Meaningful professional development is always a challenge. In most cases, teacher audiences are diverse with different grade level and content area interests. Face to face time is limited, and opportunities for follow up often are in short supply as well.
Colorado secondary assistant principal Rick Tanski found a great way to address these challenges during the 2006-2007 academic year: Via a multi-month book study for teachers focused on Dan Pink’s book “A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future.” Rick reports teachers from various departments including English, Social Studies, Marketing, Math, Science, Art and the Library have found ways to integrate ideas from Pink’s book into their lessons and projects for students. He wrote of this experience:
It was the single most inspirational and rewarding staff development experience of my 14-year professional educational career. We met once a month for 8 months over the course of the 2006-2007 school year… several members of our staff asked me if I could offer the book study again this year. I have and 12 different teachers from art, english, math, science, social studies, and special education have signed up.
Way to to Rick and teachers at Pine Creek High School north of Colorado Springs!
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