Our 2024 Professional Development Conference brought together teachers from across the district for a collaborative experience focused on enhancing student achievement strategies. The conference provided our district in-classroom educators with the opportunity to gain practical skills and knowledge that can be applied in their classrooms and schools for the new academic year.
This year's summit offered teachers the opportunity to engage a diverse range of workshops aimed to address crucial topics such as differentiated instruction, culturally responsive teaching, technology integration, and social-emotional learning. These sessions provided our teachers with strategies to cater to diverse learning styles, address cultural nuances, and leveraging technology.
Dr. Melissa McKinney, teacher at Halcyon Elementary , highlighted the value of networking and collaboration, stating, "Being able to connect across the district gives us an opportunity to see what's working in other schools, what's not working, and to share ideas."
Crystal Green-Braswell's conference speaker's impactful message, "Put yourself back into the equation. Don't take yourself out of this beautiful thing we call education. You matter, and it's important to pour into yourself so you can be the best version of yourself to others," reminded teachers of the importance of self-care and self-growth in their journey to be effective educators for our students.
(Pictured above: Crystal Green Braswell, Speaker/Author)
Beyond the workshops, teachers gained valuable networking opportunities, panel discussions, and group discussions to share ideas, challenges, and best practices, creating a collaborative environment and student success.
Nancy Boyd, the teacher at Percy Julian High School, shared, "What motivated me to attend professional development is the ability to be a lifelong learner. We can continue to learn and get information that makes us better educators for our students."
"Our goal is to provide educators with strategies or ideas they can immediately implement in the classroom to engage students and help them master standards," said Dr. Gregory King, MPS Chief Academic Officer.
Montgomery Public Schools recognizes educators as the vital driving force behind student success. These summits foster a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that educators are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the evolving needs of the diverse student population and providing a high quality education to our students.
Thank you to everyone who made this year's summit a success. Check out our professional development highlight video here:
