On November 8th this year, nine school districts from Franklin, Hampshire, and Berkshire counties partnered with the Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) to offer a robust selection of Election Day Professional Development workshops for educators..
Over 35 workshops were coordinated by the Collaborative for Educational Services (CES), and hosted by Easthampton Public Schools, Northampton Public Schools and Amherst College, and 315 educators participated. Workshops covered a wide array of subjects, from anti-racism and social justice, to educational technology, co teaching, science and math. A particular area of focus for the school districts involved was the ability to provide professional development experiences specific to areas of teaching that can be difficult to find – including events for art and music teachers, physical education and wellness teachers, and librarians and nurses. were broken out by a variety of topics and student grade levels for the educators.
Participants found the experience valuable, providing powerful stories, practical hands-on strategies, and the time to collaborate with their peers. While Election Day typically offers schools and educators the opportunity to dedicate time to professional development and improving their practice, many noted that the experience whetted their appetite for the subjects covered, and would love to see more. Nevertheless, spending time with peers and focusing on new ideas, one attendee noted, is therapeutic for educators – and provides valuable ideas that they can take back to the classroom.
CES provides professional development for educators on a year-round basis; focusing on challenges and tough problems that are important to teachers, schools and districts. It was not possible to offer in-person experiences for Election Day during the height of the pandemic, but with a return to some in-person PD, the organization was able to work with local districts to support this year’s special events.
For many years, CES has developed specialized expertise in a number of key content areas to support educators and leaders, schools, districts, and the students they serve. In addition to open enrollment, public events, CES offers in-district customized training, development and coaching experiences.You can learn more about the CES professional development services on our website
