“My school doesn’t have math professional development. What can I do to develop professionally?” -Teacher
This is such a common issue in our schools. We often don’t get math professional development in our buildlings and we are left to figure out how to develop professionally on our own.
I have 10 ways to help you find worthy professional development opportunities for relatively cheap.
10 Ways to Develop Professionally
1️⃣ Professional Books. There are SO many really great math professional books out there. The two best math books I’ve ever read are below.
On January 24th I’m sharing my favorite math books in the Facebook Group Math Teacher Collaborative. You can join us here.
2️⃣ Observe your colleagues. Our fellow teachers are such an untapped source of professional develop. Honestly, being in other teachers classrooms has given me more ideas and real world experience than any other professional develop. I know it’s hard to get coverage and the courage to go, but I encourage you to reach out to a colleague and get an observation on the calendar.
3️⃣ Talk about your practice. When you put yourself out there to your colleagues, you never know what you’ll find.
For example, I joined a book club in our district and was really excited about the strategies I was learning. At lunch one day I started talking about some things I was trying and how it worked well. Before I knew it my colleagues were all trying these new ideas and several had bought the book. It never hurts to share what you’re doing, because you might just create yourself a supportive little unofficial PLC.
4️⃣ Listen to podcasts. There are so many great Math Podcasts out there. Share your favorite in the comments below. Personally, I think Honest Math Chat is a great one 🤪. I’m kidding around because Honest Math Chat is the podcast I host. I’d love to have you join us to chat weekly with a new episode every Monday where we discuss student centered math practices and how we can empower students to love and understand math.
5️⃣ Enroll in a coaching program online. There are many great programs for under $200. Which I know can sound like a lot… But some real talk, I bought $200 worth of BS on Amazon in the last two weeks and none of that stuff made me feel better about teaching, mom life, or my hobbies. Ya know? We spend our money on lots of things without thinking. I encourage you to prioritize your goals and find a program that feels like the right fit and then, invest in yourself.
6️⃣ Join a math teacher book club! Chirssy (@MindfulMathCoach) has a book club about race, equity, & education!
7️⃣ Attend a free math conference! 🧮 Be a Math Person Conference is January 7th -9th & MAKERS virtual conference is Jan 30 & 31. Both conferences are completely free. Be sure to join and soak up all the professional development at your own pace from the comfort of your own home.
8️⃣ Find a local organization that supports teachers. Here in Chicago we have CFE- Chicago Foundation for Education. CFE provides grants, professional development experiences, and a workshops. I bet you have a local organization that you could tap into for developing professionally.
9️⃣ Read Teacher Blogs!! This blog post is all about engaging your math learners in discussions. And if that’s one of your goals– improving your effectiveness of math discussions, then you simply MUST download my Guide to Engaging Math Discussions.
🔟 Facebook Groups. Find a facebook group that fits your needs & vibe. I think our Math Teacher Collaborative fb group is pretty sweet. Free trainings, resources, and a safe place to problem solve together. Come join us.
Bonus! Extra Ways to Develop Professionally
Some of my teacher friends offer free guides, templates, and plans to help teachers like you develop professionally for free. I’m going to link their guides below.
- Breaking Down Standards Guide & Templates from Kate at Lit by Learnin
