May 1998 Making Professional Development Work
By SAMANTHA MORRISEY
I n schools across the Northwest, educators are grappling with the challenges of implementing curriculum, instruction, and assessment strategies called for by state reform efforts. One way to support teachers in translating reform agendas into classroom practice is by offering them more opportunities for effective, meaningful professional development.
"The critical role played by professional development in any attempt to attain the goals of educational reform has been recognized and advocated at the national level," note authors Kit Peixotto and Jennifer Fager in High-Quality Professional Development: An Essential Component of Successful Schools, the most recent addition to NWREL’s "By Request" series.
Teachers have a wealth of topical research at their disposal to guide development activities, but knowing where to start can be daunting. The booklet tackles this topic and offers help in refining professional-development opportunities. It considers what makes development activities effective, outlines characteristics of high-quality programs, suggests ways teachers can fit professional development into their busy schedules, and provides alternatives to some common ineffective activities.
Definitions of "effective" professional development vary, but according to research cited in the booklet, teachers should come to know more about their subjects, their students, and their practice —and make informed use of what they know—to consider the experience beneficial.
"Today, the call for establishing a link between a teacher’s professional-development experience and a change in the classroom that ultimately translates into improved student learning and performance is gaining strength," the authors say.
To help determine the usefulness of a particular development activity, the following criteria can serve as guidelines. The potential for success increases with each criterion that is met. Effective professional development:
- Reflects school and/or district priorities
- Provides ongoing technical support during the implementation stage
- Has institutional support for implementation, in terms of both time and resources
- Provides a means for determining the impact on student learning and performance
- Reflects current understanding of best practice for adult learners
- Encourages teachers to be active, investigative, reflective practitioners
Research shows that adults are motivated by practical applications and learning that is relevant to their own situations. For teachers, this means that professional development will be most useful when it directly applies to the classroom. Because teachers must juggle a variety of demands for their time and attention, any development activity should be well planned and efficiently delivered, and should set reasonable expectations and goals.
Development activities traditionally have been scheduled after school, on weekends, and during the summer, so teachers often had to give up precious free time to participate. Now, a number of districts are exploring creative ways to provide the quality time necessary for productive development activities within the regular school day. The booklet suggests the following methods:
- Restructuring the school calendar to periodically release students and permit teachers to participate in professional-development activities during regular school hours. For example, extending the school day by 20 minutes four days a week would allow students to be released 80 minutes early on one day, providing teachers with free time to devote to professional development.
- Creating a cadre of permanent substitutes to enable teachers to participate in ongoing, continuous learning experiences. When substitutes work at a school on a regular basis, they are more likely to feel like "part of the family" as opposed to being an interruption of normal school routines. This can also help teachers alleviate any guilt they may feel about leaving the classroom.
- Scheduling common planning time for teachers who share responsibility for the same students, grade level, or content area. This allows teachers time for group preparation and professional-development activities. Such collaboration can spark new ideas and create stronger support systems.
The booklet profiles seven schools and districts in the Northwest that are incorporating lessons from research into successful professional-development programs. Each profile includes location and contact information, a program description, observed outcomes that result from the program, and tips from the educators involved.
To order a free copy of High-Quality Professional Development: An Essential Component of Successful Schools, print and return this issue's Order Form.
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