We had the opportunity to see one of the most energetic people I have ever seen in education again today. Ron Clark came to town. For those of you who have never had the opportunity to see/hear Mr. Clark speak, make the opportunity. It’s worth it. That, coupled with a session from Ed Tech Team made for a great day.

The day started out with some breakout PD sessions. Current teachers were able to choose from a variety of sessions. We started out with a session by Emily Fitzpatrick of Ed Tech Team. This was a good session, as she doled out a variety of tools available. I am pretty into my EdTech, and I learned about several previously unknown tools. Great stuff.

We then went to a session looking closely at a reading standard. Many would say you should not spend a whole session on one standard. I would argue one session is often not enough to really pick it apart. Another great session.

The end of our day was Ron Clark. Ron is an absolutely amazing speaker. Having been to his school, we know, he is the real deal. Read about that HERE. Ron had a high energy motivational message. Well, I say it was motivational, for some, maybe not so much. You see, I agree with Mr. Clark in many ways. One of those ways is the belief that those who sit will never get up and run, at least not in the classroom. If you are what Mr. Clark calls a “rider” the message may not have been nearly as motivational. For those of us who believe we should do everything we can to push our kids to be all they can be, it was a great affirmation of what we do.

You have the chance to see him. Note, I didn’t say “If you have the chance.” You have the opportunity. You just have to make it. If you can, go see his school in action. Don’t fuss about how you will make it happen, just find a way and do it. It is money well spent, and the team at The Ron Clark Academy is top notch. You are bound to leave with way more information than you bargained for.

Professional Development is an important part of growing as a teacher. The problem with it is that too many teachers use it as a day off, rather than an opportunity to learn something new. Even if you are already quite familiar with what the speaker is talking about, odds are that there is something to be learned there. Just make sure that when you learn it, you put it into practice. My thanks go out to our school district and the University of Mississippi allowing us the opportunity to attend.