Professional
Development
Professional Development is beneficial in nearly every
profession. Hairdressers attend
trainings in New York through Redken to learn about new techniques, styles, and
trends. Law enforcers have to
attend professional development to keep up on current laws and changes made
within our government. The same is
true for teachers, and there really is no downfall of professional
development—so long as it is properly integrated and applied to one’s line of
work.
Upon searching for a professional development tool or
concept, I came across the state of Iowa’s professional development model. In it, rubrics are included as an
optional means for teachers who attend training to reflect and assess their
professional development goals, plans, and opportunities that are available to
them. The rubric in itself is
optional, but is based on the legal requirements for district career level
plans. The benefits to this rubric
clearly draw one’s attention to their movement towards valuable exercises and
their level of comfort following the training or analysis of the learned or
studied material.
Listed below are the Iowa Professional Development Models
with the description, written from the state itself:
a. Collecting and Analyzing Student Data
Identifying student need is the first step in designing professional development intended to improve student learning. Collecting and analyzing information about student performance in areas of interest enables a district and/or school to set priorities. If professional development is to impact student learning, it must precisely align with student need.
b. Goal Setting for Professional Development
Clear
statements of expectations regarding student learning allow schools and
districts to focus professional development resources and energy on achievable
goals. To meet the goals identified in the Comprehensive School Improvement
Plan, the intent of professional development is to increase the learning of all
students while attending to the learning needs of subgroups of students. If
professional development content is to accomplish the desired increases in
student learning, the goals for student learning must be explicit and concrete.
c. Selecting Content
Content
selected for collective study by schools and districts must be supported by
evidence that it can accomplish the goals set for student learning. A district
should be confident that the content they choose to study has been found to
improve student achievement. A process for selecting content will include: a review
of research on curricular and instructional innovations with a history of
success in the areas identified for student improvement; a review of current
knowledge and practices in the district/school; alignment with the Iowa
Teaching Standards; and documentation that the practices are supported by
scientifically-based research.
d. Design
The
professional development process must ensure that teachers have adequate
opportunities to learn and implement new curriculums, instructional strategies,
and assessments. Teachers need to have sufficient workshop and workplace
supports to develop a deep understanding of the theory of the strategy/model
they are learning. The professional development design will build in time for
teachers to learn together and to collaborate with each other. If teachers have
opportunities to learn new content and implement it in their classrooms, the
investment in professional development will pay off in increased student
learning. If professional development is based on powerful and proven content
and implemented as designed, students will benefit.
e. Ongoing Cycle
Professional
development is a continuous process rather than a one-time event. To be able to
transfer new learning into the classroom, teachers need multiple opportunities to
see demonstrations, plan together, work out problems, rehearse new lessons,
develop materials, engage in peer coaching, and observe each other. The
collaborative routines needed for supporting these actions must be planned for,
supported and monitored. What staff developers learn from the study of
implementation will inform decisions about future training, the need for
support, and adjustments in the learning opportunities. If new content is to be
learned and implemented in classrooms so that students benefit, teachers need
ongoing training, the colleagueship of peers as they plan and develop lessons
and materials and study their implementation, and interim measures to judge the
success of their efforts.
f. Summative Evaluation
The
effectiveness of professional development is judged by student learning
outcomes. Determination of the efficacy of a professional development program
is based on two factors: whether or not the content was implemented as planned
and whether or not students acquired the desired knowledge/skills/behaviors.
This judgment is based on both formative and summative evaluation data. The
quality of the evaluation is contingent upon having clearly stated goals that
target an improvement in student performance. A professional development program
is successful when it achieves its student learning goals.
g. Individual Career Development Plans
The
Individual Teacher Career Development Plan (ITCDP) is intended to support the
professional growth of individual teachers as part of the district’s focus on
increasing achievement for all students. ITCDP is based on the needs of the
teacher, the Iowa Teaching Standards and Criteria, and the student achievement
goals of the building and district as per the CSIP. The goals and learning
opportunities established in the individual plan should be a direct fit with
the district and building plans for professional development. The individual
plans may be developed for a team of teachers. The format for the individual
plan is locally determined.
Although as a teacher, another specified requirement is something we often fear on top of everything else, these do appear to be reasonable, clear, and achievable guidelines for educators, so long as administration is supportive and funding is available (ha!).
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