Building a PD That Inspires: Training Teachers for Joyful Work
- Melissa Laurie
- Jun 18
- 2 min read
What Makes Teacher Training Truly Transformative (Plus a Free Planning Template)
We’ve all been there: a daylong PowerPoint marathon, a binder you’ll never open again, and a sense that this could’ve been an email.
But professional development shouldn’t drain teachers—it should reignite them.
At The GAP Lab, we design professional development that mirrors the kind of learning we want for students: joyful, hands-on, inquiry-driven, and human. If you're planning a workshop, retreat, or teacher training, here's how to make it meaningful (and a free template to help you do it).
Why Most PD Misses the Mark
Let’s call it out:
It's too passive. Sit-and-get doesn’t change practice.
It's disconnected. Training rarely reflects real classroom needs.
It’s one-size-fits-all. But teachers, like students, thrive with choice, relevance, and challenge.
And perhaps worst of all, it treats teachers like they're the problem. But the real issue is often systems, not skills.
What Great PD Feels Like
Truly impactful professional development is:
Empowering – Teachers leave with tools and confidence.
Relational – There’s trust, laughter, and vulnerability.
Relevant – The content connects directly to daily work.
Experiential – Teachers learn by doing, not just listening.
Reflective – There’s time to process, personalize, and plan.
It doesn’t have to be flashy. But it does have to feel alive.
The Anatomy of a Great Workshop
Here’s the basic structure we use when designing PD that inspires:
Segment | Purpose | Examples |
Warm Welcome | Create safety & spark curiosity | Music playing, nature journal prompt, a grounding breath |
Engage | Hook with experience or provocation | Play a game, explore a mystery object, share a personal story |
Explore | Dive into hands-on or inquiry-based activity | Build something, plan a mini-lesson, try an outdoor challenge |
Reflect | Help participants connect content to practice | Use thinking routines, small group discussions, journaling |
Apply | Make space to plan next steps | Lesson sketching, partner coaching, open Q&A |
Close with Joy | End with connection and celebration | Appreciation circle, takeaways board, group photo |
Free PD Planning Template
We’ve put together a simple, printable template that mirrors this structure and helps you design your next session. It includes:
Guiding questions for each segment
Space to plan materials and flow
A place for reflection & follow-up
Final Thoughts
Teachers deserve professional development that honors their time, brilliance, and humanity.And you don’t have to be an expert facilitator to make it happen, you just need to plan with purpose and heart.
Let’s make teacher learning as joyful as the learning we want for kids. Your next great workshop starts here.
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