Dateline January 4th, St. George’s Elementary School – Day one of a two day Professional Development workshop. Participants: St. George’s faculty. Early conversations about Christmas vacation, family gatherings, trips and events soon dissipate as our Animator, the highly respected Amy Germundson, begins the presentation. Amy is a PhD student in Gifted Studies at the internationally renowned Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, she is the educational consultant to both NASA and to the the North American Association for the Teaching of Mathematics.

Amy's opening visual “Creating Powerful Learning Experiences” established the focus for discussion. Overall, the workshop objectives were:

- to further define what is powerful learning and how curriculum should be designed to foster such experiences
- to develop teachers' skills to further define and deliver curriculum that is fully aligned between learning objectives, evaluation tools and learning activities

The teacher response was enthusiastic and very much "on task". At the end of the two day session they offered the following feedback and review;

"Amy was incredible. Her presentations were engaging and I was energized and inspired to delve into the planning during our individual work time. I felt that I have taken away a great deal from those sessions. Thank you (CLE)."

"To have experts around us to consult with was very very helpful."

"The time for peer and group consultation and sharing of ideas was very useful".

According to a new Public Agenda / Learning Point Associates survey (USA) two thirds of "Gen Y teachers (32 years old and under)" ranked professional develepement (PD) as the most important of twelve proposals or criteria to support "best practice teaching". "Preparing teachers to adapt or vary thier instruction to meet the needs of a diverse classroom" awas deemed to be the most essential factor. Interestingly the notion of merit pay ranked last amongst the respondents - NASSAP Newsletter, December 2009.

Clearly the professional developement priorities of the CLE, and as evidenced by our teacher remarks, indicate that we are on the right track as we support our younger and more veteren teachers alike.

James A. Officer
Head of School