Without a doubt, understanding accessibility principles via Universal Design for Learning has greatly impacted my work as an instructional designer. I apply it regularly in suggestions to team members while developing resources.
One of the most impactful things we've done at Legacy wasn't some formal training or big workshop—it was simply asking our teachers to spend a day as a student. We had them log in, take live lessons, do homework, and experience everything just like our students. The feedback we got was candid and uncensored. Some were overwhelmed, some pointed out things that were confusing or clunky. But across the board, it gave them a whole new level of sympathy for the student experience. They also started to make tiny but meaningful changes. Lessons became clearer, support became more proactive, and the tone became more human. It was a reminder that great teaching has nothing to do with what you know—it has to do with whether you can see through the eyes of the learner. And sometimes the best PD is just walking in their shoes, ifonly for a day.
When I started using games in my Spanish classes, everything changed. Students became more engaged, and the energy shifted. It helped me build stronger connections and made learning feel fun and natural. Like Franklin said, "Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn." That's exactly what happened.
As a teacher, my experience navigating the school system as a SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee) representative, helping families advocate for their children with special needs, has deeply shaped me. It opened my eyes to the disparities in our education system and the exhausting struggles families and students face just to access the support they need. This experience has made me a much more patient educator. It has also changed the way and frequency I communicate with families, ensuring they feel informed, heard, and supported. I now recognize that collaboration with families is not just beneficial; it is essential to truly support each child's success.
Attending a week-long Data-Driven Instruction institute fundamentally rewired how I approached the classroom—and later, how I design grant projects for client districts. The facilitator broke down formative-assessment cycles into 48-hour feedback loops, showing us how even a single exit ticket could predict unit-level mastery and guide differentiated grouping in real time. I brought that discipline back to my ninth-grade English class, building mini-dashboards that flagged vocabulary gaps before they snowballed into essay failures; within one semester, our struggling readers jumped two Lexile bands. Today, ERI Grants bakes that same feedback architecture into every professional-development line item we write: we budget for data coaches, identify the exact PLC protocols, and schedule fidelity checks so funders see ROI before Year 1 closes. With 24 years of experience, ERI Grants has secured over $650 million on an 80 percent win rate precisely because we translate granular evidence like this into funder-ready milestones. And because we operate on a contingency basis—if you don't win, you don't owe us a dime—we're obsessed with PD models that turn immediate teacher learning into measurable student gains.
One professional development opportunity that significantly impacted my teaching practice was attending a workshop on active learning techniques. This workshop focused on engaging students through hands-on, collaborative learning rather than traditional lecture-based methods. It emphasized the importance of creating interactive environments where students take an active role in their learning, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. What I learned that I could immediately apply was the value of contextual learning and creating practical connections between theory and real-world scenarios. I began focusing on integrating more relevant examples from the industry into my lessons to show how the concepts could be applied in actual work settings. This approach not only deepened student engagement but also enhanced their ability to retain information, as they could clearly see the relevance of what they were learning to their future careers. By using these practical examples, I noticed an improvement in how students connected with the material, making the learning experience more dynamic and directly applicable to their professional growth. It also helped me engage with students more effectively, as they felt the content was more relevant and useful.
One learning experience that shifted my strategy revolved around mastering targeted digital communication for parents. The workshop focused on discovering how to listen to parents' needs and speak to them in straightforward, concise language. This information proved priceless when crafting content for working families that require easy-to-understand, credible guidance. I discovered how to speak to parents' concerns directly and not obscure them with jargon or unnecessary information. This workshop focused on the value of implementable information. I stopped sharing general ideas and started giving clear steps parents could use right away. For example, I offered simple tips for handling tantrums or setting bedtime routines. Breaking down big parenting challenges into small, easy actions made the advice practical. This approach made the content more useful and helped build trust with parents. Learning these lessons shifted how I minister to families online. Sharing information alone isn't enough. The message must be clear, relevant, and easy to follow. Focusing on simplicity helps parents take positive steps without feeling stressed or confused. Keeping communication needs-driven in priority leads to content that truly counts.
One professional development opportunity that significantly impacted my teaching practice was a workshop on differentiated instruction. Before attending, I struggled with engaging students at varying levels of understanding, which often led to some students feeling left behind. During the workshop, I learned strategies for tailoring lessons to meet diverse needs—whether that's through modifying content, using different teaching methods, or providing additional support for those who need it. I immediately applied these strategies by incorporating small group work and using varied resources, like videos and hands-on activities, alongside traditional lectures. The results were almost immediate: students became more engaged, and I saw a noticeable improvement in participation and comprehension across the board. It was a game-changer in making my lessons more inclusive and impactful.
A summer institute on human-centered design flipped the way I structure every lesson: instead of starting with content objectives, I map the "patient journey" my students will take from curiosity to mastery, complete with built-in checkpoints for feedback. That mirrors how A-S Medication Solutions engineers point-of-care dispensing—begin with the end user, then layer in automated barcoding and EHR integration so each step reinforces accuracy and engagement. By prototyping lessons the way we prototype dispensing workflows, I caught friction points early and trimmed setup time by 30 %, freeing minutes for richer discussion. Students now leave class with take-home resources as tangible as the prepackaged meds our cabinets place directly in patients' hands. Point-of-care dispensing streamlines healthcare by delivering medications directly to patients, improving convenience, adherence, and safety—and a learner-first mindset does the same for education by delivering knowledge when and where it's most actionable.
I was hired to teach a class on Lean Transformation which I had developed for a hybrid delivery model. The university had just moved to asynchronous classes which needed to be 100% online and available 24/7. For my professional development, I was assigned a coach to help me develop and execute a plan to convert the hybrid class into a 100% online version. I also learned how to add a number of wonderful features available in the online learning management system (LMS). This coach was not an expert at the class topic or the LMS. They were an expert at holding me accountable for modifying the course and making it better. The coach and I made a great team. I got things completed faster than I thought possible. I was pushed to look at new ideas and immediately made numerous changes which leveraged the features available in the LMS. These features included the use of discussion forums, assignments which asked for creative thinking from students, and project work promoting teamwork and critical thinking. I learned how to balance the weekly workload for the students and provide them a variety of learning tools which allowed them to meet the course learning objectives. The success was tremendous. I completed the work on time. Feedback from students was overwhelming and registrations soared for future sessions. To top it all off, the university was audited by one of those organizations which ranks university programs. My class on Lean Transformation was recognized as the best class at the school.
Participating in a collaborative lesson study group had a significant impact on my teaching. This focused professional development involved researching, designing, teaching, and refining a lesson with colleagues, leading to transformative changes. Through detailed lesson deconstruction, I learned to anticipate student misconceptions. We analysed each part of the lesson, identifying potential struggles and embedding scaffolds for support. I began integrating targeted "check for understanding" points into every lesson, addressing misconceptions upfront and encouraging small group discussions. This approach led to more focused instruction, reduced student frustration, and improved learning outcomes. The continuous feedback within the study group fostered a culture of ongoing reflection and refinement.
Participating in peer observation and feedback sessions transformed teaching practices by offering fresh perspectives and actionable insights. Collaborating with colleagues highlighted innovative strategies to engage students and improve lesson delivery. Observing diverse teaching styles inspired adaptability and creativity in the classroom. Receiving constructive feedback fostered continuous growth and refinement of techniques. This collaborative approach created a supportive environment for professional and personal development. Learning the power of active listening immediately enhanced communication and collaboration. Applying this skill fostered stronger connections with colleagues and clients, improving problem-solving and decision-making. Techniques like paraphrasing and asking clarifying questions ensured mutual understanding and trust. This approach also encouraged more open and productive discussions, leading to quicker resolutions. The immediate impact was evident in smoother workflows and more effective teamwork.