5 Days, 50 States, Endless Support: Inside the Academy of Best Practice

Preparing for the Unknown: From Application to Arrival

When I was first accepted into the Academy of Best Practice, I had a hard time controlling my excitement. After applying the previous year without success, receiving confirmation this time made me ecstatic. As the day to leave for the Academy approached, my excitement gave way to nervousness. Traveling alone without anyone from my school district and not knowing who my roommate would be left me with so many questions. I began to feel a mix of dread along with anticipation.

In the days and weeks leading up to the Academy, we were sent emails on what to bring—most important: a positive attitude. I changed my mindset and kept telling myself this was a huge honor to be selected, and this was going to be an amazing week.

Day One: Where Ice Breakers Actually Work

CPM hosted a social hour on Sunday night to help attendees connect before the week began. The ice breaker activities were wonderful! I know we all dread ice breakers, but these were actually fun and helped me to meet new people. I made arrangements to meet for breakfast the next day so I didn’t have to go alone. Now all the dread I was feeling was gone and I was ready to get started!

The Learning Experience: Pedagogy Meets Practice

Over the course of five days, I learned so much! Every day was jam-packed with information that I knew would make me a better teacher. We had guest speakers come to share their knowledge about pedagogy and best practices. I especially enjoyed Pam Seda. She shared her experiences about never feeling like she couldn’t do math because she started her education overseas. She also shared ideas about the Claim–Evidence–Reasoning rubric, a single-point rubric that I will try to put into action this year.

Bruce, Cheryl, and Tony—our presenters for the week—modeled everything for us: grouping techniques, incorporating Building Thinking Classroom practices, Study Team and Teaching Strategies, and so much more. My favorite activity was the day we played the card game. There was a twist: we weren’t allowed to talk to explain the game to each other. Needless to say, it quickly became both frustrating and hilarious as people resorted to acting out words with exaggerated gestures.

Beyond the Classroom: Exploring San Diego Together

After we finished learning for the day, we went out and explored San Diego. Daniel, one of the mentors, provided sites to explore, places to visit, and food to try on a Bingo card. There were so many exciting places to explore in San Diego. Daniel also organized a beach trip to La Jolla where we watched the sunset, played bags, and roasted s’mores. 

The Unexpected Gift: A Coast-to-Coast Community of Educators

The best part of the experience was the lifelong friendships I made. Even though we’re spread out across the country, I connected with inspiring educators from every corner of the U.S. They help keep me accountable to the goals I set at the Academy of Best Practice. We celebrate our progress, learn from our missteps, and support each other through daily teaching challenges.

Looking back, I’m actually grateful I attended alone. Had I gone with coworkers from my own district, I may never have bonded so deeply with Kelly, Karen, Jessie, and Melissa. Having a diverse, dependable network of fellow educators from across the country has been an unexpected gift—and one I truly value.

Whenever someone asks me about ABP, I smile and say, “It was the perfect mix—I grew as a teacher and had a blast doing it.” The Academy was truly a transformative experience, both professionally and personally. I would recommend that you apply whether you are a veteran teacher or someone new to teaching CPM.