You can't talk the talk, you must walk the walk...

Anyone who has been in education knows the negative sentiments many teachers have towards professional learning (PL). A change is needed, but the exact nature of that change is often debated. Teachers could be set free to determine their own PL, but this would only work for those who are intrinsically driven to learn and change. However, people are naturally averse to change. Therefore, not all teachers are comfortable seeking out ways to change their instructional practice. In order to implement more effective PL schools should implement the following: teacher surveys in their needs assessments, establishing a professional culture for long-term learning, and emphasizing application in PL. These changes will ensure there is more effective PL at a campus. I plan to recommend these changes as aspects of the Alternate PL in my call to action.

By including teacher surveys in needs assessments, the campus leadership team can determine areas that teachers are willing to improve their practice in. This information can be combined with student achievement data and teacher evaluations to identify the best PL opportunities to serve the campus. The best choice of PL would be a long-term initiative that is rooted in the campus needs assessment. Teachers will likely be more inclined to engage in PL learning when they feel it is relevant to them or there is evidence that proves the relevancy.

Establishing a culture for long-term learning can be supported by implementing structures for effective collaboration. A collegial environment that is conducive to curiosity and feedback will allow teachers to question and reflect on their instructional practices. The structure is necessary as people are averse to conflict and change. Therefore without structures, peers are unlikely to challenge or have deep conversations about their practice. Additionally, the structure can provide support to teachers during long-term initiatives. Building structures that allow colleagues to inquire about each other’s practices enables a culture of reflection for growth. The collaborative relationship also allows teachers to their the solutions they have developed from years of experience. Teachers can help their colleagues see where different research-based best practices fit into their own classrooms. The collaborative relationships between teachers is a resource that can be used in the long term. Colleagues can check in with each other to follow up on strategies used in the classroom over an extended period of time.

Lastly, PL needs to focus on the application of learning in teachers’ classrooms. The “sit and get” approach must end. While best practices are rooted in theories, the recall of these theories is often not connected to the classroom. Instead, PL should result in teachers creating an action plan or product that can be implemented soon after the session ends. The product, or practice, teachers work with during PL should be translated to be relevant to the content and grade level in their own classroom to help them visualize successful implementation. For example, during a PL on Vocabulary Strategies for Emergent Bilinguals teachers can use a term from their content area to practice creating a model of the strategy. This helps clarify in their mind how the strategy can be used in their own classroom.