Professional Development 2014 for our school’s faculty this year was held at the Museum of Natural Curiosity near Thanksgiving Point, UT. Since I’m a naturally curious person, this was an ideal place for our training!
Training
Principal Swan conducted some excellent training on how to teach our students to become conceptual learners, inquiry-based learners, and problem solvers using the Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction, also known as CORI. CORI is a curricular framework for teaching reading skills, text structures, and student motivations to read, ect., in a more coherent construct.
This seminar is one of the best professional development training sessions I’ve attended in a long time. Also, we got to spend time exploring the Museum of Natural Curiosity. We had a delicious breakfast and lunch both days. As usual, I ate more than I needed or should have!
Colleagues
Equally important, I got to meet many of the new teachers I will be working with next year. They include my 5th-grade counterpart, Lora Stead, and various other faculty members. These individuals are all so smart and very energetic. Collectively, these additions to our faculty will be great assets to our school and students.
I am already looking forward to beginning the upcoming school year next August! Moreover, I am excited to work with all of these wonderful new people. Additionally, I hope in the process of working together we will become good friends.
Finally, I strongly feel that–from a historical perspective–we have the best faculty ever assembled for our outstanding school.
Below are pics of two colleagues I will be collaborating with most frequently this coming year; my counterpart, Lora Stead, and our school principal, Mrs. Emily Swan.
A slideshow with some pics of the museum and our training at our Professional Development 2104 – Thanksgiving Point event:
