CHULA VISTA –– About 800 Catholic school teachers and administrators gathered for a professional learning day Oct. 11 at Mater Dei Catholic High School.
The diocesan Office for Schools holds such events twice a year –– in fall and spring –– for educators in local Catholic elementary and high schools.
“I love this day because it’s one of those days when our educators can come together from all of our different schools across our diocese,” Diocesan Superintendent Leticia Oseguera said, reflecting on the value of this biannual event.
“It’s part of our commitment to the professional development of our teachers and administrators in our diocese,” she explained. “We know that, in order to be … the best educators they can be, they need to continue to learn and grow.”
The day included a keynote presentation by Dr. Catlin Tucker, a bestselling author and a professor in the Master of Arts in Teaching program at Pepperdine University, as well as three breakout sessions, lunch, and a vendor fair.
Breakouts were led by a diverse group of presenters, including local Catholic school teachers and principals, as well as educators from Grand Canyon University, the Franciscan School of Theology, the University of San Diego, San Diego State University and the San Diego County Office of Education, among other institutions.
Topics ran the gamut from classroom management strategies and goal-setting to accelerating English literacy and the use of AI in high school classrooms.
Oseguera noted that the recent professional learning day presented participants with the opportunity to choose from among more than 25 breakouts –– more than twice the number typically offered on such occasions.
She said that another unique feature this time around was a greater emphasis placed on religious education.
Examples of this could be seen in breakouts like “Best Practices for Teaching Religion in 2024 in the TK-8th Grade Classroom,” presented by Nico Estrada from USD; “Understanding the Mass: Why We Do That in the Liturgy,” in which Father Marc Gandolfo walked participants through the parts of the Mass and suggested ways to encourage more active student participation in the Mass; and “Understanding the Catechism of the Catholic Church & How to Use It with Students,” led by Father Matt Vasquez.
