As Spanish teacher Magdeline Rabelo looked out into the classroom, she saw a roomful of eager eyes just like any other day. Each desk had a laptop open, and everyone was ready to begin the lesson. However, rather than a room full of students, Rabelo was teaching to other teachers who all sat patiently, ready to listen to their coworker.

For the very first time, on January 16th, administrators and teachers from the entire Northern Valley met with more than 1,000 attendees. The conference called “It Takes a Valley” set out to achieve the goal of sharing ideas among teachers through a day of seminars and presentations.

While many teachers did both teaching and learning, Rabelo and English teacher John Housley agreed that one of the best parts of the day was being a student. Housley said, “I’d much rather be a student learning new things.”

Rabelo reiterated this point as she said, “Being a student also gives teachers the opportunity to reflect on the challenges (and joys) our students face on a daily basis.”
Although both teachers enjoyed learning, the conference also had an impact on their teaching. After listening to a seminar called Structured Academic Debate, Housley learned the difference between debate and dialogue. Housley said, “Debate is about fortifying and defending and testing arguments. Structured Academic Debate is about listening and building and compromising. Both are great.”

Rather than taking away a certain activity or style, Rabelo said the workshop “Grit” reminded her of “the power of her words.”

However, the conference was about more than just sharing ideas and learning new teaching strategies. Housley said, “There was a tremendous spirit about the day. The staff that organized the day did a remarkable job. Part of it is about fostering a positive culture in the valley… It is humbling to be a part of something that big.”

Nevertheless, Rabelo is already looking forward to the next conference. She said, “I am already thinking of ways to improve my workshop.”