Educators truly embody lifelong learning. We spend our evenings, summers, and weekends, reading, learning, reflecting, and adapting. Just scan Twitter: you’ll find fellow educators requesting book recommendations, sharing resources, and asking questions to better their instruction in order to serve students. This summer especially, educators are hard at work modifying many of their lessons and units to ensure they meet the needs of their students within the structures of next school year. I am continually inspired by my colleagues to learn new strategies and read new books.

Whether it’s informal learning through Twitter or formal learning through webinars and conferences, professional learning matters. Teacher quality remains one of the most important factors contributing to student learning and success. In fact, according to John Hattie’s research, collective teacher efficacy (d = 1.57), teacher credibility (d = 0.90), and teacher clarity (d = 0.75) all have a positive correlation to increase student learning. In an educational setting, effect size (d) serves as one way to measure the success of an intervention. Hattie interprets any intervention with an effect size of d = 0.4 or more as having a greater-than-average impact on student learning. Collective teacher efficacy refers to educators recognizing the work they do everyday in their classrooms with students has a significant impact on their learning. Teacher credibility refers to how students perceive their teacher’s competence in developing their learning. Teacher clarity refers to the clear articulation of the learning targets and success criteria in order for students to know what they are learning and how they will be assessed. 

One way to increase collective teacher efficacy, teacher credibility, and teacher clarity is to build capacity through professional learning. Professional learning serves as ongoing education for teachers to improve their learning and strengthen their practice for students. 

As educators, it can be challenging to balance our own learning and innovating with all the grading, lesson planning, and daily responsibilities of teaching. Plus, there are certain times of the year that seem longer and more difficult than other times (e.g., October and February, I’m looking at you!).

The Kane County Regional Office of Education recognizes the challenge educators face to receive quality professional learning, especially in these trying times. Thus, we are excited to announce INSPIRE: a professional learning subscription box curated to help K-12 teachers learn, reflect, and implement best practices for student learning packed with tons of teacher trinkets. This unique professional learning opportunity was “inspired” by the Burlington Central Instructional Coaching Team. 

What better way to treat yourself to ongoing professional learning and fun goodies than by subscribing to “Inspire”? Each box will have a different instructional theme containing materials and strategies to implement immediately into your classroom, reflection opportunities through an online component, and, of course, surprises and gifts for you to enjoy! The best part? You can earn up to 8 professional development hours per box through engaging in content directly related to the contents of the box for just $75! Sign up for a monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, or semiannual subscription by clicking the hyperlink with the first box set to arrive in the middle of September! 

A subscription box sent directly to your house is bound to put a huge smile on your face and keep you inspired throughout the school year! I am inspired. Will you be too?