on IEP needs
• Planned for differentiated environments

Kindergarten Math Centers

• The Kindergarten team developed a math centers
• Found and created materials for student work zones
• Aligned centers to the CCSS and District Pacing Guides for 2nd Trimester

Revolutionary War Unit

• The 5th grade team developed a Revolutionary War Unit
• With Resources Materials and Technology for the 3rd Trimester
• Also discussed roller coaster design projects and found resources for the units of study

Using Technology to Demonstrate Learning

• Group created a presentation and resources to have students create to demonstrate
• This group was a multi-gradelevel grouping their presentation was submitted for the staff to view and learn

The professional development I could have provided would never have covered the depth and breadth of the work the collaborative teams did today. Here are additional resources for learning about the Fed Ex Day or Self Directed Professional Development.

Great video on Creativity and Innovation: