Lucia Molina
Reporter
While students are enjoying their first day of winter break on Friday, teachers and faculty will be attending their semi-annual department party known as Professional Development Day. For four days out of the year, New Canaan teachers get together to work on new skills, focus on curricular issues, listen to speakers, and watch presentations done by faculty members.
Professional Development Day is an opportunity for teachers and faculty to get together, share new ideas for teaching, and look for ways to best integrate the curriculum.
Technology integration teacher Cathy Swan talked about the value of Professional Development Day. “It’s fun working with our department chairs to help them plan the best possible day for their department members. The NCHS leadership team is a dynamic, forward-thinking group of professionals who work hard to move our faculty (and by extension, our students) forward,” she said.
Friday will begin with Principal Tony Pavia speaking with teachers and faculty. Mr. Pavia indicated that Professional Development Day is most rewarding when teachers are conversing about how to better the classroom experience. “The main goal is for all of us to be better at our craft,” Mr. Pavia said, “and for all of us to make the student learning experience better and more productive.”
For the reminder of the day, teachers and faculty will be separated into departmental team meetings. “It’s a great opportunity to distribute new ideas,” school counselor Susan Lenci said. “We don’t always have time to sit down with those within the district.”
Teachers enjoy the combining and sharing of ideas to make for more efficient learning experiences. “We become students again as we learn all kinds of new skills,” English Department Head Heidi D’Acosta said.
School counselor Lori Lori Lewandoski agrees that Professional Development Day is a day for teachers and faculty to become students again. “We’re lifelong learners and this is just one way to continue our growth and education,” she said.
Some teachers think that there should be more time for department integration. “We spend so much time on education theory when we should be putting the theory into practice,” history teacher Kristine Goldhawk said. “I would prefer to have more department time so that we can integrate subjects like history and science.”
By the end of the day, teachers and faculty will have exchanged ideas and techniques for better teaching. “It is most rewarding when teachers teach each other,” Mr. Pavia said. “It can be challenging, but definitely rewarding.”
