Most educators' professional development sessions are structured in a way that could be more engaging. The teacher receives an overland of information quickly and needs to follow through on the new ideas. The organization spends thousands of dollars on these training sessions, but the question is, are they compelling enough? 

 

This leaves little time for teachers to discern the information overload and set realistic goals to achieve. Even if teachers went to every meeting, workshop, and conference available, research shows that it has little to no effect on better teaching practices from year to year.

 

The current professional development needs to be updated with a more engaging, ongoing, and supportive necessary for teachers. Especially new teachers.   The essentials for professional learning include continuing training, teacher support, active and engaged education, modeling and coaching, and differentiated content. We know there is more, but we are so tired from the “whirlwind” it is difficult to do more if we are required to eat one “happy meal” after another. The ongoing, focused, disciplined professional learning is equivalent to eating a balanced diet and exercising.  

 

Creative, meaningful, and relevant professional learning will shift the focus back to learning for students and all staff members involved.  I aim to implement professional learning that encourages my colleagues to share their expertise and develop alternative professional learning plans to support teachers struggling with newcomer students by implementing innovative strategies and collaborating with relevant content.  I hope to create an environment where it is safe to ask questions, develop a mentorship team dedicated to helping teachers throughout the process, and celebrate each others’ successes and attempts.  When a community is built through professional learning, I believe it will directly impact building an influential classroom community and teacher support.

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Organize all available district support to help teachers implement these instructional priorities. Our organization believes that introducing teachers to a new way of teaching reading or writing without the proper follow-up support only confuses and frustrates them a teacher.

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School districts should make a deliberate effort to support teacher implementation of instructional priorities through training events, coaching, principal observation, staff and grade-level meetings, and evaluation systems. However, the best professional development comes from teachers teaching one another. If schools can establish a collaborative, intellectually stimulating environment for teachers, that is a place where children will learn and get the necessary support. At the end of the day, teachers, districts, and parents all want the same thing: to improve student learning. Nevertheless, many teachers need professional development to make fundamental classroom changes and get the necessary support. Second-grade SLAR teachers will have the necessary resources and effective PL designed to meet their needs, implementing new strategies to support new students. The curriculum coach will guide teachers needing to implement Blending Learning activities to ensure mastery and rigor of the tasks. Teachers needing help with technology will receive that additional help with effective PD. Teacher experts will be available for help upon request.