Professional Learning.. What really works?

As a teacher who once attended many professional development (PD) sessions and is now transitioning to a teaching and learning role in my district where I present PD, my main goal in my new role is to avoid being a presenter who just talks at the audience. As an introverted teacher, I had already prepared myself to be able to somewhat pay attention if the presenter was just going to stand and talk. If the presentation didn't really meet my needs, I felt that I could take my credit and move on with my day. As an instructional technologist and instructional coach, I work with a team dedicated to supporting our teachers and students. We focus on ensuring that teachers participate actively and benefit from collaborative structures during our professional development sessions. We believe that it's important for educators to see effective teaching techniques and apply them in their own classrooms. Our school district follows the Kagan model, and my team is currently working towards becoming a trainer of trainers for our educators using this model. We feel it is important to integrate new technology tools and strategies while encouraging student collaboration and peer learning. Instead of just providing professional development (PD) sessions with strategies for our teachers, especially our new ones, we view these sessions as an opportunity to start a coaching cycle or establish partnerships. We constantly seek opportunities to engage and model for our teachers. Therefore, I hope to gain a fresh perspective and new ideas from this course, which we can integrate into our professional development to continue to support both teachers and students in achieving higher levels of success.
When I read about the idea of having smaller, personalized professional learning groups with substitute coverage, I found it to be a compelling approach to improving teacher development. By customizing training to meet individual needs and interests, we can ensure that teachers are better prepared to implement new classroom strategies.
This model aligns perfectly with the goals I have set for my initiative for new teachers who come to us with various professional development needs. Workshops' collaborative nature allows teachers to share experiences, problem-solve together, and receive immediate support from coaches or their fellow teachers. This hands-on approach is far more effective than traditional lecture-style training.


It is crucial to know the exact standards for professional development (PD), but it is equally important to build genuine relationships with teachers. If teachers are not invested in you and what you are teaching, they will stop showing up for learning opportunities. Trainers can create more relevant and impactful experiences by empathizing with teachers' challenges and needs. While passion and enthusiasm from the trainer are essential, providing opportunities for teachers to apply new knowledge immediately is equally important. This active learning approach ensures that teachers leave workshops with practical tools and strategies they can use right away.
Our best approach to creating positive learning environments for professional development is to personalize teachers' learning and encourage collaboration.


Resource:
Daniels, Kristin. “Empowering the Teacher Technophobe: Kristin Daniels at TEDxBurnsvilleED.” YouTube, 2013. https://youtu.be/puiNcIFJTCU.