Every summer, teachers are bombarded with professional development opportunities.
Conferences. Workshops. Webinars. Certifications.
Don’t get me wrong—there is value in all of those things. Over the years, I’ve attended my fair share of professional development sessions and have walked away with ideas that improved my classroom.
However, after more than twenty years of teaching Spanish, I’ve come to realize something surprising:
Some of the best teacher professional development I’ve ever experienced didn’t cost me a dime.
In fact, it didn’t feel like professional development at all.
It felt like living.
Teacher Professional Development Through Movies and Storytelling
As many of you know, I use films extensively in my Spanish classes. People often assume that I spend my summers searching for the next great classroom movie.
Sometimes I do.
More often, however, I simply watch movies because I enjoy them.
There are no lesson plans, vocabulary lists, or assessments waiting on the other side. Instead, I allow myself to experience the story as a viewer first.
Ironically, some of my best classroom ideas emerge when I stop looking for them.
Many of the films that eventually become classroom favorites begin as movies I watched simply because they looked interesting. Long before I create vocabulary guides or discussion questions, I experience them as a viewer.
When I watch a film for enjoyment, I am reminded of what makes stories powerful. I laugh, cry, become invested in the characters, and continue thinking about the themes long after the credits roll.
As a result, I return to my classroom with a deeper appreciation for authentic engagement. Students don’t remember every worksheet we create. They remember how a story made them feel.
That perspective has shaped my teaching far more than many workshops ever could.
Teacher Professional Development Through Travel
Some of my most meaningful growth as an educator has happened while traveling.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many Spanish-speaking countries and lead student groups abroad. Those experiences have provided cultural insights, classroom stories, and real-world examples that no textbook could ever replicate.
However, the most valuable lessons rarely come from the perfectly planned moments.
Instead, they often come from a wrong turn, a language misunderstanding, a recommendation from a local resident, or an unexpected conversation with a stranger.
Those experiences force us to adapt, observe, and learn.
As a result, travel reminds us what it feels like to be beginners again. It teaches humility, flexibility, and curiosity—qualities that every great teacher needs.
The good news is that teacher professional development through travel doesn’t require a passport.
Exploring a nearby town, visiting a museum, attending a cultural festival, or trying a new restaurant can broaden your perspective just as effectively.
The goal isn’t distance.
The goal is perspective.
Why Reading Matters for Teacher Professional Development
Teachers spend much of the school year reading for work.
We read essays, emails, curriculum documents, reports, and student writing. By the time summer arrives, many of us are mentally exhausted.
That is precisely why summer is the perfect time to read something purely for enjoyment.
Pick up a novel.
Read a memoir.
Dive into a travel book.
Choose a genre you haven’t explored before.
Reading for pleasure helps us reconnect with curiosity and creativity. Furthermore, it reminds us that learning isn’t always about outcomes, standards, or assessments.
Sometimes learning is simply about discovery.
Our students deserve teachers who still enjoy learning for its own sake.
Learning Something New Makes Us Better Teachers
One of the most effective forms of teacher professional development is placing yourself back in the role of a student.
Learn a new skill.
Take a class.
Try a hobby you’ve always been curious about.
Challenge yourself to do something that feels uncomfortable.
Whenever we struggle to learn something new, we gain a deeper appreciation for what our students experience every day.
We remember what it feels like to make mistakes.
We also remember what it feels like to feel uncertain.
Most importantly, we remember the value of encouragement and patience.
Those lessons stay with us long after summer ends.
Rest Is an Essential Part of Teacher Professional Development
This may be the most important lesson of all.
Many teachers feel pressure to spend every moment of summer being productive. We tell ourselves that we should be planning, organizing, attending workshops, or preparing for the year ahead.
However, the truth is that rest is not the opposite of professional growth.
Sometimes it is the prerequisite.
Teaching requires tremendous emotional energy. Throughout the school year, we invest ourselves in our students, our colleagues, and our communities.
By June, many of us are running on fumes.
A rested teacher is more patient.
Rest also fuels creativity.
Most importantly, it helps us remain fully present for our students.
As a result, we become more effective educators.
Therefore, don’t underestimate the value of slowing down.
Rest is not wasted time.
Rest is preparation.
Final Thoughts
Every August, teachers begin preparing for a new school year.
We organize classrooms, update lessons, print materials, and attend meetings. Those tasks certainly matter.
However, some of the best preparation happens long before we walk back into our buildings.
It happens while watching a movie on a quiet evening.
It happens while reading a book on the porch.
It happens while exploring a new place, learning a new skill, or spending time with the people we love.
The best teacher professional development isn’t always something you attend.
Sometimes it’s something you live.
Looking back, the best teacher professional development I ever experienced wasn’t a conference, workshop, or certification program.
It was simply living a life worth bringing back into the classroom.
If you’re interested in seeing how these experiences ultimately shape my classroom, I invite you to explore the film-based teaching approach that has transformed both my students’ engagement and their language retention.
And in the end, that may be the most valuable lesson we can share with our students.
