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5 Online Professional Development Ideas for Teachers
Back-to-school means new possibilities!
The start of a school year is a wonderful time to plan new ways children and teachers can grow and learn together.
As you prepare lesson plans and activity ideas, it's also a good time to focus on yourself.
How can you grow as an educator? Are there any new skills you can learn? Can you boost your knowledge with an advanced degree or certification?
You can schedule check-in times with your team if you are a director or leader. You can discuss onboarding for new teachers. Plus, discuss ongoing educational opportunities for seasoned professionals. Professional development is a growth process. It means defining goals and learning the skills needed to grow in your career.
Professional development and training can help you do better in your current position. It may also lead to a promotion or job change.
What are the benefits of professional development?
- Become more knowledgeable about early care and education
- Gain confidence in your career
- Grow your potential with new skills
- Earn more recognition from others in the industry
- Advance your career with increased qualifications
Here are five online professional development ideas for teachers and other educators.
1. Learn from others. One great way to boost your professional development is to find mentorship opportunities. Find ways to connect with other teachers. Ask friends on social media if they can connect you with anyone in their network who is an educator. There are also groups available for mentorship opportunities online.
You could also consider creating your own mentorship program. ProSolutions Training has a one-hour course Successful Coaching and Mentoring for Employee Growth. This course provides an overview of coaching and mentoring. The basics involve pairing experienced professionals with employees that can use some help.
Some mentorship topics include discussing ways to adapt to the child care culture. As well as tips for managing stress and conflict. And ways to boost your skills and grow your career.
2. Record or video yourself.
Another idea for growth is to practice in a mirror or record yourself teaching. Consider voice-recording yourself speaking or giving a lesson plan. And if you want to go above and beyond, take a video yourself giving the same lesson plan. And review the video afterward.
This will help you find ways to improve your speaking and body language. You'll also gain more confidence in your teaching ability as your practice.
3. Find new activities and ideas for your classroom. Keep things interesting for your students (and yourself)! Search online for new developmentally-appropriate activities for your students. If you’re looking for some good options, courses are available for each child care age group.
- Activities That Promote Social and Emotional Development in Infants. Explore practices that support the social and emotional development of infants.
- Activities That Promote Social and Emotional Development in Toddlers. Key guidelines on how to plan learning experiences to allow toddlers to feel secure. This will foster social and emotional development.
- Activities That Promote Social and Emotional Development in Preschoolers. This course presents ideas to encourage cooperative play. Find ideas to help children express emotions. Find suggestions for how to conduct activities to foster social and emotional growth.
4. Read professional development books. Reading is one of the best ways to grow in your career. Try to read at least one professional development book per quarter. You could even start a book club with some of your teacher friends. You can check out books from the library or see if your center has a library. Here are some recommended titles from our curriculum team.
5. Take online training courses. Consider making ongoing professional development a key task in your teaching position. Or you could consider earning an advanced degree. One recommendation is the Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ (CDA). CDA® Training gives teachers the skills needed to succeed in the classroom.
Enhancing professional development while building trust with families. The start of a new school year is the perfect time to find new possibilities for the children you care for. And yourself!
