In the best, teachers had to travel to state or national conferences to attend workshops. Now, with the vastly expanded pool of presenters, we can offer Touchstone Modules in individual districts or schools. Touchstone Modules were created with the latest research on professional development and adult learning in mind. Teachers are the solution, not the problem. Professional development is a way of life, not an event.
Research also shows that teachers, like students, learn best by doing.
Telling and showing teachers what to do is fine, but then teachers need to work on products they will actually use in their own classrooms to make pedagogic principles part of their repertoire. An understanding of theoretical concepts is a means for changing practice, not a goal in itself. We believe that teachers are professionals, not just drill masters or textbook users. Professional development really occurs after the Touchstone Experience when teachers apply what they learned to specific classroom situations. Whenever possible we provide follow-up support for participants and encourage them to form local networks or work through their local professional organization to support each other.