Get Your PL in Gear

Purpose & objective

Professional learning needs to change. Articles and research state that sit-and-get professional development is not conducive to effective implementation of instructional strategies and educational technology tools. Many things that are presented during Professional Development Sessions are viewed as just “one more thing” that teachers have to do. As an instructional and technology coach team, we knew Professional Development needed to shift to meaningful Professional Learning at our site in order to become more personalized, flexible, and lead to application within classrooms.

Session attendees will be able to walk away with a sample method for HOW to shift gears with Professional Learning that:
- recognizes teachers as learners.
- models differentiated learning needed for all types of 21st century learners.
- is personalized.
- allows flexibility to differentiate with district-wide initiatives.
- is continuous, engaging, and relevant to application in the classroom.
- promotes teacher leadership and empowers teachers to design their own learning.
- places the learning needs of our teachers first.
- has goal-based challenges.
- models the melding of technology and instruction.
- motivates teachers toward practical application and classroom implementation in order to skip over the “knowing-doing” gap.
- allows teachers to accomplish the same goals, but follow different learning paths.

Outline

Presenter will share an example PL plan, sample professional learning challenge cards with leveled learning tasks, a website with a bank of all previous and current professional learning challenges and resources. Presenter will share personal experiences implementing and maintaining this professional learning model within a high school setting. This includes ongoing, year-long leveled professional learning, as well as day-long professional learning session structures and novice teacher orientation.

Supporting research

https://katielmartin.com/2018/04/22/do-we-really-need-pd/
https://katielmartin.com/2018/01/28/10-characteristics-of-professional-learning-that-inspires-learner-centered-innovation/
Lead Like a Pirate by Shelley Burgess & Beth Houf
The Art of Coaching by Elena Aguilar
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2013-12-16-opinion-how-to-move-pd-forward
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2014-04-18-turning-the-tables-on-professional-learning
https://www.edsurge.com/research/guides/how-teachers-are-learning-professional-development-remix
https://www.participate.com/blog/getting-started-with-educator-twitter-chats-from-a-twitter-skeptic?utm_source=challenge&utm_medium=influitive&utm_campaign=resource_promo&utm_content=educator_twitter_chats