Chapter 18: Professional Development Characteristics Alternatives Stages Extending the Concept

Professional Development: Characteristics of Successful PD Programs: 1) Involvement of participants in planning, implementation and evaluation of PD. 2) Programs based on school-wide goals, but that integrate individual and group goals. 3) Long-range planning and development. 4) Programs that incorporate research, best practice, and instructional improvement. 5) Administrative support including time, resources, and involvement in planning and delivery.

Professional Development: 6) Adherence to principles of adult learning. 7) Attention to the research on change. 8) Follow-up and support for transfer of learning to school or classroom. 9) Ongoing assessment and feedback. 10) Continuous professional development that becomes part of the school culture.

Professional Development: Alternative Formats: Beginning teacher assistance programs. Skill development programs. Teacher Centers: teachers meet in central location to engage in professional dialogue, develop skills, plan innovations, or create instructional materials. Teacher Institutes: intensive learning experiences on single topics over a period of consecutive days or weeks Collegial Support Groups: teachers w/in same school engage in group inquiry, jointly implement instructional innovation, and provide mutual support.

Professional Development: Networks: Teachers from different schools share information, computer links, seminars, conferences. Teacher Leadership: Teachers participate in leadership preparation programs and assist other teachers by assuming instructional leadership roles. Teacher as Writer: Reflection. Preparation of formal articles, journals, essays, blogs, etc. Individual PD: Teachers set individual goals and objectives, plan and carry out activities, assess results Partnerships: School/University, School/Business, etc.

Professional Development: Individually Planned Professional Development: Invitation: Invite teachers to a meeting to discuss the program. Assessment: Find out what teacher’s needs and interests are. Gather data. Validation-Negation: Share results of gathered data. Teachers can select from options. Disclosure: Teachers share individual plans w/ each other. Collaboration encouraged where interests coincide. Implementation: Self-directed programs completed and presented.

Professional Development: Stages of Professional Development: Orientation Stage: Benefits, responsibilities and personal concerns about involvement in staff development are addressed. Initial, real-world application training opportunities. (most PD programs remain at Orientation Stage) Integration Stage: Teachers are assisted as they apply previous learning in their classrooms and schools. Refinement Stage: Teachers move from basic competence to expertise through continuous experimentation and reflection.

Professional Development: Nuts and Bolts: Prepare speakers by telling them exactly what they are expected to do. Check facility before presentation. Media. Acoustics. Seating. Etc. Provide Refreshments. Check comfort of room. Have materials ready to disseminate to participants Have evaluation forms for participants to fill out following presentation.

Professional Development: Extending the Concept of Professional Development: Personal Development: understanding of one’s own life-cycle, transition events, roles, improving teachers’ self-concept and self-efficacy. Career Development: supports teachers as they move through phases of the teaching career from induction to retirement. Provide new challenges and opportunities, leadership roles, rewards, etc. Moral Development: enhance teachers abilities to develop moral insight and decision-making.

Professional Development: School Improvement: Dependent on professional development. School-wide goal-setting, improvement plans, curriculum initiatives. Data-driven. Support for change implementation. Selectivity of projects. Time for implementation: 3 – 5 years Administrative support. Resources.

Professional Development: Teachers as ‘objects’ or ‘agents’ Adult need for control and choice. “Ask, don’t tell…” (Dr. Don DeLay) Teacher assumption of responsibility for implementation. Principal’s role shifts in this process. Choice and responsibility. Motivation ties to personal involvement, interest, and commitment.