PL With a Twist - Engaging New Teachers

October 2019

We’ve all been there. As a brand new first year teacher, as a veteran teacher who has transferred districts...either way, we’ve all been there.

The new teacher days. You know, where the new teachers to the district arrive a few days before the returning teachers to get acquainted with the ins and outs of the district - the paperwork, the tech set-up, the initiatives.

But...do we really need to make it so overwhelming? So drab? There is another way.

Yes, these days are necessary. It is important to acclimate new staff, and there is a certain amount of set-up required for someone new to the district. However, new staff sits through 3-4 days of drabness, taking in quite a bit of info, then have to sit through the inservice days with the entire staff...taking in more info.

Reframe your thinking to “PL Doesn’t Have a Box.” Forget the traditional set-up. Learning is social. Forming connections is essential for teacher retention. So what if we did it differently?

Welcome to New Teacher Camp.

Escape Room PL

There is so much that you can do with this!!! Need teachers to learn about a district initiative? They can explore all kinds of information in an escape room format. Grab some locks and organize your information so they must investigate and figure it out. It’s a great way to lay the foundation they will need for other trainings later in the year.

Board Game (Think Giant CandyLand)

Get teachers moving around as the game pieces on a giant game board. Make questions and activities related to information they need to acquire for a successful start in a new position.

GooseChase

Use GooseChase as a way for teachers to explore the community, the school, and work together as a team to accomplish tasks and learn new information. As a coach, this type of activity also provides a little insight into teacher personality.

Stations/Playgrounds

Stations can provide a way for teachers to navigate through instructional ideas at their own pace. Not only can they explore instructional resources, and create lessons and materials, but it provides an opportunity to explore new tech tools for enhancing lessons, as well. Stations provide first hand experience the teachers can then implement in their classrooms. Use a tool like Google Classroom to set up modules. Create environments within each station where they must collaborate with a colleague.

Pokemon Go

Setting up locations where teachers find information, scan QR codes, or use augmented reality to access new information is another unique twist on PL. Not only do they access the new information necessary as a new employee, they are also learning more about navigating the space of the school, working with colleagues and forming connections, and engaged as adult learners.

How will you deviate from the traditional set up to create a New Teacher Camp with meaningful professional learning experiences?

- Ginny