1. Developing your staff without breaking your budget
Homegrown Curricula
Developing your staff without breaking your budget
Welcome to Homegrown Curricula – where we’ll talk about ways to develop your staff with little to no budget considerations.
I started out supervising student employees, who were eager to learn and be developed professionally. I saw this supervision as co-curricular, and took the opportunity to provide professional development for this group. The payback was a team of student employees who could run the office in my absence because they had the skillset and confidence to do so.
You are here because you want to empower your staff. You want to give them the opportunity to learn and grow – but you don’t have much to spend on this endeavor. Let’s work together to formulate a game plan you can take with you.

2. WHO?
Start by asking yourself some important questions. First – who are you looking to develop? Students? Staff? An outside audience?

3. WHO? Who is your audience?
What you know about your audience will determine how far you can go, both in terms of your credibility with them and the amount of time they are willing/able to invest.
Define your audience now.

4. WHAT?
What do you need for a successful endeavor?

5. What resources will you need?
Resources can be as simple as paper for copying and writing implements. These can be items readily available within your office – feel free to think creatively.
We once used markers, file folders, printed pictures, and paper clips to create recognition badges for our staff.
Know that you’ll come back to this section regularly as you define your activity further.

6. WHEN?
The critical question – when will you facilitate this activity?

7. When will you introduce the concept?
Think critically about the office culture and what it’s like at varying times of the quarter/semester/year. Don’t introduce a new and (perceived) irrelevant activity in the Registrar’s office during the first week of the academic year!
Given your audience, your needed resources, and what you’re hoping to accomplish – what is the optimal time for delivering the idea?

8. WHERE?
Do you need a common space in which to deliver the activity?

9. What spatial considerations are required?
WHERE?
What spatial considerations are required?
If you need to reserve space, be sure to do so. You can prepare any number of spaces to deliver the concept.
We once prepared tiny buckets with gems for each staff person’s desk. This was a “Fill Your Bucket” exercise meant to foster positivity and encourage staff members to fill each others’ buckets both literally and figuratively. The visual reminders were key in keeping the activity going.
Signs in common areas can also announce and encourage participation.
What space do you need?

10. WHY?
And the overarching question you should ask without ceasing – why?

11. Why should your staff invest in your idea?
Why should your audience invest in this endeavor? Aim for transparency, and you’ll be surprised at the result.
Why are you seeking to promote positivity? Why are you offering insights on dealing with organizational change? Why are you promoting the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People? Your audience will ask these questions – so answer it for them in advance and spend more time on development than speculation.

12. HOW?
How? This question will require two perspectives. The first “how” is one of implementation. But one “how” affects leadership’s support of your endeavor.

13. How will this endeavor impact your enterprise?
How do you hope to impact your enterprise? Again, transparency is key. The more you can share about the reasons for offering professional development, the more your audience will trust your motivation and work toward your common goal. The success of the exercise will foster growth and lead to more successful professional development programs!
But – back to the first “how” – how will you create and implement a program that will impact your staff?

14. Developing your staff without breaking your budget
Homegrown Curricula
Developing your staff without breaking your budget
In the past, teachers had binders full of lesson plans and curricula. Those still exist, but the masses (you and me!) have access to materials online that can help us modify lesson plans into successful professional development activities.
Google Docs Template Gallery has lesson plans you can download and modify for your own use.
Education Oasis has a ton of assessment tools that you can download and use with your staff.
Many times, I’ve read a great book or article and wanted to share it with others. You can flesh out a lesson plan around that piece of literature, thanks to K12 Reader’s resources.
Microsoft Office, supplied to most of us by our institutions, even offers templates for curriculum development.
It will take time, but you can develop a lesson plan/professional development unit that will provide for your staff. You’ll be glad you made the investment!