Category Archives: Professional Development

Two Easy Ways to Help Organize Your Desk

Two Easy Ways to Help Organize Your Desk

Organize Your Desk

Piles of papers, charts, pens, and pencils are often seen on an educator’s desk. There are student papers to grade, reports to finish, and class schedules scattered about.  Can you relate to a messy desk? Either you are constantly trying to find things or constantly trying to clean the desk. A messy desk equals stress. Therefore, let’s relieve some stress. Here are two easy ways to help organize your desk. Continue reading

The Benefits of Teacher-Led Professional Development

The Benefits of Teacher-Led Professional Development

Professional development (PD) is an opportunity to increase our knowledge and skills as educators. Yet, we sit in PD sessions where we wonder when will it end. Or we attend mandated PD where topics have nothing to do with our school’s goals or school improvement plan. Sometimes, we wonder if anyone asked a teacher for input on PD topics. We complete surveys at the end of PD sessions and are asked for topic ideas and input. However, is anyone listening to our needs as professionals? We as educators need to take control of our own learning and understand the benefits of teacher led professional development.

Continue reading

Public Perception of Education and Teachers

Public Perception

Teachers have a difficult but rewarding job. Sometimes, they feel underappreciated for the service they provide to students and families across this country. Public education continues to take hits in the media. The public perception of education and teachers often seems negative. Sometimes, it feels like the ills of society are somehow the fault of teachers. Our education system bears too much responsibility. Consequently, educators feel the burden of trying to raise test scores, maneuvering ever changing policies, inconsistent leadership and more. It leaves teachers to wonder how does the public perception affect their jobs and morale.

We, the public are bombarded with information about school funding, standardized testing, and comparing our educational system to those in other countries. Recently, we listened to politicians debate whether the Secretary of Education is qualified to serve in the position. Also, we heard about the possibility of major decreases in funding for schools. Overall, it’s hard to see positives when all the news appears to be negative. However, the public perception of education and teachers is not as bad as it seems. 

Three out of four Americans have trust and confidence in public school teachers.

Continue reading