You are not alone.

Professional Development is always a matter of debate. 'Why should I learn anything new?'. Well, because we are not alone. Whatever you decide, it impacts your teaching practice. It impacts on your students directly. It impacts on your staff indirectly.

You are not alone within a community of teaching professionals. Whether it is consulting books, collegiate bodies at schools or school zones, Training, Coaching, et cetera, we always depend on what someone else, with research, proved.

This is why we cannot isolate ourselves from a world of endless possibilities, where probably someone halfway around the world already tried the activity you are not sure if it's going to work.

Knowledge comes in all shapes and sizes, and from every unexpected corner in the world. Probably, a teacher in Mumbai can benefit from what you comment on a Teacher's blog. Who knows.

Professional Development has the sole purpose of growth. And for this, it is important that we always understand that we live within a community.

This is why so many organizations have been created. Out of the necessity of creating spaces where teaching professionals attend to listen and participate, to share and learn the novelties of research to try out new methods and approaches.

In Mexico, we have MEXTESOL, ANUPI and some others developing international events. Massive numbers of teachers attend to this events. At a smaller scale, Publishing houses move their authors around the country to promote new materials. And, with a huge effort, some consultancies are developing these sort of events at city and probably state level. Most of this events are free to attend so, why not give it a try? The worst case scenario is that you learn something!

Besides from the academic benefits, it is a great way to network and find some new job opportunities. Maybe see some old friends.

If given the opportunity, attend to these kind of events. It will be good. I promise.

APP