Friday, March 1, 2013

How professional learning should be...

What is the easiest way for a district to provide professional development?

Create a one-size-fits-all approach.  

What is the most effective way to provide professional development?  

Individualize, provide follow up, keep it on target, differentiate, and reflect. 

I am asking our district to make a dramatic change to how we approach professional development.  In his book Unmistakable Impact, Jim Knight talks about narrowing your focus on the target.  Most everything we do in terms of professional development should be focused on improving instruction.

Eliminating the one-size-fits-all approach is difficult.  You don't want everyone going in different directions - this could prove to be detrimental as well.  There will need to be some structure as we go forward.  Careful planning and input from teachers will be valuable.  We need to look at PD dramatically differently.  It should be something that is done with teachers and not to them.

What is your district doing to differentiate PD for teachers?  

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