We’ve all been there. We’ve all rolled our eyes and slumped in our chairs, nodded off, let our minds wander, or wish we were anywhere else (and I mean anywhere else) during a professional development session. Just like some of my own lessons, not all professional development sessions can be winners. And for the unbearable or most cringe PD moments, we have a BINGO card for your and your teacher besties’ entertainment. 

For the teachers

This BINGO card has some moments that you may run into during your day out of your classroom enriching yourself in some professional development. When the sessions are lacking in content, just look around the room at others who may or may not be as engaged as you. Pay close attention to those questions asked by your teacher neighbors and look at those slides for spelling or grammatical errors. Make sure you listen closely for those cliche professional development phrases or for a pop culture reference that may or may not be out of touch and you just might get a BINGO.

For the administrators 

This BINGO board has many different uses. If you have a staff that is not looking forward to a district-wide day of professional development, you can show that you’re the fun in-touch administrator that understands the pain of having to sit in a classroom all day. (We all know they would much rather be working in their own classrooms- alone and quiet.)

Turn it into a teacher competition!

You can also use this card if you have a teaching team or with your teacher besties. Sometimes, all  we need is some entertaining competition on your day soaking up the wisdom of someone who hasn’t been in the classroom since 1983. You can even make things interesting by creating a prize for the first person to get a BINGO, fill the most squares, or fill their board entirely.

Some prize ideas include:

  1. Your lunch/recess/bus duty is covered for the week. 
  2. A pack of flair pens
  3. Starbucks delivery every day for a week from your teacher friends
  4. Happy Hour drinks on your team’s tab
  5. Your copies are taken care of for a week by your teaching team

Play it by yourself

If you are a lone teaching wolf, then you can for sure play this by yourself and then treat yourself to your own special prize. 

Don’t get me wrong because some professional development can be helpful and insightful. But for those times when you’re just trying to make it through the day – use this BINGO board and watch the day be just as entertaining as a day in your classroom.