March 2017's Online Professional Development Opportunities

I can't believe that March has started. Where I'm at, this means spring break, standardized tests, and starting to think about the second-half of the semester. It also presents a great time to take part in some professional development to refine skills and ideas or to learn (and try!) new ones.

February 2017's Online Professional Development Opportunities

With everything that is going on in the country and the world, it can be a little hard to focus on other things. However, I've found that, at times like these, it can be comforting to to find things that you can do that are proactive and that can help improve the future. I've been telling my students that, as future teachers, they have a unique opportunity and responsibility to help bring about change. In order to do this, it is vital to keep learning new techniques in teaching. So, without further ado, here are some very promising (and free!) online professional development opportunities for this month.

Day 1 of #NCTE16: Honesty, Hope, & Renewal

Hi, friends. I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I always start the school year with the best of intentions, and then the semester starts and undermines these intentions. Someday I'll figure out the school-writing-life balance. Additionally, the news of late has made it hard to write.

However, I am writing this from my hotel room in Atlanta, where I am for the 2016 NCTE Annual Convention. While I had a hard time to muster up my usual enthusiasm for the conference this year, today's events reaffirmed the importance of having organizations like NCTE. Today, I had the chance to see Shakespeare's First Folio and participate in a workshop led by some excellent scholar-teachers from the Folger Shakespeare Library. I heard Doug Hesse's moving and powerful speech regarding the importance of teaching writing and critical thinking during a time when these things might seem optional (or even unnecessary) rather than fundamental. I got to see Maureen Downey interview Diane Ravitch regarding the state of education and the possible changes that might be coming under the new administration in a way that was both honest and hopeful.

August's and September's Online Professional Development Opportunities

Despite my best intentions, class prep and beginning-of-the-semester meetings got in the way of posting this month. However, before the month is out, I wanted to do a quick round-up of the upcoming professional development opportunities that August and September still have in store!

Two Exciting Online Professional Opportunities for August 2016

I can't believe today is the first day of August (seriously, where did July go?)! This means that the start of school is just around the corner for most of us, and it also signals a prime time for some before school inspiration and professional development. Fortunately, there are two excellent (and free) online opportunities coming soon. This means that you can get ready for the school year and hear from some wonderful speakers without having to leave your couch. While I'll be posting about other PD opportunities later this week, I wanted to highlight these two before it is too late (as you'll see, one starts tomorrow).

EdmodoCon 2016 is August 2 (aka tomorrow) and 3. The conference focuses on how teachers can use Edmodo and other digital tools and resources to improve students' learning. Both days of the conference features numerous speakers and sessions on a number of topics related to education and education technology.

SLJTeen Live is on August 10, 2016. As I've mentioned before, this is a great opportunity to listen to authors speak about their work (this year's keynote speakers are Meg Medina and Maggie Stiefvater) and to interact with young adult publishers to learn about the different books and materials they offer.

June's Online Professional Development Opportunities

I know - it can be a little hard to even think about professional development in June, just as you are coming off of (or finishing up) another busy school year. However, kicking off your summer (or ending your school year) with some professional development can be great; besides being a chance to connect with other educators and reflect on the past year, it also can be nice to be in more of the student role for a change. With this in mind, here are some intriguing online professional development opportunities that are being offered this month.

SLJ TeenLive 2016 is Coming!

This week, I got an email about SLJ TeenLive 2016 event, which will be on August 10, 2016. This free virtual conference, which used to be called SummerTeen, is in its fifth year, and it just keeps getting better and better. The conference features keynote speakers (this year they are Meg Medina, the author of Burn Baby Burn, and Maggie Stiefvater, the author of The Raven King), panel discussion, and a virtual exhibit hall where attendees can ask questions, learn about new books, enter contests, and more. If you are interested in young adult literature, I highly recommend this event! It's fun and informative, and you can do it at your own pace (and in your pajamas if you are so inclined).

For more information or to register, click on the banner above or go to the registration page.

February's Online Professional Development Opportunities

While January can be a bit of a slog (the holidays are over, the weather is usually not so great, and teachers and students are trying to get back in the swing of things), I'm always amazed at how quickly the month can pass by. Now we're one month into the new semester, and things are, at least in theory, starting to settle down, which means it's the perfect time for some professional development.

January's Online Professional Development Opportunities

Happy (belated) new year, and I hope your 2016 is off to a good start!

While January can be a bit of a letdown after the excitement and stress of the holidays, I like to think of it as a time of renewal and starting fresh. If one of your resolutions for this year is to take part in more professional development, then here are some resources to help you.

Looking Ahead to Shakespeare's First Folio Tour

First, I apologize for the lack of updates. November and December once again proved to be my blogging downfall. However, I didn't want to let 2015 end without a new post, particularly since the new year is bringing something huge when it comes to English and English education. To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death in 2016, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Cincinnati Museum Center, and the American Library Association have partnered to bring copies of Shakespeare's First Folio to 53 sites throughout the year. This includes all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to the First Folio exhibit, the exhibition sites are also going to have related public events and activities.

As a self-professed Shakespeare nerd and a long-time fan of the Folger's approach to Shakespeare, I'm very excited about the potential that the First Folio has for students, teachers, and teacher educators. In addition to seeing the First Folio, which is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the related events should also offer a great way to get people thinking about Shakespeare. From my conversations with the host site in my state (I've been helping with outreach to my state's other NCTE members), it sounds like these events can include teacher workshops as well as lectures and student-friendly activities and opportunities.

For more information, be certain to visit the Folger page on the First Folio. Besides providing an overview for the First Folio and the tour, the page also has a link to tour dates, locations, and an interactive map.

Are you visiting the First Folio when it comes to a site near you? What do you hope to see or experience when attending the exhibit and/or the related events? Please feel free to share your answers and thoughts in the comments section.

October's Professional Development Opportunities

While I can't believe that it is October already (and that we are only two weeks away from fall break, which marks the mid-point in the semester), the chilly, rainy weather in my little corner of the Midwest assures me that October is here. Besides fall break, cooler temperatures, and Halloween, October also marks a time when things seem to get even busier at schools. While it can be hard to find (or make) time for professional development, I've found that PD can be an invigorating and inspiring. Fortunately, there is a plethora of free online opportunities that can work with crazy schedules.

September's Professional Development Opportunities

In August, #nctechat's topic was professional learning networks (PLNs), which is near and dear to my heart. Near the end of the chat, the participants were asked to share their goals regarding PLNs in the next school year. One of my goals is to keep active in my PLN, which is easier said than done. Based on the first week of classes, this looks to be a busy semester! Luckily, there are some great professional development opportunities this month to help keep me engaged with my network and to provide support, ideas, and enthusiasm, even as things get busy.

August's Professional Development Opportunities

I apologize for not posting in July - the month was dedicated to preparing for a trip, going on a trip, and recovering from the trip. That said, August is upon us, and while some people have the month (or most of the month) off, many others are getting ready to start back to school. To help those of us in the latter category get into the right frame of mind, here are some free online PD opportunities:

June's Professional Development Opportunities

I can't believe that it's June and that another school year has come and gone! I have a lot on my plate this summer, but I'm looking forward to being able to tackle the work at a more relaxed pace. I'm also excited about having the time to do more professional development. While I would love to take part in some of the on-site workshops and conferences, the time, finances, and logistics involved make this difficult for this summer. Luckily, there are a number of upcoming online webinars and other professional development opportunities that provide opportunities for enrichment without the cost of travel or registration fees.

February's Free Professional Development

Greetings from the snowy Midwest! Even if it isn't cold and icy where you are, February tends to make it seem like you are in a rut (or are living in a version of Groundhog's Day set in a school). Besides taking some time to decompress and get some much needed rest and relaxation, a great way of getting rejuvenated is to take part in some free webinars and education chats. You'll get some good ideas and connect with some great people, and you can do all of this without having to leave the warmth and comfort of your home (this is a huge bonus if your streets are covered in snow, the temperature is below freezing, and the plow has trapped your car in an icy fortress for the fifth time in three days).

January's Free Professional Development

January is a time of renewal and resolutions. Whether our goals are professional or personal, the beginning of the year is a perfect time to consider what we've done in the past and think about what we might do better in the future. If one of your new year's resolutions was to continue learning about teaching and education, here are some of this month's free virtual PD opportunities to help you get started!

December's Free Education Professional Development

First off, I apologize for being absent for the past month. Between the usual school-related craziness that comes with November, the NCTE conference, the Thanksgiving holidays, and a cold have all conspired to keep me busy and away from the blog.

That being said, I'm in denial that December is upon us. However, even as the end of the semester comes hurtling towards us (I have two more weeks of classes and a week of finals/frantic grading), there are still professional development opportunities to be had. Here is a sampling of the free offerings for those in education.

The Association for Middle Level Educators (AMLE) has two upcoming webinars:

• December 2 at 3:00 pm ET is "Making Disciplinary Literacy Work in the Middle Level for the Common Core and More!"
• December 10 at 3:00 pm ET is "Shout It Loud: Tools and Apps for Amplifying Student Voices through Formative Assessment"

ASCD has a number of webinars in December, including:

• December 9 at 3:00 pm ET - "Close Reading: Teaching the Comprehension Skills of Text Analysis and Evaluation"
• December 11 at 3:00 pm ET - "What is PD Online, and How Can It Support My Professional Development?"

edWeb.net has a jam-packed schedule for the first half of December with webinar topics that range from using film in the history classroom to financial literacy for kids.

PBS LearningMedia is offering a webinar on December 2 at 6:00 pm ET entitled "Bringing Lessons to Life with Digital Primary Sources." This is done in conjunction with the Library of Congress, and I can't recommend this highly enough. At my first NCTE conference, I had the opportunity to attend a one-day workshop done by the Library of Congress, and it was very useful. At my most recent NCTE conference, the LoC had a booth in the exhibit hall to inform teachers about some great new resources available online. 

November's Free Education Professional Development

I can't believe that it is November already and that in 18 short days, I'll be heading to the East Coast for the 2014 NCTE Annual Convention and ALAN Workshop. The convention is one of the highlights of my year; I consider it my Comic Con (yes, I manage to out-geek even the geekiest). For those of you attending the convention for the first time, I'm hoping to have a post of advice and tips to help you make the most of the experience (and leave the convention with your sanity intact). I also think that the November 17 #engchat will be dedicated to helping new attendees get ready.

However, if you aren't in English or if you aren't able to attend the convention, there are still many virtual professional development opportunities that you can access for free this month.

PBS has some great-sounding offerings this month for teachers at all levels. The first, Finding Your Roots in the Digital Age, is hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and promises to have ideas for social studies and science teachers. The second is How to Integrate Game-Based Learning Into Your Classroom, and  it features gaming experts Alan Gershenfeld and Rebecca Rufo-Tepper.

As always, edWeb.net has a plethora of free webinars on topics ranging from differentiated instruction to gaming in the classroom. For ELA and English teachers, your best bets include:

• Picture This: Engaging Students with Online Images on November 3 at 4:00 pm
• Writing Instruction for Learning Synthesis on November 10 at 3:00 pm
• Getting the Most Out of Integrating eBooks in the Classroom on November 12 at 3:00 pm

The Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) has some intriguing offerings this month for their members (you can join for free):

• No Sweat, November! Keeping Middle Grades Students Engaged and Motivated on November 12 at 3:00 pm
• Six Secrets for Teaching Boys in Your Middle Level Classroom on November 18 at 3:00 pm

October is Connected Educator Month

While I associate October with a lot of exciting things (fall weather, fall break, and the midway point in the semester), perhaps the thing that I'm most excited about (well, besides fall break :) is Connected Educator Month (CEM). According to the CEM website, the purpose of CEM includes:

• Getting more educators proficient with social media to improve their practice
• Deepening and sustaining learning among those already enjoying connection’s benefits
• Helping schools credential/integrate connected learning into their formal professional development efforts
• Stimulating and supporting innovation in the field

October's Free Education Webinars

Even though it seems like September just started, October is just around the corner, we have just started the sixth week of school, and some teachers might be experiencing the downward slide to the low point of the first-year roller coaster. However, virtual professional development, which is a great way to get rejuvenated, is just a few clicks away. Here are some of the free upcoming webinars and online professional development opportunities coming in October.