When Teachers Become the Students

At Lakota East Freshman, professional development (PD) isn’t just about learning—it’s about connection. This year, the school launched the East Educator Exchange, a monthly series of optional PD sessions where teachers lead their peers in exploring new ideas and best practices in the classroom. Each month, a different department takes the lead, creating a space for collaboration, creativity and growth.

How It Started

The inspiration behind the program was T-Hawk Talks, a series of optional PD sessions held before school for East’s main campus staff. “Our schedules don’t always make it easy for teachers to attend PD after a long day, so we knew it had to be fun, meaningful and community-driven,” explained East Freshman Principal Bill Brinkman. “Sometimes teachers just need an ear—someone who understands the challenges of the classroom. We laugh and learn together!”

“Our goal is for (the teachers) to feel energized, like the time was well spent, and for them to have a takeaway they can immediately use in their classroom,” explained Teacher Leader Anne Morrow. “Although outside PD has its time and place, when our own teachers share what is working, it makes it more relatable because we share the same students.” Another benefit she noted is that the presenter is right down the hall to answer follow-up questions.

Brinkman said that their first session, led by Morrow, set the tone for the program: supporting one another and letting the staff shine. While the sessions will change throughout the year, the goal remains the same—to energize teachers and provide practical takeaways they can immediately apply in their classrooms. “We have incredible teachers in our district,” said Brinkman. “(Oftentimes), the best PD comes from the teacher down the hall. When our own educators share what works, it’s relatable and actionable because we serve the same students.”

From Lab to Classroom

Increasing student engagement was the topic for the session led by physical science teacher Nicole Brainard. Over the summer, Brainard attended a PD session to learn about Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILD), a teaching method that actively engages students in learning through demonstration and collaboration. Inspired, she adapted the concept for her classroom and then shared it with colleagues.

“I wanted to show how this method could work beyond science. I even used AI to brainstorm ideas for other subjects. The goal was to make it adaptable and practical for everyone,” Brainard explained.

Her PD session featured an ILD on thermal energy and kinetic motion. Teachers predicted what would happen when glow sticks were placed in beakers of water at different temperatures. The results? Cold water slows the reaction, making the glow stick shine longer—a simple yet powerful way to spark curiosity. “Engagement was off the charts,” she said, referring to her own students’ response to this lesson. “They still talk about the demonstration months later. I’ll definitely use more ILDs next semester—they make concepts stick because they connect to real-world situations.”

The ILD steps include:

1. Describing the demonstration;
2. Small and whole-group discussions on their own predictions; and 
3. Analyzing results and exploring classroom applications.

Reflecting on teaching her peers, Brainard said, “Our teachers are eager to learn and share. Leading this session reminded me how important it is to keep promoting new ideas. There’s so much talent in this building.”

A Culture of Collaboration

“The East Educator Exchange is about growing together—sharing best practices and building community,” said Morrow. “We learned science by doing science, and talked about how to engage students across all subjects.”

Brinkman has already seen the ripple effect. “The best part is watching ideas spread. When someone shares a tip and you see eyes light up, you know it matters. Teachers leave (the sessions) energized, and that benefits every student.”