Going through school as a student, I have always been delighted to hear the teachers say the next Friday would be a Pro-D day. For me, it meant a long weekend and more sleeping in. But is this all these days are – an undeserved break for the students?

I did some research, and soon discovered that teachers are as hard at work as ever while the students take the day off.

Pro-D stands for Professional Development. As the name implies, these days are opportunities for teachers to expand and deepen their knowledge of their profession in the education field.

It is common for professionals in most fields to network with fellow practitioners. Teachers are especially in need of chances to share ideas and concerns with others. Workshops are often set up at universities and elsewhere to allow teachers to come together and collaborate.

In addition to during the school year, these workshops – along with conferences and seminars – take place during the summer. These include the BCTF Leadership Conference in Kamloops, the UNLV Volleyball Course in Las Vegas, and the International Conference on Imagination and Education in Vancouver.

If they so choose, teachers may also take part in mentoring programs, or pursue self-directed professional development. All these skills are taken back to the classroom.

On the most recent Pro-D day at SOSS, many teachers stayed at the school to learn to use the new technology being introduced. The newest additions to the classrooms are the Smart Boards. Although these look like white boards, they are actually large touch-screens that computers can be hooked up to. Although helpful and innovative, being able to use one well requires at first the aid of a teacher more comfortable with the Smart Boards.

Parents and students can be thankful that our teachers are investing as much time as they can in becoming better at their profession. These men and women are truly looking for every chance they can get to take teaching to the next level. A student like myself can walk into my school knowing that I’m entering an environment where the adults care about me and take my education seriously and personally.

Reilly Irvine, Grade 12 student SOSS