Ignite the Passion in Your Next PD Day

This past Wednesday I attended the Discovery Education Ignite Your Passion evening. If you haven't heard of Ignite talks here's one explaining what Ignite Talks are.

How awesome would this be at your next PD Day? If there's one thing teacher's have, it's stories! If there's another thing teachers have it's the ability to talk...and talk....and talk. That being said, one thing teachers struggle to talk about, either with their peers or with others, are the great things that are happening in their classroom and in their school. Another thing teachers struggle to talk about is what they are passionate about. Why? I'm not sure. Perhaps it's a culture in the profession that needs to be broken...perhaps too many of the people who were brave enough to share, were/are mocked and then they hide. I find this extremely ironic because we want students to share their thoughts and ideas (whether they're "right" or "wrong"), yet we won't do it ourselves? 

The moment I knew I needed to keep sharing was early in my teaching adventure. I had just finished sharing my thoughts in a staff meeting about differentiating for students with autism in the classroom. Although this was my 2nd year of teaching and first with a student with autism, I had spent two summers working at a camp for people with special needs. At camp we spent every single day differentiating and accommodating to make sure every single camper had the time of their life. So no, I didn't have a wealth of classroom experience with this population...however if you think it's difficult to accommodate and differentiate for a student with autism in classroom...trying doing it fishing on a boat in the middle of the lake. Anyways, a colleague of mine mocked my sharing, turning their nose at me with my "little classroom experience". I was a little, no, a lot deflated. Perhaps I needed to be. After all, I didnt have that much classroom experience. Then another colleague that day came and thanked me for sharing because they said more teachers need a view/understanding like that. I made 2 choices that day...1) I will share because even if I'm not an "expert" or a "veteran" somebody will appreciate it and learn. 2) I will never discredit someone who shares their thoughts. I will thank them for sharing no matter what their experience level because I learn when I share so they can/will too. 

Back to the Ignite...share your story, it will inspire someone and you will learn!