While Friday was a Teacher Institute Day in Libertyville Elementary District 70, teachers were still in school while the students had the day off. Teachers actually go to school to learn on Teacher Institute days.
For the Feb. 17 Teacher Institue day, District 70 teachers head from attorney Brian Schwartz, assistant director and general counsel to the Illinois Principals Association. He talked to teachers about the proper use of social media, what to do when taking away a student cell phone (remove the battery or the sim card), proper ways to hug young students, why it's important to maintain your students' privacy, and how to avoid occupational hazards. Teachers then broke into smaller groups to teach one another and meet in level groups.
Teacher Institue days are generally used for professional development.