Traditional Professional Development is like climbing a mountain, where there is no map, no gear, and no clear destination for teachers. We start the climb, but instead of having hands-on experiences, or personal guidance, we sit and listen to someone describe the mountain to us. There is no real opportunity to make it our own, by applying it to what we need in our own classrooms. Typically, by the end of a PD, teachers tend to feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or unprepared on how to even apply what they have learned to what they really need. At this point, they can’t really change the path, ask for help, or make adjustments, so they just sit and feel stuck being in the same place, and wondering why they even started this PD in the first place. Professional Learning can be a whole different experience from this. It can be changed into climbing a mountain where teachers can build confidence, gain new skills, and overcome obstacles along the way to meet their milestones. Reaching the peak can help teachers feel the growth of how far they have come, and how they are properly equipped to guide their students on the next learning journey. It takes the right tools, guidance, and support to reach the top. In essence, by implementing 5 professional learning principles, it is indeed possible.
The Why – As a 3rd grader teacher, I know from personal experience that learning happens best when students get to explore, create, and apply what they have learned. And, student engagement decreases as they are expected to just sit and listen to the teacher stand at the front of the classroom. Yet, knowing this, a great amount of our professional learning is exactly like this, where it tends to be sit and get, and there is very little room for teachers to make real applications in their own classrooms in a personal way. Therefore, I want to change it. Just like our students, teachers thrive with engaging, meaningful, and hands-on learning experiences. Teachers need to be able to effectively collaborate, try new strategies, and see real results in the classroom. I believe that with Go and Show Professional Learning, teachers can learn by experimenting, growing, and reflecting together. We should be modeling the same mindset in our learning, and have opportunities to practice, share, and transform the way we teach. After all, as teachers, this level of engagement is what we are expected to provide for all of our students to be successful.
The What – In my canva video presentation, called “Improve Learning Environments: Professional Learning, Achieving Success Together,” I have created a digital showcase that I will use to reach out to administration and colleagues in HaysCISD. First off, I chose Canva because it’s user friendly and offers many different slide templates. I knew that it would help my design process in a clear manner. I have started with the importance of transforming our professional learning environments from sit and get to go and show. And, making a call to action for this change so that we can feel inspired and motivated together. I used an analogy of climbing a mountain because I wanted my message to be impactful to my viewers. To make learning effective for teachers, I shared that we need to include hands-on practice, personal classroom application, and effective team collaboration. In my visual slideshow, I have broken down the Key Components of Go and Show Professional Learning, such as having engaging discussions, modeling new ideas, and providing immediate feedback. I emphasized that teachers need to feel supported, and know that they too have choice, ownership, voice, and authentic learning opportunities in their own classrooms to truly apply what they have learned. Therefore, I decided to include some visuals to support this transformative learning experience for teachers. I have also included a link to a google form called Professional Learning Feedback to gather feedback from my colleagues on what Professional Development is currently like, and this survey can aid us to take further steps for impactful Professional Learning.
The How – Sitting through long lectures does not help us grow as teachers. Basically, we need to have ways to practice, experience, and apply what we have learned. I have built a video slide presentation that focuses on the steps to implement a Go and Show Professional Learning. Professional Learning can be transformed by making it teacher driven, hands-on, and interactive. I plan to use blended learning tools like Schoology, project based learning, and small group collaboration, just like I would for my own students, and refer my alternative professional learning to my innovation plan. I will mimic what I do for my students, and use blended learning tools, such as Schoology, real classroom applications, and small group discussions to create a significant learning environment that is purposeful and meaningful. Together, we can shift Professional Learning from “sitting through” to be “engaged in”. Let’s help teachers feel confident, inspired, and ready to make lasting changes in their classrooms. I am committed to making the learning journey active for all. To sum it up, teachers need a support system where we can learn together, help each other, and share stories of what works and doesn’t. I want to empower fellow teachers to take charge of their own learning, and find ways for real change in their own classrooms.
References
Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf
Standards for Professional Learning: Quick Reference Guide. (2019). Retrieved from https://learningforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/standards-reference-guide.pdf
Jackie Bittner M.Ed. 