The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) will hold their Annual Joint Professional Development Issues Conference in Greensboro next month. The theme of the conference is: “In the Circus Act of Life, Strengthening Your Tightrope to Meet the Demands of 21st Century Schools.”
Breakout sessions include:
– Classroom Management Strategies for Success: Being a True Ringmaster!
– Coping with Difficult People, Even Clowns
– Snakes, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails: Strategies for Teaching to the Male Brain
I have no problem with the idea of a professional development conference for teachers. I believe that public school teachers are professionals who require occasional opportunities to refine their skills.
But it is hard to take teachers (and their professional development) seriously when the conference theme is a damn circus. This is an insult to the intelligence and professionalism of every teacher in North Carolina.