How to Use Potty PD Newsletters: A Two-Week Staff Learning Routine

Use Potty PD newsletters for teacher professional development by choosing one topic, inviting teachers to try one classroom practice, and revisiting it in an existing team conversation. This two-week plan gives instructional coaches, principals, and teacher leaders a manageable place to start, with free Volume 1 and a five-minute PLC agenda.

A newsletter that is posted but never discussed can become another unread handout. Connect the reading to a need teachers already recognize so the preparation leads to a useful next step. Adjust this suggested routine to your team’s workload and priorities.

What is Potty PD?

Potty PD is a format for sharing short professional-development ideas with adult educators in everyday staff spaces. The name refers to a quick read during a natural pause; a teacher lounge or workroom can work just as well as a staff restroom.

Glenn School Resources’ Potty PD newsletters provide ready-to-print pages you can use to start a coaching conversation or professional learning community (PLC) discussion. Begin with a topic that matches your team’s current work.

1. Choose a problem your team already recognizes

Use a specific observation: students need repeated reminders during a transition, a warm-up takes longer than intended, or feedback does not lead to a revision. Ask teachers which issue is worth exploring before selecting a newsletter. Avoid adding an unrelated topic simply because a new display is due.

For a first trial, choose a Volume 1 newsletter that fits a routine or classroom expectation. Read the page yourself and check whether its suggestions suit your students and school context.

2. Make the invitation clear

Place one newsletter where staff can read it comfortably. Keep it legible and easy to reach. Follow the resource license and your school’s expectations when displaying or sharing materials.

Add a short invitation: “If this fits a routine you are already working on, choose one idea to try. What would you look for to decide whether it helped?” This gives colleagues a concrete next step while leaving room for professional judgment.

3. Turn the idea into one observable action

A broad goal such as “improve transitions” is hard to review. A more usable plan names what the teacher and students will do. For example: model the three steps for moving to partner work, have students rehearse them, and notice which step still needs a prompt.

Choose an action that fits the newsletter you selected, and make the first attempt small enough to observe.

4. Follow a two-week Potty PD plan

Days 1–2: choose one need and one newsletter. Agree on a small action and the evidence you will notice.

Days 3–5: try the action during the relevant routine. Keep a brief note rather than creating another reporting task.

Week 2: revisit it during an existing conversation. Ask what changed, which students still needed support, and what should be kept, adapted, or stopped.

A trial can inform the next decision; it does not establish that the newsletter caused an improvement. Consider other changes in the classroom and avoid drawing conclusions from a single lesson.

5. Keep the follow-up short and useful

Bring one observation or example of student work. Use these prompts: What did you actually try? What did students do? Where did the idea need adapting? What would you do next?

Do not use a voluntary quick-read activity as a substitute for required training or specialist support. Its purpose here is to open a focused professional conversation.

A five-minute PLC agenda for one teacher PD newsletter

Use these prompts during a meeting you already have. They are a suggested discussion structure, separate from the downloadable newsletters.

1. Minute 1 — name the need: What classroom routine or learning challenge makes this topic useful now?
2. Minutes 2–3 — choose one action: Which idea is worth trying, and what will the teacher and students actually do?
3. Minute 4 — choose evidence: What observation, student response, or work sample will help us decide whether to adapt the idea?
4. Minute 5 — agree on a follow-up: When will we compare notes, and what question will we bring back?

Copy this planning prompt: “We will try ___ during ___. We will look for ___. On ___, we will decide what to keep, adapt, or stop.”

When does the complete collection make sense?

The complete Potty PD collection contains 120 PDF newsletters across 12 volumes. Consider it when you need a broader bank of topics for future staff conversations. If you are still deciding whether the format fits, begin with the free volume.

Check the current TPT preview, included volumes, license, and your previous purchases before buying overlapping resources.

Explore the 120-newsletter complete collection or compare the smaller Volumes 1–5 bundle.

Common questions about Potty PD newsletters

Is there a free Potty PD resource?

Yes. Glenn School Resources’ Volume 1 includes 10 teacher PD newsletters and is available free on TPT. Use the download link near the top of this guide. Joining our email list is optional; TPT may require an account to download.

Where can I display the newsletters?

Choose a staff lounge, workroom, or other staff space where colleagues can read comfortably. You can also use a newsletter as a discussion prompt in a coaching conversation or PLC. Check the resource license before sharing copies or distributing files.

How often should I change the newsletter?

For the trial in this guide, keep one newsletter in focus for two weeks. That gives teachers time to consider an idea, try it when relevant, and return to the conversation. Adjust the pace to your team’s schedule.

Does reading a newsletter count toward required PD hours?

This guide does not offer a certificate or verify professional-development credit. Ask your school or accrediting body whether and how the activity can be documented toward its requirements.

Keep useful ideas within reach

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