If we know that stand-and-deliver instruction isn’t the most effective teaching method for students, why do we keep using it for teachers?
Professional development has slowly begun to move away from lectures—but many educators still equate maturity and professionalism with being able to endure that style of teaching. Movement, hands-on activities, and engagement tools are often mistakenly seen as appropriate only for young children, rather than being recognized as effective practices for learners across the lifespan.
The most impactful way to counteract this misconception is to recreate an authentic classroom environment in the PD setting. And to be clear: this does not mean pretending that teachers are children. It means being explicit about the “why” behind every instructional choice—moments of direct instruction, built-in movement, note-taking options, and yes, even fidget tools.
It also means delivering relevant, differentiated content to a manageable group (no more than 35 participants, preferably fewer). A learning environment that reflects the classrooms where teachers spend the bulk of their day is about as authentic as we can get.
When teachers move in and out of various groupings, choose how they engage, and access regulation tools like fidgets, it can initially feel patronizing. But in our experience, that discomfort quickly opens the door to lightbulb moments—as soon as honest reflection begins.
And that’s exactly where the real learning happens.
If you’re curious what this looks like in practice, we’d love for you to experience it firsthand. We’re hosting our first multi-district workshop for co-teachers on July 1st in East Williston and would love to see you there! You can find the details here.