Finding Time for Professional Development

"Teachers, researchers, and policymakers consistently indicate that the greatest challenge to implementing effective professional development is lack of time" (Abdal-Haqq, 1996). Effective professional development is intensive and sustained—two conditions that require a significant amount of time. In the past, professional development activities have often been scheduled after school or at other times when students traditionally are not in school. While providing teachers with stipends or other methods of compensation for attending professional development activities held in the evening, on weekends, or during the summer are common practices, a number of school districts are also exploring more creative ways to provide teachers with the quality time necessary for effective professional development experiences (Corcoran, 1995). Following are some ideas for alternatives to traditional uses of time:

• Restructuring the school calendar to periodically release students and thus allow teachers to participate in professional development activities during the regular school day is an effective option some districts have adopted. For example, elementary schools have established an early-release schedule on Wednesdays, allowing students to leave school several hours before the normal dismissal time and thus freeing the entire school staff to be involved in a variety of professional development sessions. The daily schedule on the remaining days can be adjusted as necessary to compensate for the time students are not in school on the early release days. Adding 20 minutes to four days during the week will provide staff with an additional 80 minutes per week. When combined with other contractual time, this can result in several hours that can be targeted for professional development activities. Similarly, secondary schools have adopted a schedule that includes a regular delayed opening (i.e., the last Wednesday of every month), when students report an hour or two later than normal. This is particularly effective for focusing on all-staff or interdepartmental issues. While many secondary schools provide time for department planning or meetings, these often occur at the expense of opportunities for schoolwide sessions.

• Using permanent substitutes is another strategy schools and districts are exploring in their search for more time. This practice is particularly effective in addressing teachers’ concerns about leaving the classroom. When a cadre of permanent substitutes is created, teachers, students, and parents recognize these individuals as a part of the school’s team. Permanent substitutes help to ensure a continuous learning pattern for students.

• Scheduling common planning time for teachers who share responsibility for the same students, grade level, or content area allows them to use this time for professional growth as well as preparation. This strategy is a common practice in a number of other countries. For example, in Japan, teachers are in the classroom for approximately three or four hours a day and spend the remainder of their time working collaboratively with each other to design, discuss, and perfect lessons. The recent Third International Mathematics and Science Study suggests this practice is one factor contributing to the high science and math achievement levels demonstrated by Japanese students (Peak, 1996).

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