Professional development funds afford faculty and staff the opportunity to attend conferences, pursue advanced degrees or gain expertise in a field related to their roles here at Proctor. While conferences in the middle of the term can be difficult to attend (let alone just prior to exam week -
study hard students!), fourteen teachers and learning specialists made time to attend the annual
Learning and the Brain conference held in Boston over the weekend.
A flurry of emails and shared Google Drive documents containing notes taken by conference attendees flooded email inboxes Monday morning, each filled with tremendous resources for the entire community to share. Online learning, effectively reaching the wired generation, the role of teachers in technology filled classrooms, and the diminishing focus on ‘reading’ were all discussed at the conference, sparking tremendous conversations that will surely percolate here on campus as well.
Jen Fleming, English teacher and co-director of
Proctor’s European Art Classroom, attended one workshop focused on the globalization of American students and observed, “We cannot continue to exist in the comfortable bubble of our own country...We need to do the opposite. We need to encourage creative thought. Unique ideas are what will set our students apart. We need to cultivate creativity by increasing our students' opportunities in the arts.” Learning Specialist Joan Saunders added, “The best line of the conference was
Will Richardson saying, ‘We cannot be creative if we refuse to be confused.’”
Each teacher left the conference inspired and excited to apply new knowledge to teaching at Proctor. Jen Fleming wrote, “Leaving the conference, my immediate thought was how does this relate to me, my immediate world, and my profession: European Art Classroom? I believe I can now put it into words WHY. Why do we have an immersive art program? To incubate creativity in those who want it. Why do we not only have students study French, but also two other languages while participating? To sharpen their global sensibilities. Why Europe? To experience masterworks from the western art world. Experiencing the 'doing' is the best way for students to make the connection.”
While each individual attended different workshops at the conference, and each teacher took away different pieces of wisdom, Fleming’s experience is representative of all who engage in professional development activities. Coming out of this weekend’s conference, it is abundantly clear that each teacher left his or her workshop challenged to grow through what they learned and through what they shared with others. Professional development opportunities play a vital role in our faculty and staff’s professional journey; just as we expect our students to learn, grow, and evolve as students, so, too, must we as educators.
Workshops, conferences, and supplemental courses bring new ideas to campus, allow for collaboration with others in the profession, and often provide affirmation of Proctor’s educational model. We are incredibly thankful to school leadership for consistently encouraging each of us to continuously develop our craft!
