A BRI Teacher Council Member Offers These Professional Development Tips
<p><em>By Kimberly Schiller</em></p>
<p>As a teacher in a small, suburban, secular, private pre-K-12 preparatory school, the challenges differ from those at a large, public high school. Over the past 23 years, I had 3-5 prep courses, three of which were Advanced Placement (AP) courses. A common myth about private schools is there is unlimited money for professional development, but this is not the case.</p>
<p>For instance, my school will only fund AP Summer Institutes because our state reimburses most of the costs. The professional development we have is limited to non-content discussion items. So, how do I get the 125 hours necessary for licensure and beyond that, for my information? I didn’t have the financial wherewithal to fund my professional development.</p>
<p>I started searching out opportunities that provided gratis for professional development. There are several organizations offering summer opportunities, as well as online seminars, throughout the year. We are particularly blessed in the social sciences for all these opportunities, as many of our colleagues in other disciplines must scramble to find content-laden professional development. Unfortunately, early in my educational career, there were few opportunities for content professional development beyond the amazing Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education and the Law and Learning Democracy.</p>
<p>However, there are now many resources, including the Bill of Rights Institute, which offers seminars in multiple states and lesson plans on its website. They often partner with a state organization, so checking those organizations (e.g., a state Council for History Education, Alliance for Geographic Education, Council for Economic Education, and the Center for Civic Education) will likely provide many opportunities.</p>
<p>Looking at my curricula vitae, I am amazed at the number of professional development opportunities I had over the years, simply because I sought them out and applied. These opportunities are important in their content-laden workshops and the chance to build a network of teachers nationwide in the eight subjects I taught over the years. In addition to in-person meetings at various seminars and workshops, I have virtually met many teachers through Facebook.</p>
<p>While no clock hours are gained, the teachers on the pages are incredibly gracious and generous in sharing lesson plans. As I am the only full-time social science teacher, an in-school social science group doesn’t exist, and these virtual colleagues are invaluable throughout my career.</p>
<p>If you are an AP teacher, the best professional development opportunity is to apply to be a reader for a particular course. Since 2010, I have been a reader and, lately, table leader for AP Human Geography, garnering at least 52 clock hours yearly. Being a reader has made me a better teacher in Human Geography and my other AP courses. </p>
<p>Other events I attended include the Williamsburg Teachers Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities (seminars and Landmarks in History,) the National Japanese American Historical Society, Teaching American History, and the National World War II Museum. Many other organizations are offering professional development opportunities – the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, Street Law, the National Constitution Center, the National World War I Museum, and the various presidential libraries, to name a few.</p>
<p>All these organizations have a competitive application process, so if you’re not accepted for one year, try again the following year. Another reason to be on Facebook is the Scholarships, Grants, Summer Institutes, and Opportunities for Teachers page. That is a compilation of many opportunities, not just in the social sciences.</p>
<p>As I near the end of my career, my advice to my younger colleagues is to attend as many professional development opportunities as possible. Participating in these opportunities is immensely re-energizing, opens other opportunities, and connects you with like-minded teachers.</p>
<p><em>Kimberly Schiller teaches AP Human Geography at The International School of Minnesota in Eden Prairie, MN. She is also a member of the Bill of Rights Institute National Teacher Council.</em></p>