Professional Learning Strategy Components
5 Principles of Professional Development
Principle 1: The duration of professional development must be significant and ongoing to allow time for teachers to learn a new strategy and grapple with the implementation problem.
Before my presentation I am fully aware that I will need to research and prepare. Preparation is the key to success. I need to plan out the message I want to get across, and what I want them to take from my professional development. The main purpose of professional developments are to increase knowledge and skills. These skills will increase and enhance students achievement and learning. Whenever I present my Professional Developments making sure they are effective and getting a “buy in” from other colleagues and staff on campus.
Principle 2: There must be support for a teacher during the implementation stage that addresses the specific challenges of changing classroom practice.
As an educator we are mostly aware of challenges that come up in the classroom. Being flexible and being able to adapt will be the key. Also taking out time to collaborate and communicate.
Supports will be available for the teachers that are taking part in the learning. I will provide weekly check- ins, survey’s, videos and meetings to make the learning effective. They will not be alone in the learning. I have found that the more communication that takes place after developments, makes the content easier to apply to classrooms. They will have my contact information and I want us to communicate with Group Me’s and through the Google Drive.
Principle 3: Teachers’ initial exposure to a concept should not be passive, but rather should engage teachers through varied approaches so they can participate actively in making sense of a new practice.
I will use differentiation in my Professional Developments just as I do for the students in my classroom. All people learn differently and opportunities need to be offered to support all learners. The developments should also be engaging and intentional.
Principle 4: Modeling has been found to be highly effective in helping teachers understand a new practice.
Modeling will always be beneficial when a new or old concepts are being taught. As a 9th grade English teach, I model lessons for my students all of the time. Especially whenever we are drafting and perfecting narratives, expository, and informational pieces of writing. In my professional learning workshops I will model and be as interactive as I can.
Principle 5: The content presented to teachers shouldn’t be generic, but instead specific to the discipline (for middle school and high school teachers) or grade-level (for elementary school teachers).
I will customize and personalize the information I am giving so that it directly identifies with the people in the room. There is a saying that goes ” it is important to read the room”. It is necessary to know your audience and who is around you.
Here is my Presentation that I created to Describe my Professional Learning Style
I created this with iMovie. I am still learning how to navigate this resource. I plan on using it in my classroom as well.
Timeline
The timeline explains when actions will be completed and the objectives and goals achieved. It helps monitor progress over the duration of a plan.
Educate staff on the 5 Principles of Effective Professional Development. CTE and Tech teachers
Communicate and Collaborate with Colleagues and Peers.
Create a Professional Learning group or create a course and add teachers. We usually use Schoology Google Drive for the this.
Add information and instructional materials.
Create a sign in Sheet on a Google Doc in the Google Drive.
Add examples and references to assist with the learning.
Audience
We need to know our audience to improve professional development. We need to improve our developments and focus on the technology aspect. This will improve our learning and teaching outcomes. We should be able to use differentiation to cater to the needs of our audience. We do this in the classroom and we can also do this during our Professional Learning Experiences. During differentiation we should utilize these things:
- Making sure there is a strong lead teachers
- Know the wants and needs of teachers
- Keep teachers engaged
- Communicate
- Planning and Preparing
Collaboration
I will foster collaboration in the environment by staying true to my value and ethics. Collaboration is one of the keys to success. Teamwork makes the dream work and working together helps everyone. All individuals have special talents and things they can bring to the table.
Firstly, teachers have to become comfortable with the collaboration process. Roles should also be assigned individually. Everyone should have a specific role that should be identified early on. Out of necessity or convenience, individuals coordinate their activities to achieve common goals that, in time, guide future shared actions (Weick, 1995)
We need to work together and make connections during collaboration as well. If we don’t have healthy relationships with colleagues and staff around us, collaboration can be very difficult. Ironically, the features that are essential to a strong community, such as a shared identity and perspective, and meaningful relationships, eventually become sources of tension for its members (Westheimer, 1999)
Collaboration is key in order to keep and maintain a safe and professional learning environment. During the presentation of my Eportfolios I will need to utilize teachers from other content areas to support my vision. Connecting and Communicating Ideas
UbD Backwards Design Model
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B1FCTDP-SYXpTHtELTbfos83qcR0NNU2PPvGKTMZllg/edit
Resources Needed
Resources needed. Resources include the staff, technology, funding, materials, and time necessary to accomplish the objectives and goals
Professional Development Example Slide Deck
I incorporated Pear Deck into my Google Slide Presentation. I will most likely use this resource in my classroom.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GRLygiD6EdAiirzmQKujbR2PU0zbyoms4wul7fOuByA/edit?usp=sharing
Works Cited
Weick, K. E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. London, UK: Sage Publications
Westheimer, J. (1999). Communities and consequences: An inquiry into ideology and practice in teachers’ professional work. Education Administration Quarterly, 35(1), 71–105
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