My last Awful PD

In my most recent technology cohort class the question was posed to me, "What was my last awful professional development, and why was it so awful?" I immediately laughed to myself because I knew exactly when it was. That same day of course. HA! The same day my professor asked me that question I had attend a CPS Tech Tuesday training on the use of iPods in the classroom. Before I got to the PD I was very exciting about learning something new I could show my teachers and the teacher I had brought with me to the training. What I was hoping for was maybe some new ideas on lessons and teaching strategies that my primary teachers could actually use. I had hyped it up to the 2nd grade teacher I had brought with me, and boy was that a mistake. The ALL DAY LONG PD was basically spent on showing us how to use a iPod. Okay, now I understand that working an iPod might be difficult for some but seriously, COME ON PEOPLE! This is the year 2010! The number of the people that have had no experience with an iPod in this PD was probably 1 out of 50. The entire PD was spent on how to work the different features of the new video iPod. There were no teaching strategies talked about. No real outline for lesson plans. No ideas offered on how to manage the use of iPods in the classroom, or anything of that nature. In fact, some of the best ideas from the PD came from the teachers that were there to learn from the presenter. It made me realize how important it is to think about the PD you are going to give thoroughly, as well as the audience that you are trying to target. It seems to me that PD is best when the presenter has a very specific implementation idea that they want to discuss with the trainees. Anything other than that is just worthless. Then again that's just my opinion.