BY: BEANIE GEOGHEGAN
When most teachers hear “Professional Development,” they likely groan as they recall participating in ice-breakers and activities designed for middle school students. They probably lament the time wasted listening to a consultant boast about the latest trend in education when they could have used the extra time in their classrooms preparing lessons or grading papers.
Years of countless hours of meaningless “training sessions” have justifiably soured teachers to the term. The Professional Development offered through Hillsdale’s Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence offers educators a completely different experience. The facilitator at the most recent conference on “The Art of Teaching Reading and Writing” in Cincinnati, OH, opened by stating that one purpose of the conference was to honor teachers and the profession. There were no ice-breakers, and organizers used every minute of the day to equip teachers with knowledge and tools they could take directly back into their classrooms.
After beginning the day listening to Dr. Benjamin Beier’s talk on “Grammar As A Liberal Art,” attendees had two options for breakout sessions. Penny Jensen from Cincinnati Classical Academy shared “Why Grammar Instruction Matters in Elementary School” with one group, while another group heard about “How to Help Struggling Readers” from another Cincinnati Classical Academy teacher, Michele DiCristoforo. At a time when most schools skip over grammar instruction and many students struggle with reading, both of these sessions were relevant and timely.
During lunch, attendees were treated to a talk by the Head of Cincinnati Classical Academy. Michael Rose shared the reasons and motivation behind his efforts in his talk, “Why I Lead a Classical School.” It was enlightening, inspiring, beautiful, and encouraging. If anyone in the room was questioning the need or purpose of classical education, Mr. Rose’s talk provided a satisfactory answer.
It’s likely that many teachers can remember professional development experiences that had them participating in adolescent games or activities after lunch to get them refocused and engaged in the day’s topic. Those activities are usually more awkward and insulting than engaging. Out of respect for the professional educators in attendance, the organizers of this conference didn’t waste any time. Instead, they dove right into the next session, “The Value of Diagramming Sentences.”
Dr. Daniel Coupland, a Professor of Education at Hillsdale College, promised to keep the audience engaged as he presented on a topic that isn’t usually considered very engaging. He kept his promise and had the teachers in the room rapt, laughing, and ordering resources to help refresh their own sentence diagramming skills. Understanding how the diagramming of sentences equips students with the tools to read and write more effectively motivated the teachers to want to learn more.
The day culminated with a timely and helpful talk by Jennifer Mills, a Seven Oaks Classical School teacher. Her talk on “The Principles of Literacy Instruction” spoke to many in the room who didn’t know how to help their older students still struggling with literacy skills. As an experienced middle school teacher herself, she offered practical ways to ensure students at every level had the foundation in literacy or interventions they needed.
It is safe to say that teachers left the conference equipped with new knowledge and information to help them improve their methods of teaching which will inevitably lead to better student learning. That should be the case with all professional development, but it is often not so. For those interested in attending future conferences like this one, or viewing the recordings of conferences in the past, visit The Hoogland Center for Teacher Excellence and prepare to be challenged and impressed.
