Professional Development Topics
By Robert Evans, Ed.D.
Surviving and Thriving in Challenging Times
Life in schools grows ever more complex. Expectations keep rising, not just in academic areas but in social and behavioral areas, as well. New initiatives and pressures arrive every year—along with new criticisms. Yet budgets and staffing are under pressure, and so are supplies and facilities in many schools. How can educators respond constructively? How can they maintain their morale, energy, and competence?
This program explores first the larger context of demand in schools—the range and complexity of changes in curriculum, pedagogy, special needs, and in non-academic areas—then the challenges posed by the decline in readiness among many students and families, and then turns to the more specific context facing a particular school or district. It outlines the common dilemmas that result and the ways in which stress affects individual and group more and behavior.
From there the program turns to coping. It offers specific strategies for both facing up to harsh realities and not being overcome by these. Among other steps, it helps people reflect on ways to focus their goals, so as to make these more achievable, and to reflect on steps that have helped them during stressful times in the past, and on their current strengths as a professional community. Without resorting to phony tricks, it helps to rekindle hope and energy.
The program is offered as a full-day or a half-day workshop and as a keynote. Both workshop formats include a mixture of presentation, large group Q & A, discussions in pairs and small groups. The full-day permits more sharing, discussion, and role-playing and practicing. Rob always likes to tailor programs—particularly this one—to meet the specific needs and interests of a school or a district and is glad to discuss this.