LIBE 477: Inquiry Blog #3 - Making Teacher PD Effective

Meena Rakhra                     Making Teacher PD Effective            

Inquiry Blog #3

  

As a teacher for the last 16 years, I have attended many professional development opportunities.  Professional development is important because ‘​​learning brings change, and supporting people in change is critical for learning to "take hold"’ (Loucks-Horsley, 1996). However, there is variability in the quality of some workshops and talks I have attended. Some workshops have left me feeling inspired, some were boring and uninspiring, while some provided me with useful information but there was no means for followup.  I could not pinpoint why PD was so variable until I read this:

It’s hard for a single PD session to be highly relevant for a first-year teacher, a 30-year veteran, and everyone in between—especially considering that each of these educators has different strengths, experiences, and areas for growth. In our experience, one-size-fits-all PDs inevitably fail to engage all (or even most) participants.’ (Farah, 2021)

    As a teacher librarian I would like to make learning opportunities for teachers a valuable and useful experience. Miller and Bass (2019) say that since TLs are in a leadership role, they have the ability to make a difference by taking action.  Just as school libraries have evolved to become learning commons, professional development can also change from a one size fits all approach to an individualized, focused, and reflective process. In an attempt to find out a formula for what a successful PD should look like, I came across 5 Ways To Make Teacher Professional Development Effective  and it aligned with what I would want in a professional development session.  Based on this site, I want to present information to teachers that is:

• Specific

• Engaging

• An ongoing process

Source: https://plpnetwork.com/2015/08/28/10-teachers-professional-development/

Specific

Using a survey like Google forms or even a brief version on paper with few questions can give me an idea on what teachers want to learn more about.  Noonhour meetings called Lunch and Learn or Chat and Chew (Pryor, 2023) sessions for teachers can provide opportunities for teachers to learn about:

• Social media - How to search for lesson or unit ideas through instagram, pinterest, twitter.  Share accounts that are helpful, usable and relevant.

  

 

• Digital resources - How to access them through the library catalogue.  Search and explore and share ones that teachers think will be useful.

• Book talks - Introduce new books to the LLC or books that can be used as anchors for curriculum goals.

Diversity

Diversity

Inclusion

Inclusion

Perspectives

Perspectives

• Social Emotional Learning - What are some resources to support teachers, students, and can be easily embedded into day to day practice.
        Example: Be Good People Curriculum

Engaging

• Demo the sites you are introducing.  

• Have teachers follow along on their own devices.  

• Get into groups and collaborate in the learning, share what’s good, what’s not, things you have uncovered.

• Create stations so there is movement.

Source: https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2017/10/08/qualities-of-effective-educator-professional-development/

Source: https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2017/10/08/qualities-of-effective-educator-professional-development/

Source: Google image

Source: Google images

    Recently, my school had an indigenous speaker, Carman McKay, visit our school.  Near the end of the session, he organized the staff into a talking circle.  It was an engaging and impactful exercise where we took turns sharing about our learning that day.  By showing, doing and explaining, we were able to feel confident in trying it in our own classrooms.

Ongoing Process

I would like to follow up with staff on a regular basis to make sure that what was learned can be easily transferred over to the classroom. If not, find solutions to mitigate any obstacles. One of my complaints about PD is that there is no follow up about what was learned. Instead, future Lunch and Learn or Chat and Chew sessions in the library can simply involve feedback and reflections on what was learned in previous meetings.

Final Thoughts

The questions teachers pose when introduced to new materials and strategies can help a TL plan and support its staff members.  ‘Attending to where people are and addressing the questions they are asking when they are asking them’ (Loucks-Horsley, 1996) can guide a TL on how to engage learning through professional development days, one-on-one support, after school or noon hour workshops.

Source: Loucks-Horsley, 1996

Source: Loucks-Horsley, 1996

The Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is a framework consisting of seven Stages of Concern and eight Levels of Use that describe how teachers respond to a new innovation and whether and how they adopt it (Loucks-Horsley, 1996).  I can use this model to help guide me and illustrate to teachers where they might be in terms of broadening their learning.  

Source: Loucks-Horsley, 1996

The Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is a framework consisting of seven Stages of Concern and eight Levels of Use that describe how teachers respond to a new innovation and whether and how they adopt it (Loucks-Horsley, 1996).  I can use this model to help guide me and illustrate to teachers where they might be in terms of broadening their learning and how I can best support them.  

Source: Loucks-Horsley, 1996

References

Game, P. (n.d.). 5 ways to make teacher professional development effective [with examples]. Prodigy Education. https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/teacher-professional-development/ 

Farah, K. (2021, August 12). Teachers need more relevant PD options. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/teachers-need-more-relevant-pd-options 

Loucks-Horsley, S. (1996). Professional Development for Science Education: A Critical and Immediate Challenge. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM): A Model for Change in Individuals. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/731/2015/07/CBAM-explanation.pdf 

Miller, S., & Bass, W. (2019).  Leading from the Library: Help your School Community Thrive in the Digital Age. International Society for Technology in Education.

Powerful Learning Practice, & Name. (2015, September 28). 10 things teachers want in professional development. Powerful Learning Practice. https://plpnetwork.com/2015/08/28/10-teachers-professional-development/ 

Pryor, S. (2023, June 8). 25 lunch and learn ideas for work. SignUpGenius. https://www.signupgenius.com/business/lunch-and-learn-ideas.cfm 

Qualities of effective educator professional development. User Generated Education. (2017, October 8). https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2017/10/08/qualities-of-effective-educator-professional-development/