TIE 575- 5th Blog Posting

Write a description of the most recent staff development you implemented and describe how it went (good and bad) and what you would do to change it (if needed).

The last PD I did was on the SMARTboard. We have already had a vendor come in to do a PD for the 4th grade teachers in the beginning of the year. I had a vendor come in and do it because I had NO experience with the SMARTboard. The PD went well and the 4th grade teachers began using the SMARTboards in their rooms. Then it came time to purchase more SMARTboards and spark interest in more teachers.

So because the boards were in the 4th grade classrooms all year I never took the chance to get to learn how to use them. This never sat well with me. It was the only technology peripheral we had that I didn't know how to use. I think part of me decided to do this PD on my own because it would force me to learn how to use the SMARTboard. By this time it had been so long since the beginning of the year professional development that I couldn't remember a thing.

So, I rented how to videos and got a few off of youtube. I also searched websites for more information and great lessons. I wanted to make sure that I had a specific lesson to show off it's great points for each grade level. For two weeks straight I was a SMARTboard fiend. At the end of the 2 weeks I felt like I was ready.

Overall, the PD went very well, probably one of my better ones. If I decide to do another SMARTboard PD next year I think the main thing I would change is if I'm going to be specific to grade level again, like I was this time, then I'll do the PD in smaller groups. If I'm just going to show off the cool things about the board then I think I can stick to mixing grade levels.