Rule #5: Be Camera ReadyThis is coming from an extrovert who NEEDS people to feel complete! It's easy to get up and go to your computer after grabbing your coffee (or Vanilla Chai Tea in my case) and get to work. I personally start to feel like an unmotivated slob if I stay in my pajamas all day! These days, I get up and get ready like I would if I was leaving my house to go to work, except everyday is a jeans day! Since we are using Google Meet and Zoom for a lot of meetings these days (every day for me), having makeup on makes me feel like myself. Obviously, makeup is not important to everyone. The idea is to just keep your morning routine to be your best self! Rule #4: Use A Digital CalendarI love my paper calendar (right now it's a Passion Planner), but I haven't been using it as much since we are using Google Meet for all of our PLC's. When I'm home, it's much harder to keep up with time. I need my digital reminders so I don't miss any important meetings! The beauty of using Google Calendar is that you can add conferencing to all your events as well as notification shedules. I'd recommend setting them up with all your events so it's there if you need it.
Rule #3: Don't plan too far aheadThings are changing so quickly right now, you don't want to stress yourself out by planning to far ahead and realizing those plans have to change. Our teachers have been planning for the week, including one day to catch up on everything that's due or work on a "May Do" choice board to give options to those who are done without overwhelming them with additional requirements. Haven't used Choice Boards yet, check these out! Rule #2: Give Yourself GraceMy friend Kasey Bell wrote an awesome post about "Grace Over Grades" that really hit home for a lot of people, including me. It's not just about giving our kids Grace though, it's also about giving yourself grace! We have never had to live in a remote world like we are now, so we are all having to find our own groove. We don't even know how long it will last, so it's hard to set goals past today. We're taking one day at a time, and that's okay. We're all in it together! Rule #1: Enjoy The Little ThingsIf you've ever seen the movie Zombieland, you'll know where this comes from. LOL! Not saying that we're in the same situation, but sometimes it feels like we are preparing for a zombie apocolypse! In all seriousness, this is a rule we should always follow. Think of the blessings that come out of difficult times and it will help you get through the day.  Here are a few ways I enjoy the little things...
How are you staying sane during this pandemic? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Tag me on Twitter @specialtechie
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Another Twist on PD! At the end of February, I was scrolling through Twitter (like I do every day) and stumbled upon this brilliant idea by Paula E. Auble. I immediately responded to see if she had a blog post written up about it, but she hasn't started her own blog yet. So...this was a chance to see if Paula would give "blogging" a chance! Our #PD4uandme chat discusses blogging every month, so I figured this would be another way to encourage others educators to give it a try. I asked Paula if she would write a guest blog post to get her awesome idea out there for the education world to share and here it is! Check it out and pass it along! Make sure to reply to her on Twitter if you try it in your own school because, sharing is caring! ~Pam & Paula PD in A Cup by: Paula E. Auble
As an Instructional Coach at a public high school, I am constantly looking for ways to help support our teaching staff, preferably without adding more meetings if possible. I wanted to find a way to expose teachers to some of those articles, blogs, websites and videos without asking more from them. Coincidentally, I recently attended an amazing Train the Trainer workshop with Anne M. Beninghof where she had QR codes cut out and sitting on the tables in the morning before the conference started. Some linked to articles, others to videos - and we could look at them on our own time as we were snacking on breakfast before the conference started, or later in the day during breaks. A colleague and I loved the idea and immediately discussed how we could bring this back to our staff during our professional development time. However, our school’s PD model focuses on differentiation for staff as often as we can, so we are rarely together as a whole group. Even then, my goal was still to try to help teachers fit some personal professional development into THEIR schedules. I wanted to find a way to take this idea TO the teachers and make it as easy and accessible as possible. I’ve seen PD in a Box and Learning in the Loo and so many other creative ideas and I wanted to find something that might work for my campus. Sitting on my desk was a plastic cup with our school name and logo on it - and it hit me. Well, the cup didn’t actually hit me, but the idea for PD in a Cup did! So I gathered articles, websites, strategies, and videos and turned them into QR codes. I started with relevant resources to support our school’s focus on PLCs, evidence-based grading, and then kept going to share ideas on checking for understanding, other instructional strategies and found some inspirational videos. I typed up directions explaining the cup would be in the teacher workroom for a week and then a new cup would follow each week. My campus has five teacher workrooms so I made five different sets of QR codes and directions and plan to rotate them weekly. I can do another round of rotations for the next 5 weeks after that. Inside the cup I also included an instructional reflection question they can think about or discuss with peers (teachers in our wings have weekly lunch meetings). The first one was “What are some ways that you have formatively assessed students this week and given them feedback? I included a “Fill Your Own Cup” question to have them reflect on how they are taking care of themselves. Each week I will swap out the reflection questions for new ones. I gave the whole campus the same questions so they can discuss them with other colleagues in departments or friends in other wings. I also included a QR code to a Google Form where teachers could give me feedback on what was in the cup and ask for things they might like to see in future cups. Maybe some teachers will never look at anything in the cup, but maybe some will. Maybe while a teacher is sitting at the table waiting for their copies, they will read or watch something they might not have otherwise. Maybe something inside can spark a conversation, inspire growth, or encourage someone to try something new. Who knows, but I’m excited to find out! I placed one in each workroom and hoped for the best. I shared this idea on social media and am thrilled to see other Coaches now talking about it and planning how they could do something similar for their own teachers. After twenty-two years in education, I still get excited to learn something from other educators and I’m eager to see if PD in a Cup can help excite others to learn as well. Teachers are busy. So if I can gather some ways to support, educate and inspire them in an easy, convenient way - that they can fit in to their own time and space… I’m going to try it! Feel free to try it, tweak it, and use it too. ~Paula E. Auble
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 | #EdCampPDHave you ever been to an Edcamp? If you haven't, you must check one out in your area! Yes, it's usually on a Saturday, but it's FREE! Not only is it free, you also get to meet other teachers with a growth mindset just like you! What do you have to lose? You can find more information here and find an Edcamp in your area here. |
Now... the reason I'm writing this post is because I've had quite a few people ask me about how we use an "Edcamp" model for our Early Release Days at our school. Our district has an "Early Release Day" scheduled on Wednesdays, almost every month, during the school year for our Elementary and Middle Schools (High School does a "late in" instead). Our kids leave early so we have over 3 hours of embedded time for professional development. It's so nice having this time built into our day so teachers don't have to make alternate arrangements for after-school kid pickups or just try to get home in heavier than usual traffic. We are a town of bridges, so it gets really bad!
Last year, I started using this model so we could add choice to our professional development and really try to encourage teacher leaders. Afterall, you know how enjoyable "mandatory" professional development can be! Yes, we still have to have those sometimes, but we try to mix it up a bit so teachers have some choice to make the day worth while. My favorite part is seeing how much other teachers enjoy learning from each other! I know that's how I was when I was in the classroom and I refuse to forget that! That's also what makes Edcamps so successful, so why not use the same method in our schools? Of course, I did not invent this model of Professional Development, this is just how we fit it into our set schedule.
Last year, I started using this model so we could add choice to our professional development and really try to encourage teacher leaders. Afterall, you know how enjoyable "mandatory" professional development can be! Yes, we still have to have those sometimes, but we try to mix it up a bit so teachers have some choice to make the day worth while. My favorite part is seeing how much other teachers enjoy learning from each other! I know that's how I was when I was in the classroom and I refuse to forget that! That's also what makes Edcamps so successful, so why not use the same method in our schools? Of course, I did not invent this model of Professional Development, this is just how we fit it into our set schedule.
 | Creating a ScheduleI start creating a schedule by asking teachers to present on something they would love to share. I may have to encourage some based on something I've seen while walking through classrooms. Once they agree to present, I add them to a Google Sheet (just a list) so I can use it for the schedule as well as a resource list |
just for suggestions to give to teachers when they want to observe other classrooms. After I get my list of presenters, I block out our required sessions first, then plug our teacher presenters into the Choice Board template you see above (template below). I always add Google sessions that I teach myself to help keep up with my 12 required sessions a year as a Google Certified Trainer.
If you can't travel a lot to present, it's a great way to get some sessions in! When thinking about time, I wouldn't go shorter than 45 minutes per window. Another option I add is a "planning" time so teachers have some flexibility to do anything they need to. Sometimes you just need a minute to grade papers, make a phone call, or just breathe at your desk (and that is okay)!
You'll also notice a Twitter challenge on the right to encourage sharing and just to add some fun. Don't forget your #hashtag! I think I need to add a Goosechase option next time we do this for the competitive teachers! Check it out if you've never seen the app before!
If you can't travel a lot to present, it's a great way to get some sessions in! When thinking about time, I wouldn't go shorter than 45 minutes per window. Another option I add is a "planning" time so teachers have some flexibility to do anything they need to. Sometimes you just need a minute to grade papers, make a phone call, or just breathe at your desk (and that is okay)!
You'll also notice a Twitter challenge on the right to encourage sharing and just to add some fun. Don't forget your #hashtag! I think I need to add a Goosechase option next time we do this for the competitive teachers! Check it out if you've never seen the app before!
Teacher Sign-UpsOnce I have my template filled out of all the sessions, I create a Google Form with multiple choice options of all the sessions so they can sign up for the ones they want to go to.  | I do this especially for the teachers presenting so they know how many teachers to expect. This is also helpful if your administration needs some kind of accountability for teachers. When you make your form, make sure to have it set to recurve a copy of the answers automatically. It keeps you from having to tell them what they signed up for on the day of. A sign-in sheet is also provided for each session so it can be turned in for PD credit hours. Click the image for a copy of the template! |
 Schedule printed for sessions! | EdCamp Kick-off!After the schedule has been made and teachers have signed up, we chat about what the day will look like during a group lunch time. We do this for a couple reasons... It's really hard to get out of the building and back in an hour, and it's a great time for teachers to talk to their coworkers. We have a big building, so our elementary and middle school teachers don't see each other much. It's an upstairs and downstairs neighborhood feel, so every once in a while we have to have a block party! |
EdCamp Follow-up
After the sessions, we ask teachers to give feedback to our presenters. The teachers answer the following questions on a Google Form:
1. What is one thing you learned during this session?
2. What is one thing you will try in your class as soon as possible?
3. What is one question you still have?
4. Any additional feedback (praise, constructive criticism to improve the session, etc.)?
I get this form anonymously (to make sure the feedback is constructive), then pass the information along to the presenters . The feedback I've been given has been very positive!
We encourage choice with our students, it only makes sense to give our teachers choice to "model the model". Download the template to try your own PD Choice Board (created in Google Sheets) below and please share how it goes! ~Pam @specialtechie
1. What is one thing you learned during this session?
2. What is one thing you will try in your class as soon as possible?
3. What is one question you still have?
4. Any additional feedback (praise, constructive criticism to improve the session, etc.)?
I get this form anonymously (to make sure the feedback is constructive), then pass the information along to the presenters . The feedback I've been given has been very positive!
We encourage choice with our students, it only makes sense to give our teachers choice to "model the model". Download the template to try your own PD Choice Board (created in Google Sheets) below and please share how it goes! ~Pam @specialtechie
 | More Creative PD Ideas!Do you have a creative way to provide professional development at your school? I'd love to hear about it! Need more? Check out some of these resources for creative PD options! |
- https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/pineapple-charts/
- https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/open-your-door/
- https://robertkaplinsky.com/observeme/
- https://blog.tcea.org/observeme/
- https://shakeuplearning.com/blog/15-ways-to-use-google-classroom-in-professional-learning/
- https://cybraryman.com/profdevelop.html
- Twitter PD! Check out @PD4uandme on Saturday mornings at 8:30-9:00 am EST
- https://www.spedtechgeek.com/blog/shake-up-learning-pottypd-guest-post
- https://shakeuplearning.com/blog/tag/choice-boards/
My Pencil Made Me Do It #MPMMDI
Over Winter Break I read Carrie Baughcum's book My Pencil Made Me Do It and I absolutely loved it! After posting about it, one of my 5th grade teachers asked if I'd come in and demonstrate Sketchnoting for her class so she could give them another note taking option in class. I was super excited to pull something together for them!
Sketchnoting Wakelet Collection!
I started to gather my resources in Wakelet (which is basically how I plan out my presentations and lessons for kids - give it a try!) so their teacher could add it to their Google Classroom for further research. I figured that the kids that really liked the idea would want to explore more.
Here it is if you want to make a copy of it and add your own resources to it.
Here it is if you want to make a copy of it and add your own resources to it.
The Lesson...
⓵ I talked with the kids about what Sketchnoting is and why it's helpful with the visuals in the Wakelet collection.
⓶ Then I showed them the video from Carrie, "A Beginner's Guide To Sketchnoting".
⓷ After the video, I showed them some of my own Sketchnotes (making sure to mention that I've been drawing a lot longer than them so they wouldn't compare themselves to me or not do it because they don't feel like they can draw). I use them for reflecting and capturing my favorite parts of my professional development books so I always have them with me to refer to.
⓸ Next we talked about icon libraries and how that would help them in different subjects for notetaking.
⓹ Then I showed them the video of student examples, which was perfect because they are not picture perfect examples. I wanted to make sure they understood that it's not about how good the drawing is, it's about their thinking!
⓺Application time: Their teacher then had them re-read a section in their Social Studies workbooks so they could add their visual thinking right in the book or in their notebook. Some of them added speech bubbles next to each paragraph with a character as a summary, some of them drew out a time line, and some of them underlined the vocabulary and drew something that helped them remember what it meant. All great examples!
Everyone used Sketchnoting differently, and that's exactly what we wanted to happen. It's personal and unique to each student, just like their beautiful minds!
⓶ Then I showed them the video from Carrie, "A Beginner's Guide To Sketchnoting".
⓷ After the video, I showed them some of my own Sketchnotes (making sure to mention that I've been drawing a lot longer than them so they wouldn't compare themselves to me or not do it because they don't feel like they can draw). I use them for reflecting and capturing my favorite parts of my professional development books so I always have them with me to refer to.
⓸ Next we talked about icon libraries and how that would help them in different subjects for notetaking.
⓹ Then I showed them the video of student examples, which was perfect because they are not picture perfect examples. I wanted to make sure they understood that it's not about how good the drawing is, it's about their thinking!
⓺Application time: Their teacher then had them re-read a section in their Social Studies workbooks so they could add their visual thinking right in the book or in their notebook. Some of them added speech bubbles next to each paragraph with a character as a summary, some of them drew out a time line, and some of them underlined the vocabulary and drew something that helped them remember what it meant. All great examples!
Everyone used Sketchnoting differently, and that's exactly what we wanted to happen. It's personal and unique to each student, just like their beautiful minds!
Sketchnoting for Teachers
Until I pulled my resources together for our 5th grade students, I didn't realize that Carrie has these great videos for teachers. If you have an interest in Sketchnoting in the classroom, you should check them out! Even though these videos are meant for teachers, you can show your students too. Even better, let them learn with you!
Next Steps...
Next time I go in, I'll introduce the Learning Mascot to them! You'll find that resource at the bottom of the Wakelet collection. I highly recommend Carrie's book if this idea intrigues you! Yes, there are many Sketchnoting resources and books out there... what I love about this one is that it's not about the perfect lettering and icons, it's about the thinking behind it. I hope you give it a try!
If you do, make sure to share your ideas on Twitter using #MPMMDI and tag Carrie so she can see all the good things that came out of a wonderful idea shared with the world!
Happy Sketchnoting! ~Pam
If you do, make sure to share your ideas on Twitter using #MPMMDI and tag Carrie so she can see all the good things that came out of a wonderful idea shared with the world!
Happy Sketchnoting! ~Pam
Author
I'm an Instructional Coach at Daniel Island School in Berkeley County South Carolina.
I have experience teaching K-8 special ed. and General Ed. as well as instructional & technology coaching. Since I enjoy technology more than some, I started this blog for educators who love it too. Thanks for visiting!
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