A teacher is a leader, role model, learning facilitator, coach (and countless other roles) in students’ lives. It is an extremely unique job. Because student needs are so individualized and teachers generally work with dozens of students each day, it means that no two days are ever exactly alike. I believe that is what draws many into the profession. Teachers don’t have time to be bored at work. The skills required for a teacher on a Tuesday could vary greatly from Wednesday because of the varying dynamics when so many young lives enter a room. And because of developmental differences, the techniques used in a lower elementary classroom will be different from, say, a middle school classroom. With these things in mind, I have formed a belief that teacher staff development needs to be first and foremost, RELEVANT. Cookie cutter trainings don’t work, because teachers are all at a unique place in their career path, with their grade level(s), with their subject matter(s), and with their current students.
I believe this lack of relevance common among professional staff development (PD) was demonstrated in a discussion forum during a former graduate class at Western Michigan University where D.B. stated “I feel like I have attended a lot of professional developments in my 4 short years of teaching…it seems to be a waste of time.” J.P. replied “I frequently find myself deleting the emails that are titles professional development... I do not hear of too many people excited about PD ever!”
These general negative feelings toward PD tell me that many facilitators are missing the boat, because they are working with a group of people who have dedicated their lives to teaching others to become lifelong learners. Teachers DO want to keep learning and WILL respond to training if it is relevant to their goal of helping every student that they touch to achieve. Perhaps more time needs to be spent simply demonstrating this relevance, connecting the dots from the staff meeting to the classroom. Does anyone else feel that it is almost like “what happens in PD stays in PD”? There is often that lack of transfer!
The next part of my philosophy is that training must be ENGAGING and INSPIRING. With thousands of weekly tasks for the average teacher, why would they want to add more responsibilities to their plate, even if it will make them better? (see picture) The answer is not studies or data. It is not from administrative threats. It is because a trainer, mentor, coach, administrator, colleague or other lights a fire in them that motivates them to head out to the front lines and take on new tasks and seek results from their new-found knowledge and skills. Adult students do have different needs then their younger counterparts, but they are very similar on many fronts as well. They don’t want to be bored, they want to be engaged. They don’t want to be told what to do, they want to be inspired. And they don’t want to learn something for the sake of knowledge; they want to learn something relevant. I know that watching that movie was the best August PD I took part in! What was the best PD you have taken part in recently?
With these things in mind, I envision a future of effective professional development that is never ‘one size fits all’ and is not ‘one and done’. Facilitators will be responsible for leading individual staff members in their lifelong learning by helping them create and maintain an efficient Personal Learning Network that provides the needed inspiration, but also the support and follow-up that must be there in order for positive change to take hold. Can you imagine if your PD was more like a 5-star buffet instead of a school lunch? What would you include on your plate? Probably the things that would most meet your individual needs as a teacher, right?
*This article was originally posted on my Dreams+Ambitions blog in 2009.
I believe this lack of relevance common among professional staff development (PD) was demonstrated in a discussion forum during a former graduate class at Western Michigan University where D.B. stated “I feel like I have attended a lot of professional developments in my 4 short years of teaching…it seems to be a waste of time.” J.P. replied “I frequently find myself deleting the emails that are titles professional development... I do not hear of too many people excited about PD ever!”
These general negative feelings toward PD tell me that many facilitators are missing the boat, because they are working with a group of people who have dedicated their lives to teaching others to become lifelong learners. Teachers DO want to keep learning and WILL respond to training if it is relevant to their goal of helping every student that they touch to achieve. Perhaps more time needs to be spent simply demonstrating this relevance, connecting the dots from the staff meeting to the classroom. Does anyone else feel that it is almost like “what happens in PD stays in PD”? There is often that lack of transfer!
The next part of my philosophy is that training must be ENGAGING and INSPIRING. With thousands of weekly tasks for the average teacher, why would they want to add more responsibilities to their plate, even if it will make them better? (see picture) The answer is not studies or data. It is not from administrative threats. It is because a trainer, mentor, coach, administrator, colleague or other lights a fire in them that motivates them to head out to the front lines and take on new tasks and seek results from their new-found knowledge and skills. Adult students do have different needs then their younger counterparts, but they are very similar on many fronts as well. They don’t want to be bored, they want to be engaged. They don’t want to be told what to do, they want to be inspired. And they don’t want to learn something for the sake of knowledge; they want to learn something relevant. I know that watching that movie was the best August PD I took part in! What was the best PD you have taken part in recently?
With these things in mind, I envision a future of effective professional development that is never ‘one size fits all’ and is not ‘one and done’. Facilitators will be responsible for leading individual staff members in their lifelong learning by helping them create and maintain an efficient Personal Learning Network that provides the needed inspiration, but also the support and follow-up that must be there in order for positive change to take hold. Can you imagine if your PD was more like a 5-star buffet instead of a school lunch? What would you include on your plate? Probably the things that would most meet your individual needs as a teacher, right?
*This article was originally posted on my Dreams+Ambitions blog in 2009.
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