Go Get It (Your Learning)

By: Chris Ouellette, M.Ed., NEALS’ Vice President

When my partner Jennifer and I joined our first session as fellows in the Leadership + Design Fellowship program, one message stood out right away: you are responsible for “going and getting your learning.” At first, I found myself wondering why that needed to be said. I had always embraced professional development and was an early adopter for new ideas and tools.

As the idea unfolded, it became something more meaningful. It wasn’t just about showing up to what was offered; it was about digging deeper, making sense of what you encountered, and taking ownership of your own growth. It meant engaging not only with the resources provided, but also with your own curiosity, initiative, and reflection. While I had always been quick to say yes to professional learning opportunities, this experience shifted something for me. It encouraged me to be more intentional in my pursuit of knowledge, both to strengthen my specific skill set and to more thoughtfully shape my overall practice. The strategy I am offering up today: Be Proactive in Your Learning and Development.

One of the questions I often pose when working with school communities is, “Where do you go for your continued learning?” For some, the response comes with energy and enthusiasm as they share a recent podcast, a meaningful conference, or a new idea they are eager to try. Just as often, however, I notice a flicker of hesitation or concern. The answers tend to sound familiar: “I keep my certification up to date,” or “I read articles and books when I can. I am just so busy.” When I gently probe further by asking about conferences attended or visits to other schools, the response is often the same. Stepping away, even for a day, feels like too much to manage within already full and demanding schedules. 

The pace of independent school life can make anything beyond our daily responsibilities feel daunting. As learning specialists, we are often supporting students in navigating both their academic and personal commitments, and our skill sets position us to anticipate potential roadblocks before others may see them. With these layers of responsibility, the idea of stepping away for one, two, or even three days can feel as though we are letting our students down. At the same time, if we limit our own opportunities to grow and expand our toolkit, we may also be doing them a disservice. Since we all want to do the best for our students, maybe the challenge isn’t within the schedule?

Another significant barrier to professional development is the perception of top-down, mandated initiatives. During my time in New Hampshire public schools, each year brought a new set of directives from the state, the school, and the special education department. While often well-intentioned, these initiatives frequently shifted or disappeared within a year, leaving the time, energy, and planning invested in them feeling diminished or lost. Over time, this cycle can erode trust and enthusiasm. It becomes difficult to fully invest when past experiences suggest that the work may be short-lived. Walking into opening meetings each fall, only to be introduced to yet another new set of priorities, often reinforced that sense of fatigue and skepticism. 

*Quick note here just to say that all professional development is not created equally. There are some pretty ineffective ones that unfortunately leave just as sour of a taste in your mouth! The lesson here: don’t let one or two bad experiences cloud your entire idea of professional development.

I would be remiss not to acknowledge the financial realities of professional development. It can be easy, particularly in smaller schools, to assume that there simply are not resources available to support growth. Having personally funded many of my own professional learning experiences at times, I understand how real and discouraging that challenge can feel. At the same time, my conversations with administrators often reveal a different perspective. I frequently hear, “We have funds allocated for professional development, but we struggle to get educators to take advantage of them.” This disconnect is worth paying attention to. If there is one small encouragement to take from this, it is simply to ask. Opportunities and resources are far more likely to exist than we might assume, but they remain out of reach if we do not advocate for them. Too often, the answer feels like “no” only because the question was never asked.

Alright, so as Jon Oliver says, “What can we do?”. One of the best ways I have found (both for myself and for working with others), is to think of professional development as a multi-tiered system of support. Yeah Chris, but what does that look like? 

Tier I: Reading Books and Articles

Reading books and articles, staying current with research, and stretching your thinking are all valuable forms of professional growth. They offer flexibility, autonomy, and the freedom to engage with ideas at your own pace and in ways that best fit your practice. At the same time, this kind of learning can be isolating. Without opportunities to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and learn alongside others doing similar work, an important dimension of professional growth can be lost.

Tier II: Webinars

Webinars offer a meaningful opportunity to learn within a community of educators who are engaging with the same ideas in real time. They create space for questions, shared insights, and a sense of collective growth that extends beyond the content itself. With so many accessible, often free resources available (check out EdWeb), they can be a powerful entry point into ongoing professional learning. At the same time, it can be tempting to default back to solitary engagement by watching recordings on your own. While convenient, this approach often misses the richness of real-time interaction and the sense of connection that makes the learning experience more dynamic and impactful. 

Tier III: Conferences

Conferences come in all shapes and sizes: intimate gatherings and large-scale convenings; local meet-ups and national stages; highly specialized, content-driven sessions and broader, interdisciplinary explorations. Most offer multiple modalities for learning, allowing participants to engage through keynote addresses, workshops, panels, and collaborative discussions. Beyond the content itself, conferences provide invaluable opportunities to build relationships in real time. Depending on the scope of the event, your professional network can deepen within your niche or expand across regions and disciplines. That being said, the very elements that make conferences exciting can also present challenges. An abundance of choice, particularly at national conferences, can feel overwhelming, making it easier to default to familiar topics rather than stretch into new areas of growth. And, as with any live learning experience, the impact often hinges on the quality and delivery of the speakers. When sessions lack energy, clarity, or relevance, it can be difficult to stay engaged. The key, then, is not just attendance, but intentional participation, approaching conferences with curiosity, strategy, and a willingness to step beyond what is comfortable or known.

Tier IV: School Visits

School visits offer a powerful opportunity to examine educational practice in action. Through intentional collaboration with the host team, you can shape the experience, ask focused questions about pedagogy, and explore the thinking behind their approach. Beyond reflecting on shared concepts, you witness how those ideas are actually implemented within a living school community. Choosing the “right” school, however, requires clarity. What is your purpose? Are you seeking new insight or affirmation of your current practice? Do you hope to collaborate deeply or primarily observe and listen?

Whenever possible, engage in multiple visits, varying your lens each time. By doing so, you broaden your perspective, deepen your understanding, and expand your sense of what is possible within your own educational setting. 

I want to close by leaning into Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering. Parker notes that people often hesitate when she emphasizes the role of the host (p. 71). Yet hosting matters. As you think about your own professional development, consider yourself the host of that gathering. You set the purpose. You choose what belongs. You shape the experience with intention.

Because ultimately, as Parker reminds us, “who wants to sail on a skipperless ship?” (p. 71).

Cheers,

Chris

Parker, P. (2020). The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters. Riverhead Books.