With the budget crisis, teacher lay-offs, low test scores, and struggling students and schools… we can still continue to find something positive! Turlock Unified School District’s Instructional Coaches offered a voluntary staff development that was targeted to meet the instructional needs of teachers and learning needs of all students. The reception of teachers “choosing” to attend on their own time was amazing, especially now, when teachers are finishing benchmark testing, attending study trips with their classes, working on report cards and individual assessments, etc.
     TUSD Instructional Coaches had to set a ‘cap’ for attending teachers so that the workshops could be valuable and meaningful.  The event, known as Best Practices Café took place on Thursday and the attendance, in itself, spoke volumes to where the “heart of teachers” is.  The idea was to have such wonderful success with the first café, that there would be a need to have the workshop repeated in September. The overall goal is to eventually bring in the multiple teaching talents and expertise outside of the Instructional Coaches, who already exists within the district, to facilitate tables at future Best Practices Cafés. From the feedback surveys at the close of the café, the event was definitely a success. "Good to the last drop!" if you will.
     I tip my cup to Turlock teachers who, even in such difficult and stressful times, are continuing to learn and grow in order to better meet the needs of students.  Teachers are lifelong learners and learn from each other by sharing best practices that have proven to work. I am proud to work for the TUSD where learning is savored!

— Kimberly Cabral