While students were at home enjoying the last day of a four-day weekend in mid-October, educators from across the county gathered together at the high school for professional development, a county-wide learning day for educators. Immediately upon entering the school, music played over the speakers, creating an uplifting atmosphere for the educators gathered in the cafeteria.
As time drew closer to the beginning of the first session, educators made their way through the halls and helped each other navigate through the high school. At 8:15, the first session began, and so did the learning.
“I think it’s pretty awesome the way we’re doing professional development here,” Trevillians Elementary School Principal Gary Black said. “We do have some outside people coming in that are experts in their fields, but we also have Louisa people, our own colleagues, our own people that we work with, that are teaching everybody. So I think that’s great that you can learn from the people you work with.”
Each session covered different topics, many of which could be applied to all grade levels, and certain sessions were more grade-specific. To make the most of the day, the teachers’ sessions needed to give them useful knowledge for their grade level and the subject they teach.
“Teachers have a lot of choice in what they do; all the staff here get to choose what [sessions] they go to, and so they’re really finding something important to them,” Black said. “It’s not just something that we give to everybody; it wouldn’t make sense if you don’t need it.”
As educators, it is essential to be proficient in a variety of skills to pass them down to their students. After all, students learn much more from teachers than just the core subjects, making it crucial for teachers to utilize professional development as an opportunity to enhance their skill set.
One area that was a focus of the sessions was the use of AI as a learning tool. In one session, educators were taught the ways AI can be used not only in the classroom but as a tool in life, allowing teachers to build a positive relationship between AI and their students.
“I think that kids nowadays know way more technology things than the teachers do,” fourth-grade Thomas Jefferson Elementary teacher Ali Hodell said. “So it’s definitely important to keep up to date by making sure we’re in the know on the newest things, and making sure we’re using our time efficiently to really help the students.”
Not only is it important for educators to stay knowledgeable on the most effective methods of teaching to benefit their students, but it is also vital to find ways to make teaching a smooth but impactful process. Through professional development, educators get a recharge, not only through the classes but by gathering as “one family” to enjoy a fun and educational experience together.
“Teachers pour their hearts into teaching students, and it is equally important for teachers to have the opportunity to continue our own learning as well,” said middle school principal Amanda Harper. “Professional development keeps the learning going, and it’s just so important that as we’re teaching students to be lifelong learners, we as educators continue to be lifelong learners ourselves.”
