Professional Learning
I have had the good fortune to work in several schools with different professional learning models and
opportunities. One school provided a set amount of money that you could use for your professional
learning purposes. You could travel to conferences and workshops or you could take an online course
or purchase resources that met your professional learning goals. The school was quite remote and far
from the rest of the world and it was often necessary to combine two or three years’ worth of allowance
to attend one conference. When you returned from the trip, you were expected to share your learning
with the staff. This method allows for the teacher to pursue what they are most interested in but ends up
being a bit disjointed as staff members veer off into many different directions. Two schools I have worked
in have allocated time, usually once a month, for staff to form small learning communities to pursue a
topic of interest. At the end of the year, each group shared results with the whole staff. My current school
has professional learning community groups based on the Critical Friends Group model from the
National Schools Reform Faculty. Groups are mixed between elementary, middle school and high
school faculty and we meet to support each other based on the dilemmas and issues colleagues bring
to the group. The benefits of this model include the opportunity for colleagues across the school to
share expertise and support each other, often providing unexpected and creative solutions. However,
given that each meeting focuses on a different dilemma from a different staff member these meetings
lack ongoing growth that is needed in effective professional learning. My current school also has a
required action research component. Teachers may work alone or with others. While this provides
wide open choice, it feels less collaborative than it could be. The focus is more on the research and
the resulting articles in academic journals than on raising the practices of all teachers within the
school. In all three schools, these initiatives were only part of the school professional learning plan and
full staff one-size-fits-all meetings were and are the norm.
opportunities. One school provided a set amount of money that you could use for your professional
learning purposes. You could travel to conferences and workshops or you could take an online course
or purchase resources that met your professional learning goals. The school was quite remote and far
from the rest of the world and it was often necessary to combine two or three years’ worth of allowance
to attend one conference. When you returned from the trip, you were expected to share your learning
with the staff. This method allows for the teacher to pursue what they are most interested in but ends up
being a bit disjointed as staff members veer off into many different directions. Two schools I have worked
in have allocated time, usually once a month, for staff to form small learning communities to pursue a
topic of interest. At the end of the year, each group shared results with the whole staff. My current school
has professional learning community groups based on the Critical Friends Group model from the
National Schools Reform Faculty. Groups are mixed between elementary, middle school and high
school faculty and we meet to support each other based on the dilemmas and issues colleagues bring
to the group. The benefits of this model include the opportunity for colleagues across the school to
share expertise and support each other, often providing unexpected and creative solutions. However,
given that each meeting focuses on a different dilemma from a different staff member these meetings
lack ongoing growth that is needed in effective professional learning. My current school also has a
required action research component. Teachers may work alone or with others. While this provides
wide open choice, it feels less collaborative than it could be. The focus is more on the research and
the resulting articles in academic journals than on raising the practices of all teachers within the
school. In all three schools, these initiatives were only part of the school professional learning plan and
full staff one-size-fits-all meetings were and are the norm.
Vivien Stewart (2018) writes, “leaders of nations with very different systems all recognize teachers as
the single most important in-school factor for improving student achievement”. As such, it is critical that
schools plan for effective professional learning for teachers. Rodman (2018) emphasizes teachers do
not learn best in whole faculty, one-size-fits-all training. Instead, Rodman stresses that teacher input
into the needs and design of professional learning, collaboration and self reflection are critical elements
in creating and promoting effective professional growth. Jones (2018) writes that flexibility,
engagement and choice are key elements for effective professional development.
the single most important in-school factor for improving student achievement”. As such, it is critical that
schools plan for effective professional learning for teachers. Rodman (2018) emphasizes teachers do
not learn best in whole faculty, one-size-fits-all training. Instead, Rodman stresses that teacher input
into the needs and design of professional learning, collaboration and self reflection are critical elements
in creating and promoting effective professional growth. Jones (2018) writes that flexibility,
engagement and choice are key elements for effective professional development.
With all of these factors in mind, my ideal professional learning program would include the following
elements. First, collaborative groups based on teacher choice would meet monthly to pursue a
common interest. They would share with the rest of the staff either at the end of the year or through
ongoing blogs or podcasts, indicating the impact their explorations have had on student learning.
Whole staff meetings to promote learning in the areas of school goals, such as Reading and Writing
Workshop, would be developed in a differentiated way, as Tomlinson (2018) and Jones (2018)
describe. Some teachers might want to spend time watching Teacher’s College videos, others might
prefer to use rubrics to collectively score writing assessments, others might meet to share best
practices in conferring with students. The SAMR model would work very well here as these various
elements could be addressed using technological tools. As Jones (2018) writes, “flexible formats that
match the intended objectives of learning can keep school-level sessions fresh and focused”. It is
important to keep in mind that the way we design our lessons for students can work very well with
adults as well. Best practices suggest that having students sit and absorb information for long
stretches of time is ineffective. The same holds for adults and it is time that the full hour-long staff
meeting becomes a thing of the past.
elements. First, collaborative groups based on teacher choice would meet monthly to pursue a
common interest. They would share with the rest of the staff either at the end of the year or through
ongoing blogs or podcasts, indicating the impact their explorations have had on student learning.
Whole staff meetings to promote learning in the areas of school goals, such as Reading and Writing
Workshop, would be developed in a differentiated way, as Tomlinson (2018) and Jones (2018)
describe. Some teachers might want to spend time watching Teacher’s College videos, others might
prefer to use rubrics to collectively score writing assessments, others might meet to share best
practices in conferring with students. The SAMR model would work very well here as these various
elements could be addressed using technological tools. As Jones (2018) writes, “flexible formats that
match the intended objectives of learning can keep school-level sessions fresh and focused”. It is
important to keep in mind that the way we design our lessons for students can work very well with
adults as well. Best practices suggest that having students sit and absorb information for long
stretches of time is ineffective. The same holds for adults and it is time that the full hour-long staff
meeting becomes a thing of the past.
What I have written above is an idealized version of professional learning and I’m not sure how well
it would work. My question for this week is what models are there that balance teacher choice,
collaboration and the need for administration to hold full staff meetings?
it would work. My question for this week is what models are there that balance teacher choice,
collaboration and the need for administration to hold full staff meetings?
REFERENCES
Andrade, D., (2018, May 25). 5 Tips that Forster Collaborative Professional Learning. Retrieved from EdTech Magazine.org.
Harrison Berg, J. (2018). When Teachers Take the Lead. ASCD Media
Jones, B. (2018). An Insider's Perspective on Transforming PD. Educational Leadership, 76(3), 36-42.
Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. New York, NY: Riverhead Books.
Tomlinson, C. A. (2018). One to Grow On / Help Teachers Become Master Learners. Educational Leadership, 76(3), 88-89.
Hi Valeria,
ReplyDeleteI feel like we are on the same page here and at a glance National Reforms Faculty looks interesting. I guess it is helpful to have a group where teachers can go to discuss dilemmas and feel that they are supported and can work through a solution, however, PL should not be just this. It needs to stretch further than this in order for teachers to learn new technologies, models, and strategies to add to their craft.
You raise a good question - What models are there that balance teacher choice, collaboration and the need for admin to hold meetings? Unfortunately, I don't know of a model that balances these areas. I do think, however, that by Susan distinguishing the difference between professional development and professional learning, it is already a step in the right direction.
I recognise that sometimes there is a need for admin to run a whole school meeting where the Head and Principals present information and teachers sit and listen. This communication of information is necessary especially at the beginning of a new academic year, but certainly not every week.
I think at times, some smaller group meetings are relevant for Heads of department, Pastoral care teams, and subject departments when the purpose is to brainstorm, plan, debrief, or work collaboratively. However, these meetings need to be kept short and focused. I cannot stand people rambling on or complaining about dilemmas in these meetings. It completely derails the purpose and wastes everyone's valuable time. If the purpose of the meeting is just to share information, then this can be done digitally. If a short meeting needs to be called to follow up on what is shared digitally then that is okay, however as you mentioned, these long 1 hour meetings need to go.
To go back to your question, I think it is the school admin's responsibility to provide teachers with a balance of teacher choice in PL; a budget for off campus PD; collaboration either digitally or in short 20-30min meetings and to carefully determine when it is necessary to hold meetings where teachers need to sit and listen for long periods of time. The latter should be kept to a minimum.
Thanks for encouraging me to think very carefully about balancing this area if and when I move into leadership. It is necessary if we are going to create change, save time and be on purpose.
Hi Alicia, as always I enjoy your comments and thought process. I agree that the current focus of the NSRF on individual teacher dilemmas is limiting and limited and that is what it feels like in my school. Yes, we are there to support each other but our PLCs lack continuity and growth. I continue to appreciate the way you break things down and like how you broke down the needs of different groups to meet. I fully agree that agendas are needed to avoid the rabbit hole of negativity. The breakdown you presented about the balance of professional learning makes a lot of sense. Thank you for your comments!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post, Valeria. I appreciated getting a little insight into the professional learning models of your previous schools. I can relate a bit here... At my current school we are provided with a PD fund each year. However, as you mentioned, it takes two to three years to accumulate enough to attend any of the big conferences or workshops. One thing that differs for us, though, is that teachers aren't asked to share out any of their new learning. At first, that sounded like a no-brainer! But you said that it ended up feeling disjointed because everyone is kind of doing their own thing. That makes sense... I'm certainly happy to have the PD fund that's allocated to us, and I suppose I should be grateful that we aren't required to put together some sort of presentation each time we want to dip into that money! ;)
ReplyDeleteI really like your proposed model for professional learning. It totally makes sense to collaborate and communicate around professional learning topics of your choice. I was trying to picture my PLC going to a workshop or conference together (even just here in our city). I can already see how powerful it would be for us to be in a setting together where we are gathering ideas and tools, distilling them into actionable steps for when we're back in the classroom, and then reflecting together as a group. I like your idea so much, I might even pitch this idea to my team and see if they want to try piloting it in our school. We'll see what gets approved! Thanks for your thoughts and ideas!
-Gabe
Thanks for your comments Gabe. I'll be interested to hear how the proposal is received at your school. I'm happy to provide more information, such as an overview of topics covered by other PLC groups during the same time and possibly even documentation that was shared. It was from my previous school and may take some digging but I'm happy to look into it, as needed. I agree with you that going to a workshop with even one other person from your school is so much more powerful than going alone because you can discuss in real time how to apply your new learning to your specific school setting. You can even keep each other accountable to make sure that you bring that benefit back to the school. I look forward to continued conversations!
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