We always open our workshops with what many would initially categorize as the dreaded “icebreaker.” Participants move around the room and answer a series of questions with a different person each time. Before we begin, we make one thing clear: teachers’ personal experiences of the activity—whether positive or negative—are just as important to observe as the activity itself.
We’re not just demonstrating a valuable teaching strategy. We’re inviting educators to observe their own reactions, learning needs, and preferences alongside their colleagues.
Once the activity wraps up, it’s time for a full-group debrief. This is where the magic happens.
If there are 30 participants in the room, that same activity is experienced 30 different ways. Hearing one colleague describe the movement as distracting while another admits they wouldn’t have stayed engaged without it begins to break down assumptions about what “good teaching” looks like. A sampling of what we typically hear:
| What We Observed | What Teachers Noticed |
| A mix of content and personal questions (roughly 3:1) | Relief when personal questions appeared; surprise at how the mix of questions helped them maintain their engagement |
| Questions read aloud twice and displayed in large print | A need to reread independently; difficulty processing during noise; low-stress for those who needed more time |
| Responses shared with one or two peers while standing | Less apprehension than speaking to the full group; difficulty concentrating when multiple conversations overlapped |
| Movement around the room | Initial annoyance, followed by higher overall engagement—and the recognition that adults can be just as chatty as students |
Over the course of a workshop, this kind of regular reflection reveals an ever-growing list of differences among colleagues. Often—and this can be a moving moment—it’s the first time educators have been guided to stop and examine their own learning experiences, and the first time they’re hearing peers do the same.
Educators who may have quietly struggled to focus during long sit-and-listen PD sessions in the past feel empowered to share how they’re supported when instruction is differentiated. The content of the workshop matters, of course. But it is this experiential reflection, more than anything else, that energizes a room full of educators to expand their methods and approaches.
Want your teachers to be part of this kind of magic? So do we! There’s still space at our July 1st workshop. Details here.