Bridges to Cross

Bridges to Cross

Teachers engaged in authentic PD, Brown-Lowry Provincial Park, Oct 31, 2014

As a group of teachers sharing their ideas for PD opportunities and learning to support an OES program it was apparent that we would have a much more productive and authentic experience having our conversations in the outdoors.  Robin immediately mentioned a place that her parents took her that was a potentially great place to take students.  Now our PD session also incorporates a site inspection.

                                    

Our ideas where as free to grow as branches reaching into the sky, and then the atmosphere welcomed them as much as the lithosphere supported them.  Mapping and navigation activities, models for teachable moments, assessing places for learning, sharing stories that connect people to places, were some of the conversations.

One of the ideas that I was able to share was identifying triggers that create anxiety for students and parents in our program and ways to mitigate as many as possible. 

Ahhhh  Cornus Canadensis

So it occurred to us, that each of  our PLC meetings should be outside in places were we would be with students.  This is quite possible the best PD idea yet.  We felt refreshed, grateful, awakened, inspired, and motivated.  But in all truth, it takes a a great leader to understand this and support it, thank-you Dr. Christison.