I took a training in a leadership programme. The training was for newly appointed deans. one of the requirements was to develop a strategic plan for one year. In the strategy I was supposed to plan for specific days to attend to students who had special needs. upon completion of the training I tried this out. I was able to discover a lot of information about students with diverse needs, something that I had not thought about before the training. It worked for me.

My most memorable professional development opportunity was a three week seminar in Jerusalem Israel in 2017 on ICT integration in education. The training was very effective because it was learner centered and activity based. It was hands on and very interactive. Since then I have made every effort to integrate ICT in my teaching.

I completed a Quality Assurance development programme. It's core focus was providing strategies and best practices to improve the quality of education. It was effective because one was able to implement these best practices and improve my craft. 

I took a training focused on literacy for 1 week. It was very effective for many reasons. First, the sessions were conducted in a way where it was very easy to understand. Everything was explained. 2. The concepts of language were introduced, as well as strategies that would go with it. 3. Hands on learning was used.

In 2019,  I went for a two weeks professional development course on Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) which helped me in being effective in use of Learning Management Systems and other technology based platforms in teaching. This came in handy especially during this COVID-19 pandemic times.

An effective professional development experience that I have had is working as a student aid. Making sure that children with disabilities get the same free, quality public education as other kids is very powerful. With careful planning and patience, working together with the school I  helped children learn and reach their full potential.

Teacher professional development refers to any type of continuing education effort for educators. It’s one way teachers can improve their skills and, in turn, boost student outcomes. One of the most effective professional development experience that I have had was working with the Commonwealth of Learning on a course entitled, "Teaching Mathematics with Technology," We all know how important the integration of ICT is in education, and so this particular course looked at the Geogebra software application in detail. It was very informative. What made it effective to me was that I was able to use the app with my students during our online sessions. They loved interacting with it and were able to use it to construct and define many shapes and come up with solutions to a variety of Geometry questions. During the pandemic, this was a wonderful way to reach my students and to integrate technology within the lesson.

One of the professional development courses I truly enjoyed was how how to integrate technology into the classroom for effective learning to take place. I gained a wealth of info on ways to differentiate assessments and to present concepts in fun and meaningful ways. The children love technology and using the various apps and programmes that are available to them.

I attended a four weeks professional course called Open Educational Resources for Online Learning which helped me to use online tools and websites effectively to reach out to my students during this pandemic. It showed me the numerous choices in how to teach and offers innovative and interesting ways to deliver the content. 

I did a 2 week course about the use of OER and how it can help in the classroom in these times it was very enlightening and help me to be ale to empower my students in their learning online.

One of my best experiences with a professional development course was when I took the course on taking my teaching online in 2020. It was at a time when my institution was offering brief 2-hour webinars on preparing modules for blended learning. One was expected to make do with that information due to time pressure. Everything was rather overwhelming due to very short deadlines within which to deliver the results. I was able to fall back on the material I was covering on the course to be able to move towards the goal and that helped me a lot.

I was privileged to take online courses mounted by TESSA and the Open University of UK on teaching for the 21st century in 2019. This was an eye opener, as the course helped me update my skills to adapt to current challenges in teaching profession. This course, in addition to interaction with professional colleagues improved my knowledge and teaching skills. 

I took some training in Special Education and it was quite helpful as it aided me to be able to assist my school at the time because we were struggling with a few special needs students. I returned to school and shared what I had learnt. My staff had made some changes because of the professional development experience as it related to our special needs students. 

As an Educator, professional development in your field of expertise is necessary for growth and development. Within the education system professional development should be ongoing and should be engaging and enlightening for all Stakeholders. Thus far with regards to this Course it is really an eye opener on the way forward in the creation of an inclusive school. I really feel that professional development is a great stratergy to help overcome challenges we may encounter whilst working through a pandemic.

I took a course which involved learning how to incorporate inclusive education practices into our regular teaching environment.

This course was extremely vital for me because it helped me to revamp my teaching methods and incorporate new ideas to ensure I am engaging as much students as possible. It was also important because it forced me to reflect alot on my teaching methods to see if I was truly reaching all of my students or not.

My college connected professors with Ontario Extend learning modules offered by eCampus Ontario. There were 6 learning modules, each curated to walk the learner through relevant, technology-based tools. I found these modules particularly helpful as it was a stretch-goal to embrace technology in my class and these courses provided me with resources, understanding, practice and confidence. 

A few years ago, my school was involved in a paediatric first aid workshop. This workshop was effective as the facilitators took the time to explain and point out differences between ‘normal’ first aid and paediatric first aid techniques. Participants were given the opportunity to practice first aid skills on dummies and each other with the guidance of facilitators. While thankfully, I have not had the need to use these skills, through participation in this workshop, I felt better equipped to handle and respond effectively should the need arise.

A professional development experience I have had was a three day Forum held at Belize City with other teachers.

It was a good experience and I have personally tried to implement what i learnt but since I have a multigrade class i have not totally been able to see the outcome completely satisfactory.  I am willing to keep trying it and monitor the results.

Commonwealth of Learning recently ran Cybersecurity introductory and advanced training for teachers and educators. The courses were timely because part of my responsibility is management of a cluster of schools virtual classes. 

The  two courses taught me a lot and I was able to put into practice the knowledge I gained to better serve my staff, and parent community both on the virtual platform and the WhatsApp parent chat group especially in the area of ransom attack. 

Professional Development is ongoing. I have participated in many workshops  as an educator and in recent times webinars.  It has really influenced my practice  positively . It is always a learning experience. I recently have been a part of a series of webinars also with many other ECCE educators.  The webinars informed my practice. The webinars aimed at supporting  educators in their transition to online teaching  and learning.  In the webinars I developed an understanding  of different strategies and techniques that  will help us as educators   to teach our learners online, how to effectively communicate with learners with diverse backgrounds , learning styles and  those with special needs , disabilities as well as how to work with their families. I reflected on my own practice and I saw some of the strategies used in practice being  discussed in the webinar. I became familiar  with different learning platforms and micosoft applications that can be incorporated in the teaching and learning process and how it is used.The implementation  of some of the strategies took an immediate  effect.  Some.of the challenges I faced and educators face daily, the webinars really helped to influence  my practice and showed me.how to work along with our diverse learners.as well.as their families. I understood alot about  technology and how to use  it to help our learners., their families and us as educators.  Teaching online was a transition  for educators, staff, families and these webinars really helped and I was able to implement some of the strategies in my practice. In participating  in the webinars along with  my colleagues  and other educators  at the ECCE level really informed our practice. It is a continuous  process.  I am always happy to be a part of various workshops and  webinars that willl help me and those who I work with and teach. It always informs my practice positively.  

One of the most memorable workshop I attended was a Special Education workshop for two weeks.  We look at all teaching areas, such as language, mathematics, science, physical education and arts. We also looked at the emotional side of the child. We learnt helpful strategies to assist both child and parents.   We were able to transform the school through ongoing collaboration with teachers and parents.  Resources and support was available and everyone felt part of the entire programmed. 

A professional course I participated in was Teenage Mental Heath First Aid. It was a very interesting and enlightening experience understanding how to cope with mental challenges of teenagers. I was able to understand choice of words and techniques that can help these teens feel comfortable to open up etc.  

The first time I attended a course on Monitoring and Evaluation is so memorable.

The course was well designed and administered.

It put in perspective how to evidently monitor and evaluate a project. It distingushed in clear terms the differences between the Traditional M&E and a Result Based M&E. It also emphasised that a project should be result focussed among other things.

The  course was instrumental to my becoming an M&E Consultant and also impacted on my day to day life as I always  use the M&E lens to view issues.

It has been so rewarding and gratifying.

Similar to that is the shift in mind set that this couse has brought. I am now better informed on issues of inclusiveness and this will surely help my engagements subsequently.

Greetings,

The MOOC on Mobile Learning with Multimedia (MLM Beginners) offered by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) really stuck with me. This course challenged me to work "outside of my box". We were required to create 5 minute lessons, so learners would be able to learn in chunks. Hence, the latter would not get overwhelmed. Then, the lesson was converted to a podcast. So learners can listen on the go. Studies show that our students listen to podcasts longer than they view videos. Initially, the task seemed daunting. However, the support and the in depth content both left an indelible memory. 

Looking forward to MLM Advanced.

Regards.

Creating a Learning Organization

Activity 3.2 -Experiences of Professional Development

One professional development workshop which I attended that challenged my thinking and helped me to improve my practice was one that I attended in 2019 called Music, Movement and Early Childhood. I teach 3- and 4-year-old children and this workshop was interactive and helped me to develop new ideas and strategies that I incorporated in the classroom. I saw the important role that music played in the language development of children and how it improved their listening skills. The children in my class loved making animal sounds and making animal movements and music and movement helped the children who were having a difficult time with separation, to let loose and laugh within their groups, helping them to socialize and be comfortable in the school environment. This is just to name a few. Since then, I’ve utilized many more strategies and had many more wonderful experiences with my children.

There was a PD in which we identified personality types. It was a fun PD but it also helped me recognise my personality type, my approach to others and how to relate to other personality types. 

With the onset of the pandemic, online classes have become the norm. I participated in a training geared at assisting teachers and helping professionals in better reaching their student population. I think its important for us to stay current as it helps us to more effectively serve students who may be experiencing challenges with the transition from face to face to virtual learning. 

As a new teacher in the education system, I had the opportunity to participate in an induction program hosted by the Ministry of Education. There were numerous well educated and well spoken lecturers whom shared their knowledge about different topics related to the school and students such as classroom management, equity and equality, inclusion and many more. These lecturers was very effective for me since it broaden my knowledge and introduced me to learning resources and teaching strategies that I can apply when teaching my students. 

An effective professional development experience I had was when I had the opportunity to be in a training course where we were taught on how to deal with children on the online setting. This course gave us ideas on how to deal with disruptive children as well as children with a disability as we use the online forum.

I once took a professional development workshop which focused on science. It was challenging to me because every topic that I encountered, required an experiment or an activity that is interactive. It opened my thinking and it also challenged my thinking to invent activities that are able to meet each child's needs. 

I was previously in a professional development course with other teachers of various schools, experience in the field and levels of education. That development program was effective to me because it gave me a better understanding of how to handle a classroom situation with regards to accommodation of students with special needs. Similar methods can be used to convey the same material with the help if manipulatives to teach diverse learners. Hearing strategies and knowing of available resources from others made me feel a sense of calm by knowing I am not the only teacher facing these dilemmas in the classroom and there are methods available to overcome these obstacles.

My first and most memorable professional development experience was one called Mobile Learning with Multimedia. This was very interesting and helpful to me as it helped me learn how to effectively use computer software and hardware to make audio and visual lessons for distance education. It helped me improve on my creativity skills and computer literacy skills. I was introduced to various open source software which were very user friendly for any age range. It was a very practical and fun course as we all got to view and comment on each other's audio/visual lesson sample we created at the end of the course. To this day, I use my knowledge of the software to create video lessons, podcasts, and even advertisements. 

Two years ago I took a professional development plan on Literacy. It was very informative and very interesting. I took it as a training since I was starting to teach the lower level. It help me a lot during my first year of teaching the lower level. we looked at activities and strategies specifically for literacy. I liked the idea of being among experienced teachers that shared their experience throughout their years of teaching the lower level. the presentation done by groups also gave me an idea of what to do at the beginning. So it was great! 

Presently am in a continuous CPD called SIP(school improvement plan) for administrators, as a Head Teacher given the opportunity to assist the Principal and Vice Principals in collecting and analyzing data for example: Student's achievements in external exams for the past 4 years is an eye-opener for our planning. In the planning we are able to implement strategies and policies that will see the betterment of the school. included in the plan is a section for inclusive education. So am happy to be in this course , so that next time we sit in our session next month I will be able to show and recommend some of these policies and plans  by UNICEF and others. Thanks for the valuable information I am gathering.

One of the professional developments which challenged my paradigm and help me to improve my practice is the one dealing with technology. That is, incorporating technology in my teaching. With this I mean from PowerPoint presentations to the latest platforms and applications used in education; the digital world of education. Learning and using Zoom, Skype, Google Classroom, Google Meet, Kahoot, Quizzes, Quizlet, ClassDojo, and others, was a challenge for me. Nevertheless, the learning and use of a few of these has changed the way students learn and interact with me. I found it to be effective because it empowers both the teacher and students to take challenges and be competitive in a developing technological world.

One workshop titled: "Teaching in Times of Change" 
helped to improve my Online ECCE teaching practice by incorporating the following strategies: modeling enthusiasm - I use facial expressions, intonations together with puppets, and musical instruments to keep my students engaged and attentive; questioning and discussions; and active participation (show and tell), to name a few of the tips. 

I consistently seek out professional development courses and have completed quite a few over the past year in an effort to improve my practice in the digital classroom. The one that stood out the most is one on Blended Learning Practice as it shows how asynchronous activities cater for opportunities for deeper learning and help in creating an independent learner. Too many people are adamant on daily synchronous sessions for hours and hours without realizing that this does not auger well for teacher nor students and does not always foster deep learning. 

Briefly describing a professional development  experience which challenged my thinking, "Private providers Early Childhood Care and Education Training Programme" . This course addressed traditional approach to curriculum and poor quality delivery of of quality early childhood to children. It demonstrated that curriculum content, facilitating  and scaffolding learning  and development  appropriate to children inclusive of all children with and without  disabilities. I found it to be effective as I now engaged in best practices and current research in child development to include  diverse learners in an enrich environment, appropriate materials, , strategies guiding  children' behavior and support social relationship including peer support for children with diverse needs

As a School Social Worker in the Caribbean, we are always engaged in professional development on an ongoing basis. However, this course on Creating an Inclusive School has been one of the best experiences I have had thus far. 

To begin with, reading and learning about different school cultures throughout the world is indeed very insightful. Also, in this process of learning, I have also noticed how many similarities exist among different cultures throughout the world.

Secondly, the variety of experiences that has been shared has been very insightful. Added to that, some of the experiences shared has actually added to my personal and professional development as there were tools in the posts that I found to be very useful.

Finally, while this course is mainly geared to educators, as a social worker we also fill the hat of educators and I have found that the course coincides with Social Work Core Values. Therefore I found it to be a challenge that was quite enjoyable to do. 

Hi All,

I have been fortunate to attend many professional development workshops during my many years of service in this profession. I have been attending workshops to assist me with online learning and online resources. These were all provide free of charge by the Ministry of Education for teachers and I believe that they would have provided me with knowledge and skills which became necessary during this time of experiencing the pandemic and being thrown into online school. I believe as a teacher we always need to continue to learn the changing and new ways to possibly reach all our learners. 

My continued participation in professional development not only makes me more able to help my students but also helps me to be better in all aspects of my life as I learn from every experience.

Regards,

Michelle

The Professional Development i have attended in the past have all been very informative. I always took away a new idea, a new strategy or something that I can add it consider in my teaching and in the classroom. Working in groups with other fellow teachers, we get the opportunity to collaborate and share ideas which aids in your development.

One of the most effective Professional Development experience I had was learning about, "Differentiated Instruction'. 

This was truly a very informative workshop. I remember being so excited to introduce the strategies into my classroom as well as its effectiveness.

An effective professional development experience I attended, was a grief and loss workshop. It really helped me to see the stages of grief and loss clearly and understand how it presents itself differently for each person. The workshop, shifted my perspective and a change in my approaches to grief was the result.

I did a course for professional development regarding coping with stress. It was effective because the program was well planned and brought across the information clearly. The speaker permitted that the audience interacted on the subject matter. I found the program useful since working within a pandemic brings a new dynamic to my job. It is important that coping with all that is going on to effectively do my job. 

Attending a professional development session on assessment during my early teaching years made me do some introspection into the teaching and learning opportunities. The guest speaker exclaimed that self assessment is extremely important to do after every lesson or activity.  I soon realized that I was not affording a student with a speech and language difficulty the best teaching and learning opportunities to assist him to develop his speech and language. I used the easy way  by asking him to bring the item or whatever he spoke about since I did not understand him and did not want to frustrate him. However, after assessing myself I started asking him to bring the item but I pointed at my lips for him to observe the formation of my mouth when saying the words so he can follow. This strategy proved to be extremely successful as the first day the student said the word 'water' clearly he wore the biggest smile ever which brought tears to my eyes.

Hi everyone!

I am currently a participant in a professional development programme called "The Induction Programme". This has a series of workshops and courses that help new teachers like myself in the practice. So far it has been very effective in that I got to learn a bit more about my field, gather some ideas and practices to improve my teaching, and it took into consideration the situation we are in by making it virtual.    

The most memorable professional development I had in the past was on catering to students with special needs. I found it to be very effective and it challenged the opinions I held about inclusive education. It is for that reason that I actually signed up for this course.

As a teacher I had two experiences with children with disability. The one that affected me the most and thought me the importance of professional development was the child that went blind gradually in my care due to her illness. This was traumatizing for her, and I had to develop ways to meet her needs. My first step was to research her condition and then develop strategies to assist her holistically. I cannot stress enough the importance of research and resources in helping someone to become an efficient inclusive teacher.    

I attended STREAM education workshop It introduced a holistic and unique educational approach integrating Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. it really challenged me to improve the way I foster and encourage creativity in children.

One of my memorable PD was on Phonemic Awareness.  It highlighted how complex teaching and learning the english language can be.

I recently completed a series of webinars on  "teaching  in times of change" .  This was geared towards helping teachers better understand how to navigate the whole online learning forums so that we could better help our parents and achieve effective curriculum delivery.  It has been very challenging for many of us to learn of the best ways to meet the teaching needs of our children through online.  After this webinar I was so much more comfortable and equipped to render assistance to parents and students for every day hurdles faced with  online learning.  

I think Professional Development is important. Information changes, or new/better ways are found to deal with situations. However, I disagree in when these courses are rolled out. In most cases, like now, teachers are given Professional Development Courses to do along with their regular work load. It can be overbearing at times and can be seen as time consuming. It is helpful to some, but it does pose a hinderance in the way it is gone about for persons to do it.

A professional development experience which challenged my thinking was  Inclusive Teaching and Learning, an online course.

I found the course to be effective as it was done in a systematic way, which allowed me to understand all concepts being taught, I was able to put was was being taught into effect in my classroom for the new year/term.

The presenter was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic in her presentation. She made the workshop a fun, learning atmosphere. 

There were many opportunities to interact and engage in small and large group activities. Her methodologies always stuck with me in trying to make Early Childhood activities fun and hands-on for our young charges. 

These methods also work well for inclusive learning as all learners can take part in some way and is not only confined to traditional ways of teaching and learning.

I definitely prefer this mode of professional development as it directly impacts your practice and provides new and interesting strategies. 

I once participated in a training on youth empowerment through sports. I myself am not very athletic so I was very intrigued to see how I was going to be trained to use sports to empower my students. The premise of the training was "equal ability teams." Basically this means that the sport didn't matter. Rather that as teachers/ counsellors we were more deliberate when creating teams for the students. We were encouraged to always ensure that each team has a range of students with different levels of abilities. 

Each team should have a strong as well as weak player of the sport. We were also taught how to create specific roles for students so no one is excluded. For example, the caring student would be put in charge of first aid, someone could be appointed equipment manager, the student who wrote well could be the team's reporter.  This training has always guided me whenever I approach group activities. I am always mindful to ensure that there is always something for a student to do on a team so that all are included and all can contribute. All are empowered.

As a special education instructor with Student Support Services, I was, along with my colleagues, invited to a series of online training sessions hosted by the Ministry of Education. These training sessions each targeted a specific area of special needs and included information on what it looked liked (behaviours), how to support a child who exhibited those signs and behaviours relative to that special need and highighted local organizations that could assist parents.

It was effective because it reinforced many of the strategies that I would use with my students and introduced me to new ones to be used in the online learning sessions. It also offered information that I could now share with parents so they could better understand how they could support their child at home.

An effective professional development experience that I had was attending a training workshop on “Early Identification and Intervention” hosted by the Student Support Services Division. The workshop was geared towards helping teachers in identifying children with signs of learning disabilities and providing early intervention to support them. The training was effective since it provided guidance to teachers on the process involved in obtaining early intervention to help children to which I have been implementing in my practice.

I did a course regarding diversity and inclusion in the early childhood setting. The course required me to not only suggest ways in which I can create a more inclusive classroom but also give evidence of several ways I have made adaptions in my school in order to achieve inclusion. This was challenging for me because sometimes we tend to think that retrieving relevant resources can be tedious, costly or inconveniencing, however I have learned that being innovative, creative and recycling can go a long way. By using such skills I was able to make several adaptions in my classroom to promote equity and inclusion.

I believe that this course was effective because it provided relevant and vital information. Additionally, not only did it require the critical thinking of teachers but it also gave opportunities for teachers to put the knowledge gained into to practice. I was allowed to take the next step forward to literally develop and implement strategies and observe whether or not they were effective. If evidence was not required of me I probably would not have applied my knowledge in the classroom. Thus, I value the push forward to do so and as a result I have become more intentional in my efforts and willing to try new ways to achieve inclusion.

I recently completed a Leadership Programme which included a course regarding diversity.  It was really an eye-opener for me.  This course has helped me involve my students more in the implementation and delivery of the curriculum.  I has helped me better understand that we cannot treat students "equally" but instead we have to cater for their diverse needs, thereby, creating "equity" which will promote an effective and efficient learning environment.

As teachers, when we understand diversity and the diverse needs of students and we embrace these needs, we are promoting inclusion in our learning community.

Regards

Kamaldaye

Reference

Gutoskey, E. (2020, June 11). What’s the Difference Between Equity and Equality? [Illustration]. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/625404/equity-vs-equality-what-is-the-difference

The online course “Creating an Inclusive School”. This course makes me really examine myself as a leader ; and how inclusive we are at my Centres.

In an Induction Programme I attended online, I was exposed to a series of webinars. An effective professional development experience I had was one on Classroom Management where I was exposed to various gaming ideas and Google Apps that I could have used to enhance my Lessons. In incorporating a few of the games as revision tools, the students had fun and even began to become competitive. It helped the students to appreciate the Lesson even more.

Teachers should always engage in professional development because as years passed many things are evolving within the education system. Actively pursuing professional development ensures that knowledge and skills stay relevant and up to date. As teachers we should engage in continuous professional development for competency in our profession and also the workplace. An effective professional development experience I encountered and stuck with me was a 'Positive Mindset for teachers' workshop. It was very informative and it opened my eyes as a teacher on how we as professionals should think towards our students, parents, staff members and the wider community. This workshop helped me in many ways in and out of the classroom setting.

A professional development experience that helped me to improve my practice many years ago was a Train the Trainer Classroom Management Workshop. I found that the various situational strategies to be quite effective.

I underwent a 6 week leadership and management training in my position as a Principal of a Teachers Training College. this was an effective training because it influenced change in my Managerial responsibilities e.g. all staff were seen to be contributing to the running of the college even if they had opposing views. in addition, it influenced more collaboration as conflict management was much better. In the end there were very positive results achieved for the students and staff

There is always something new to learn in any professional development programme one participates in. I have participated in many training programmes, one that has challenged my thinking was inclusive teaching and learning. This is so because I have always thought that children with special needs are better taught in special schools peculiar to their needs and specially trained teachers. This experience changed my thinking completely and I am already putting resources together to ensure inclusivity in my teaching and learning with my students.

Professional development is one aspect that Teachers continuously improve their skills and in turn boost learners outcome.

I am currently doing a professional development course in Inclusive Leadership. Generally, we believe that we are all inclusive, but we may have omitted someone from a group/committee based on age, gender, nationality, level of experience and or education. It has allowed me to grow in my way of thinking and have allowed me to recognise that Inclusivity goes with Diversity - accepting other people's differences and uniqueness. Also providing their individual needs - Equity. I haven't been able to put this to practice however, I look forward to it and I know it will improve my practice.

Yes, ICT integration is a very important support measure for students' learning. It should be incorporated once the facilities are available either in a physical classroom setting or online. 

Recently, ECCE Teachers were part of a Series of Webinar Programmes. A wealth of information was given on various topics but what stood out for me was on the use of technology. It was quite interesting to see how technology have evolved an how educators can cater for children and parents in the classroom. This Information better equipped me to handle online classes and to assist parents when needed. I found this effective because I was able to used some of the techniques and strategies in my classroom.  

I attended a professional Development Training where we the teachers had to create teaching resouces from unconventional materials. This experience taught me alot and helped me in the classroom as i was able to create complex things from simple household materials and this encouraged my students to appreciate recycle items as they use them as learning tools.

One professional development course I was recently involved in was a MOOC for Open Educational Resources. It was effective in helping me navigate using online resources to assist my learners. 

An effective professional development experience that I have had that was effective was from informal professional development. I have had lots of formal development experiences such as attending courses, etc. but to me the best experience I have had is learning from colleagues, bouncing ideas off each other, talking about our experiences and sharing knowledge with each other. For me this is the best professional development ever because you get to learn from examples and decide what will work for you and your students through interaction with more experienced colleagues.

One of the most effective professional development sessions I've had was a creative writing workshop. Creative writing is a difficult subject to teach for me, but  the facilitator used pieces of our students work and showed us how to channel their writing. A short but vital manual was also given so we can have a quick reference when needed.

In the real world we lived in ,Professional development is an essential asset to us today. Recently I attended a series of Webinars workshops which enlighten me with strategies and information to work with parents who are frustrated and also develop anxiety.The aim of the Webinars workshop were to share information that will assist teachers with online teaching and learning skills.

This information gathered was very informative and innovative . As parents become their child teacher now tips was given to help their child in a better way. We also got information which can be useful to assist children with different learning styles and with disabilities.Workshops was done for parents to enable them to be more effective in working with their child,.

Activity 3.2Experiences of Professional Development

Professional development is a very important aspect in the life of an educator. There are always new concepts, techniques and theories and as educators you need to keep up in order to provide the children with the best opportunities and ensure inclusivity.

I attended some webinars workshops geared at helping educators learn the various tools available on google and how to manage and navigate the virtual classroom. I gained so much knowledge and the information I received about the many google apps available and how they could improve my teaching strategy was so helpful. When I implemented some the result was great. It was very effective in reaching each child where they were. Some of the techniques and strategies help to motivate and keep the children interest.

Professional development is very important especially for teachers. The world is rapidly evolving and today’s children are very advanced as compared to children twenty years ago. We as teachers need to keep moving and advancing in our career. We are privileged to have the opportunity to engage in professional development workshops and webinars facilitated by the Ministry of Education. One professional development workshop I attended that impacted me tremendously was one 21^st Century Teachers. This workshop motivated me to go home and begin researching for new ideas and strategies to teach our 21^st century children which was very effective.

Professional Development Courses have been made more available and convenient for teachers with the use of online mediums. I have participated in Mobile Learning with Multimedia that challenged me to use software to create and use podcasts as a new type of learning resource. We learnt that podcast recordings take up little storage and is convenient for those pupils who may not have laptops or advanced mobile phones. 

When I started teaching in the University,  I  had a memorable professional development experience when we were taken through "Teaching in the University " by a renown professor. I gained knowledge and skills on how to manage large university classes which was my greatest fear then.

Professional development is ongoing. I have actively engage in many workshop as an educator. The most recent course I participated in was with Open Educational Resources (OER) -Online Learning. It has really influenced my practice positively. The course was very informative, in which help  me to implement different strategies to meet the needs of each child development. As I reflect on my practice, I recognize some challenges I would encounter. Therefore, by engaging in the OER course I was able to use some strategies suggested, did further research and implement what was learnt in my daily learning activities.

One professional development experience which helped to improve my practice was when I attended a STEM workshop. This helped me to develop new skills and teaching practices to further assist children. Also it allowed me to think critically on how I can now adjust my teaching methods to allow each component into one lesson to bring a more valuable contribution to holistic development. 

I took the online course on Using Open Educational Resources- an introduction. I learn new ideas of how to develop learning resources for children during school lockdown due to Covid. The forum was very helpful in sharing of ideas as participants were from different parts of the world. This professional development was very helpful and useful  this time of covid 19.

Professional development enables educators to develop knowledge and skills needed in the classroom and to an for changes in the education system. 

One effective professional development I have had experienced was IT Training demonstrating how to operate the various learning platforms, their various tools and how to use them which allowed me to improve my teaching strategies on the online platform. This was most effective as I use it daily to plan activities and to carry out my daily routines. 

hi everyone, my most effective professional development experience was when I went to a workshop teaching in the lean times...I learned to make materials for the children with old recycle materials and i believe this was effective  to me because money was an issue and the children got their materials made from old recycle materials which was fun and cost effective. 

In matter of PD, as teacher educator, I used to plan training sessions on TESSA material to teachers of a sample schools. This material is full of strategies to teach inclusively.  Having been aware of this, over hundred teacher from more than 5 primary schools benefited from active teaching pedagogy and contents of TESSA in Togo through a small grant offered by Open University. Somme courses on open.edu are being adapted to Moodle environment for teacher professional development.