Here Comes Trumbull! Daylong Professional Development for K-5 Teachers on Opinion Writing. Let Me Tell You Why.

Dr. Ryan Colwell and I led two, three-hour sessions on Opinion Writing in the K-5 classroom. Tapping into the Common Core State Standards, our own resources, the needs of teachers as we've heard them, and a belief that learning should be fun, we set out to lead a workshop that was interactive, engaging, useful, and research based.

To be honest, we each had our own part and we didn't realize how perfectly we matched one another until we actually presented the first-ever Bry-Ry show. It went extremely well - so well that the Superintendent of schools stopped by to introduced himself and asked, "What are you doing? I've never seen teachers so excited about first-day professional development before?"

Ah, shucks. I bet he tells that to all his presenters.

Seriously, though...I've been doing PD in Connecticut for five years and the two groups of 70 that we worked with yesterday were total sponges. They absorbed and were curious about everything we had to say. They were also highly engaged (so kudos to their district).

Of course, I left my lap top in the presentation room and they closed up shop. That's twice in one week and I'm learning my lesson. I can't be so carefree with my bad. Since my laptop is an extension of my appendages, it needs to be with me at all times. And when I leave it?

That's hell.

But it's Saturday, and I'm not thinking about too much work this weekend. Instead, I'm craving rest and relaxation - much deserved over the last five years of non-stop labor.