How to Get the Most Out of Required Summer Curriculum Training

Along with the proverbial certainties of death, taxes and childbirth, mandatory summer curriculum training is a recurring part of life for teachers. Although these sessions sometimes feel like a needless obligation or just one more thing to add to an already overflowing plate, they have the potential to become a meaningful opportunity for professional development and classroom innovation when approached with an open mind.

Embracing a New Perspective

When anyone gets to the point that they feel they’ve got nothing left to learn, that probably means they’ve hit inertia. In reality, a well-designed training presents the chance to refresh instructional strategies and keep pace with evolving educational best practices. Even if the session conditions are less than ideal, it is still possible for teachers to keep learning and growing by remaining open to fresh perspectives.  

It might be helpful to set a few specific learning goals in advance by thinking about areas of instruction that represent an opportunity for new learning or growth. In addition, developing questions in advance can lend personal relevance and focus to each training session. Suppose that I want to know where to find specific elements of the curriculum, such as activities for scaffolding or extension for the purpose of differentiating instruction. If the trainer does not address these questions up front, I can get a lot more from the experience by being ready to make sure those needs are met by preparing for the session and having these questions ready. 

Engaging Actively in Training

It can be incredibly tempting to check email or get other work done in the middle of a required training; however, that all but guarantees that the experience will be close to useless. Active engagement during training is key to getting the most out of the experience. This means participating wholeheartedly in discussions, sharing classroom experiences, asking thoughtful questions, and contributing to group activities. 

Taking purposeful notes is also important; teachers should record practical strategies, resources, or materials directly connected to their classroom needs, making sure to highlight ideas that are immediately applicable. For instance, curriculum guides tend to be long and often difficult to navigate, but if we mark pages or assignments that are vital to student progress, that makes the process of lesson planning a little bit easier.

Building Collaborative Networks

Very often, we don’t get the opportunity to meet other teachers outside of our assigned school buildings. With that in mind, summer curriculum training provides avenues for collaboration and networking with colleagues, and building relationships with educators across schools can inspire new perspectives and practical tips. Not every school has the same way of going about instruction, and we stand to learn a lot from getting outside the bubbles of our own teaching teams. 

Furthermore, openly sharing challenges and classroom successes in these settings often leads to effective, peer-generated solutions that are far more practical than other advice that might be offered. Last week, I was in a training class in which teachers were sharing some of the most common challenges they encounter when beginning new content with students. Together, they shared a few of their favorite strategies, such as activating prior knowledge. By being both transparent and remaining focused on action, everyone in the room walked away with productive ideas.

Providing Honest and Constructive Feedback

In the spirit of helping anyone conducting the training make the most out of the session for future participants, honest and constructive feedback is valuable to both presenters and fellow participants. Offering suggestions or voicing concerns in a respectful manner helps shape future training to better address teachers' needs. When the content of the training does not resonate, communicating this candidly can lead to important adjustments.

That said, the best way to go about providing feedback is kindly and specifically. Bear in mind that the training was likely designed carefully, so sharing which parts didn’t work out (and providing suggestions for improvement) is the most useful approach. For example, if too much time was spent delving into research behind the curriculum approach rather than sharing practical strategies, it would be beneficial to cite specific instances where this occurred, and what kind of alternative would be more productive. 

Planning for Implementation

To ensure that everyone moves from theory to action as quickly as possible, the ideal next steps are to discuss implementation with colleagues as the sessions conclude. Focusing on one or two actionable strategies—so-called “quick wins”—makes it manageable to integrate new ideas at the start of the school year. Connecting these new practices with schoolwide goals also helps to create tie-ins that move beyond the curriculum and into the power of instruction. One possible action is to ensure that work is divided up among a teaching team to begin assembling digital files, templates, and exemplars so that resources are on hand when needed.

Furthermore, the importance of ongoing support should not be overlooked. Reaching out to facilitators or curriculum specialists for clarification and participating in school or district learning communities can help deepen understanding and maintain momentum throughout the year. If information regarding ongoing support is not provided clearly during the training session, questions like this should be asked before anyone walks out of the room: “How does your department/office plan to support implementation as we start this new curriculum in the coming months? How often will you visit our school? Will you plan or co-teach with us?” By having a clear idea of what the district or leadership means to offer by way of support, it will be much easier for teachers to plan accordingly. 

As someone who has been on both the trainer and trainee sides of curriculum professional development, I can understand and sympathize with the frustration that comes with the process. However, there is no benefit to remaining mired in negativity or learned helplessness. Instead, with intentional participation, active engagement, and a focus on classroom application, mandatory summer curriculum training can energize teachers, foster professional connections, and set the stage for a successful school year.

Written by Miriam Plotinsky, Education World Contributing Writer

Miriam Plotinsky is an instructional specialist with Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, where she has taught and led for more than 20 years. She is the author of several education books (both out and forthcoming) with W.W. Norton, ASCD and Solution Tree. She is also a National Board-Certified Teacher with additional certification in administration and supervision. She can be reached at www.miriamplotinsky.com.

Copyright© 2025 Education World