We tell our students all the time that education doesn’t stop once you get licensed. Obtaining a license to teach does not conclude your learning; it merely signifies the beginning. As educators, it is important that we find time to take off our educators’ hat and put on our student hat and learn something new.
Continuing education gives us that opportunity.
We Can:
- Learn a new teaching method.
- Discover a new activity or game to bring into our classroom.
- Sometimes continuing education is just an opportunity refuel and recharge ourselves! We must find ways to re-energize!
Where do I find Continuing Education?
- Hair shows,
- Educational seminars
- Online educational classes
But is that our only option?
I don’t believe that education must always be this formal and time-consuming event.
There are simple ways to get new information that will only take you a few minutes each day.
What you are doing right now is one option. Reading blogs. Find blogs that are geared to educators and read through when you have a few free minutes. There are always great classroom engagement ideas to be learned.
Get on social media and see what all is available.
Technical Skills
You can stay current on your technical skills. Industry icons are all over social media and they are always doing some sort of live and free videos. Just the other day, I watched a 30-minute Facebook Live class with Sally Rogerson. I could see everything. She clearly explained what she was doing, and you could text in questions that her assistant would read out to her and she would answer. It took 30 minutes of my day and I learned a few new things! Did I mention it was free?
Industry Websites
There are so many great industry websites out there that provided continuing education. Take MiladyPro.com for example. MiladyPro focuses on soft skills and business skills. There are articles, videos and classes that provided continuing education for the professional market. That includes you. The bonus is you can then take a lot of what is posted into your classroom and share with your students.
Networking
Networking with other educators is a great way to pursue continuing education. I follow several cosmetology educator Facebook Groups and I get so much juicy information from these sites. Find a group you like and follow it.
Did you know that Milady has a private instructor only Facebook Group? Just search “Milady Instructors” and join. We share tips and quotes and ideas to help you out in your job. We also have one for MindTap. Join “Milady MindTap” and get tips on navigating through MindTap easier.
There are so many places that we can find quick tips and suggestions for our classroom, all it takes is a few minutes a day to learn something new that you will then be able to take back to your classroom and share with your students!