7 Fun Professional Development Ideas for Teachers

7 Fun Professional Development Ideas for Teachers

#1 Take a Masterclass

Looking for engaging, flexible professional development you can do on your own time? Sadlier’s Webinar Resource Center is packed with free, on-demand masterclasses designed specifically for K–12 educators.

From foundational literacy strategies to vocabulary development, writing instruction, and classroom leadership, you’ll find a wide range of sessions led by expert educators and authors. These professional development webinars are practical, inspiring, and come with a Certificate of Participation—perfect for logging PD hours over the summer or anytime throughout the school year.

Explore the collection and find your next favorite webinar today!

#2 Find an Accountability Buddy

I love reading and discussing new professional development books, but I need to be held accountable or the book will sit on my nightstand unread. That’s why I always enlist at least one teacher to read the book with me. 

The success I had with an accountability buddy checking in on my reading progress, gave me the idea to implement an accountability buddy in my PD efforts! Ask an online educator friend, colleague, or mentor teacher to become your Professional Development Buddy👭! Ideally, you and your PD buddy can complete the same professional development opportunities so you two can collaborate and discuss aspects of the class together. HOWEVER, an accountability buddy will still work if you decide to take different professional development courses. 

#3 Listen to Podcasts

I am a huge podcast listener and between Penny Kittle’s BookLove Foundation podcast and Colby Sharp and Travis Yonker’s The Yarn, I learn all about teaching techniques, great books, and authors in less than an hour of listening a week.

Teachers can turn on a podcast while driving, gardening, cooking, or cleaning to catch up on educational trends and new books.

#4 Take Part in an Online Challenge

There are many online challenges— my current favorite is Donalyn Miller’s Book-a-Day challenge. While I always fall very short of the goal, I love the challenge and seeing what other colleagues are reading. I also love the #ClassroomBookaDay challenge created by Jillian Heise. Use these summer months to check out the resources on Heise Reads Recommends and to beef up your classroom library so you’re ready to participate in the #ClassroomBookaDay challenge when school starts in the fall!

#5 Attend Webinars

What I love about webinars is that teachers can attend or watch when they want, without leaving the house! So much new learning can take place with colleagues around the globe, without a plane ticket required.

Check out Sadlier’s virtual events to watch recorded webinars, video interviews with experts, and more.

#6 Join Book Clubs

My good friend Courtney started a teacher book club a few years ago, and I love it because it pushes me to read books I would not pick up on my own. 

Don’t let the lack of a teacher book club keep you from participating in collective reading. The Nerdy Book Club is one of my favorite online organizations and I have met many new friends and colleagues through interacting with the club online.

#7 Attend an Institution or In-Person Workshop

I have saved my favorite idea for last. I have attended workshops with the Ohio University Ping Institute, Ohio State Humanities Council, and several of my friends have been a part of the Royal Shakespeare Company or Holocaust Institute summer programs.

From travel opportunities to free resources, these institutes are a great way to meet new colleagues and become re-energized as both a teacher and learner.

Bonus– Using PD to Become an Educational Leader

Whether you are a novice educator or a seasoned veteran, taking the time to consider ways to push yourself to move to the next level is a great way to plan what professional development ideas would be most beneficial in helping you reach your goals. Download the 5 Ways to Become an Educational Leader Tip Sheet & Assessment to get ideas for growing into a leader in education and an assessment to gauge where you are at in your growth.

In Summary

Professional development helps educators improve their professional knowledge, gain new skills, and set examples for students. Make yourself a priority this summer and hone your skills by participating in various professional development opportunities! Download the 7 Quick and Fun Professional Development Ideas for the Summer Tip Sheet now.