Classroom Tip: How to Maximize Professional Development For Teachers Currently Instructing K-12. More Information can be found here: https://cloiedu.com
A teacher’s most precious resource is time. Teachers constantly seek ways to use their time wisely. One guaranteed time saver is linking professional development (PD) commitments to a teaching practice. The buzzword for this is "job-embedded professional development". Here that term is explored:
The U.S. Department of Education explains that the phrase “job-embedded” “connotes a direct connection between a teacher’s work in the classroom and the professional development the teacher receives.”
Job-Embedded PD & Connecting with Peers
When a teacher can envision how a course or seminar will fit into the classroom environment, the PD takes on greater meaning. An immediate and strong connection is made between the new knowledge and its practical application. Teachers are true innovators! Teachers love to bring new ideas, strategies, and tools for instruction into the classroom. When PD is clearly job-embedded, the teacher can practice the course material in the classroom, analyze its outcome, and discuss its efficacy with the course members in real time. This is a wonderful opportunity for each teacher to view their own grade level from a different perspective. In this era of Common Core, with its emphasis on "college and career readiness", it's helpful to remember that every teacher, K-12, contributes to a child's successful school career.
The checklist below will guide teachers in planning professional development for this academic year. It can be very helpful to take a course with a colleague. It automatically gives the teacher time to discuss students of concern and coordinate plans of action. When a community of teachers takes PD together, they can build a stronger vision of achievement for the student body based on a shared experience.
Activity - Reflect on a 2018-19 Professional Development Plan
What is required by the school/district? What are the personal goals of the teacher?
How many PDP points need to be earned in 2018-19?
How many graduate credits need to be earned in 2018-19?
What needs are there among the students after an initial screening and one+ month of class work?
After personal reflection, what skills need to be developed to enhance classroom practice this school year?
What are the curriculum priorities of the school and district? How do they align with the teachers' needs and the students’ needs?
When is the best time to schedule PD?
Commonwealth Learning Online Institute (CLOI) and Job-Embedded Skills
Find where courses offer practical, job-embedded, in-depth courses covering a wide variety of reading topics. These courses contain a wealth of material including assessments a teacher can use with students. Many of the courses offer the opportunity to evaluate an assessment with a student, analyze its results, and discuss it online with professional peers.
More information can be found here: https://cloiedu.com/
