by Pine + Pixel Studio | Rooted in Growth

A Tale of Two Trainings

Imagine this.

In one room, teachers are huddled around tables, bouncing ideas off one another, laughing, building something new together. There’s movement, dialogue, a sense of purpose. People are connecting across grade levels and content areas. Someone says, “Wait, can you email that to me?” and someone else replies, “I thought I was the only one that felt that way.”

Just down the hall, there’s another PD session. Teachers are sitting in rows. A PowerPoint flickers on the projector, which is hard to read with the florescent overhead lighting. No one’s asking questions. Phones are barely hidden below eye level. People are trading complaints during partner discussions, mostly about how this topic doesn’t apply to them.

Both rooms are labeled “Professional Development.”
Only one is actually developing professionals.

Why Brilliant Teachers Deserve Better PD

Here’s the thing: teachers are some of the most creative, resourceful, and thoughtful professionals out there. They’re constantly adjusting, adapting, and solving problems in real time.

But when it comes to PD, we often treat them like they need to be spoon-fed the basics.

PD is too often scheduled at the worst possible times and built around topics that don’t apply to every educator in the room. Ask a PE teacher how they feel sitting through a three-hour session on the Science of Reading, and you’ll get the idea.

This isn’t just frustrating. It’s wasteful.

When PD doesn’t follow the basic principles of adult learning (when it’s not relevant, problem-centered, or applicable) it becomes something teachers endure, not something they grow from. Bottom line: that is a waste of time, talent, and treasure.

What Good PD Can Look Like

It’s not magic. It’s just thoughtful design. And it doesn’t have to break the budget.

Here are practical ways schools can shift the experience, even with limited time and resources.

Relevant Topics that Resonate

AI Literacy for Educators
Focus on how AI can support productivity: lesson planning, generating resources, simplifying tasks. Teachers are curious, not clueless. Give them tools, not lectures. Put someone in the room that has had experience using it thoughtfully and ethically.
Design Help with Canva
Teach teachers how to create easy, polished materials without spending their Sunday nights formatting PDFs or purchasing more TPT content on their own dime. Bonus points if they get to make templates to share. If possible, shell out for that Canva Business Pro license and thank me later.
Role-Play for Grumpy and Grumbling Emails
Run workshops on how to respond to the kinds of parent or admin emails that spike blood pressure. Create scripts. Practice responses. Maybe even laugh a little. Remember: if it requires more than three sentences, it’s a phone call you’re looking for. If it requires more than three paragraphs… it’s an administrator you’re looking for.

Build in Connection and Creativity

Off-Campus, Low-Cost Retreats
Borrow space from a local community center, library, or nature trail. Set up collaborative sessions in parks or school gardens. Teachers need fresh air and fresh perspective. They need to touch grass. If it can be done elsewhere, don’t force your teachers to sit in those little chairs with their knees up by their ears- it’s not a good look.
PD as a Field Trip
Plan it like a class trip. Include time to socialize. Let teams design breakout sessions based on what they actually want to learn. The best PD I ever did was after a jet boat tour- we learned about the Portland Bridges, and then worked on a new district-mandated lesson plan template on the dock, using our experience as a guide while we were all soaking wet.
Let Teachers Lead
Invite teachers to share their tools and ideas. Send out surveys and welcome discussion about what they would like to learn to up-skill themselves as professionals. Some of the best PD comes from people down the hall, not guest speakers on Zoom.

And Please... Feed Them Like Adults

Catered lunch doesn’t mean a dry muffin tray from the PTO. Coordinate with local restaurants- some offer discounts knowing they are supporting local educators. Offer a warm meal and time to eat it, with people they want to break bread with. This small gesture communicates something bigger: respect.

For the “Mandatory but Meh” Topics

We can’t skip compliance trainings, but we can redesign how they’re delivered.

Replace one-size-fits-all worksheets with interaction. Want specifics? I have a solution for that.
Offer short, flexible modules teachers can complete when they’re ready to focus. Flip the classroom: theory through eLearning, discussion and mentorship in-person.
Incorporate reflection, discussion, and coaching, not just content delivery. Let them journal. Give them an opportunity to create and share. Pair mentorship so that tenured teachers are learning from younger generations, just as much as the other way around.

Rooted in Growth: Rethinking the Relationship with PD

Teachers don’t hate learning. They hate being treated like they don’t already know how.

When PD is built with intention, relevance, and even a little joy, it stops being a requirement and starts becoming a support system. It builds community. It fuels confidence. And it helps retain the incredible educators who show up for students every single day.

Let’s Build Something Better

The truth is, designing professional development that actually supports modern teachers is no small task. It’s complex. It takes planning, coordination, and a deep understanding of how people learn, and how schools run.

If your team is ready to move away from check-the-box training and toward PD that is thoughtful, flexible, and actually helpful, I can help.

Let’s create learning experiences that truly support your teachers—so they feel confident, connected, and excited to keep growing alongside their students.

🌱 Kelsey Connolly | Pine + Pixel Studio
📧 pineandpixelstudio@gmail.com

Reimagining Teacher PD: Practical, Personal, and Rooted in Relevance