You Don't Know How Much I Needed This! Six Ideas about Professional Growth for Teachers
The film ended, the panel discussion was over. The crowd had moved across the hall for coffee and desserts. I was gathering my tote bag, when approached by a young woman, who thanked me for an "amazing" evening. I began to demur-- explaining how small my part was in the success of the program --when her eyes grew shiny, and she exclaimed "You don't know how much I needed this!"
She explained how lonely she felt at school, how refreshing it was to be part of an upbeat, engaged group of teachers that evening, listening to professional dialogue. She wanted to talk to someone about issues that had been raised, to ask questions, share her own thoughts.
She was a second-year teacher, full of promise, but disillusioned by what she felt was an unprofessional
