EDLD 5389
Professional Learning Strategy
Week 5 Final Assignment
by
Jacob Montag
Introduction
At the time of this project, I have been in education for eight years, which occasionally felt very long. I have deeply enjoyed making a lasting impression on each student and would not trade the experience; however, I personally have seen many injustices take place in professional learning. Many times good teachers were castigated for not using the latest fads from the company en vogue. New teachers were overloaded with incomprehensible data that was fallaciously linked to the importance of these new methods. Multiple evaluation goals were set for teachers, who were not given chance to meet them, as they were based on these new methods/tools that teachers never had time to fully develop. I personally have witnessed unjust Instructional Coaches and other school leaders use the incomplete goals as grounds to end a career. They fully believed in their process of operation. Ironically, they collectively scratch their heads and wonder why teachers are leaving. The teaching profession is being left with no suitable replacements and increasingly fewer people with a desire to teach. It is possible for school districts to diminish the proverbial “bleeding of teachers” if they stop creating an atmosphere of failure, and realistically equip teachers for the future.
The change that is required is in how the teachers are trained. It is improbable that colleges can be expected to fully develop and train teachers to teach the modern scholar.
Call to Action
The following is a true story that took place nearly a decade past.
“Can I get a professional development plan?’ asked the young education student. “Why on earth would you want that? Do you understand what that even entails?” replied the shocked Professor. The young man sincerely asked “Won’t it make me a better teacher by making me a better person?” Unfortunately, the naive young college student did not realize that what he was asking for was essentially meant to be punishment to a subjectively bad teacher. This necessitates the question, “Does professional development actually help teachers?” Sadly, teachers are seldom the better for having attended these sessions.
Professional Development is by far the most hated part of the education community as it is often erratic in presentation and results in a mixed ability to be implemented. Certain realities of education will forever be unchanged, some will change naturally, and others must undergo a forced change. Professional development, as it is currently presented, must change to better equip teachers in the classroom. The most needed and relevant changes concern longevity, messaging, and inconsistent natures.
Professional Learning Blueprint
Teachers are often inundated with an over abundance of materials and requirements for implementation. This plan calls for teachers to set one goal as it relates to assessment. In collaboration with Professional Learning Communities and Instructional Leaders, teachers will also decide on benchmarks that will be evaluated in monthly check-ins. During these check-ins, individual artifacts will be submitted with team data. Project and Instructional Leaders will review the data and conduct monthly Professional Development Sessions, using material to aide in instructional growth. Teachers would submit reflections with plans for personal application.
Timeline
Resources and Media
Eportfolios for Lifelong Learning and Assessment- This is a survey of ePortfolios and their effectiveness in the classroom. The central argument of the book is that learning should be life-long. That is why the methods in which they are used matter. Cambridge uses very intriguing cases throughout the book to make his case. I look forward to completing the study.
Cambridge, D. (2010). Eportfolios for lifelong learning and assessment. Jossey-Bass.
Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World- In this book, Jacobs outlines a path through the changing dynamics of education. She really focuses on the intersection of curriculum and technology; advocating for the switch to a mode of assessment like portfolios. While some of the nomenclature used has become outdated, the principles taught are still very relevant.
Jacobs, H. H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Teaching with a Social, Emotional, and Cultural Lens: A Framework for Educators and Teacher Educators.- This book provides a framework for teaching students to reach their emotional needs. In keeping with the needs of students, the writers realize that teaching is more about the meeting the needs of the scholars socially and emotionally. This principle can be applied to the motive behind ePortfolios.
Markowitz, N. L., & Bouffard, S. M. (2020). Teaching with a Social, Emotional, and Cultural Lens: A Framework for Educators and Teacher Educators. Harvard Education Press.
EPortfolio as Curriculum: Models and Practices for Developing Students' ePortfolio Literacy- This study is very similar to others conducted; however, it brings the accessibility to learning for students. It also provides best practices for helping students become proficient in keeping and documenting their chosen assignments.
Yancey, K. B., & Rhodes, T. (2019). EPortfolio as curriculum: Models and practices for developing students' eportfolio literacy. Stylus.
Summary
Through this program I want teachers to realize that they have more options than what they have been previously given. Teachers need to realize there is a way to meet state expectations and facilitate authentic student learning. It has not been emphasized enough that authentic learning and state standards can meet in the middle through alternative assessments. Teachers should teach test taking skills, but by using COVA frameworks. Teachers will have the opportunity to impart critical thinking skills to students in a way that no multiple-choice test ever could. The move away from the 1950s classroom in the 1800s classroom into a modern 21st century classroom begins when we simply refuse to accept that the old way is the only way.
5 Key Principles of Effective Professional Learning
The proposed Professional development model is founded upon the following components:
Gulamhussein’s Five Principles of Effective Professional Development:
“The duration of professional development must be significant and ongoing to allow time for teachers to learn a new strategy and grapple with the implementation problem.
There must be support for a teacher during the implementation stage that addresses the specific challenges of changing classroom practice.
Teachers’ initial exposure to a concept should not be passive, but rather should engage teachers through varied approaches so they can participate actively in making sense of a new practice.
Modeling has been found to be highly effective in helping teachers understand a new practice
The content presented to teachers shouldn’t be generic, but instead specific to the discipline (for middle school and high school teachers) or grade-level (for elementary school teachers) (Gulamhussein, 2013).
Fully embracing Constructivist principles for Project-Based Learning and Assessment.
Teachers must set one growth goal that aligns to T-Tess.
Engaging in some form of weekly (at minimum) collaboration session with fellow teachers and leaders; giving, receiving, and implementing feedback for growth.
Documentation by Teachers of their own Pedagogy, Professional Learning, and Growth in a ePortfolio; mirroring what students will do in class.
Following the outlined monthly process with fidelity throughout the year.
As has been previously mentioned, teachers love to learn and have a natural desire to grow. These principles remove the traditional roadblocks to growth by allowing for the growth process to unfold within the space of a year of structured series of events. Teachers, for once, will be allowed to do one thing well and prove their growth throughout the year,
Audience
My audience is primarily the World History team. As the team grows and demonstrates success, the audience will expand to the Social Studies Department. The long-term goal will be for the campus to adopt the innovation plan on a large scale. Starting on a large scale does not allow for refinement of the project to improve the campus. When substantial growth is achieved in the Social Studies department, the collaborative nature of teaching will influence other departments to join the larger effort. The long-term plan is to shift the paradigm in education and influence other campuses within the district. Traditionally, every subject/department operates in isolation and administration pits departments test scores against each other. This plan addresses the learning needs of taking successful practices and spreading them across the education departments.
Fostering Collaboration
The key to fostering collaboration is redefining the faculty meeting. In my experience, the faculty gathers in uncomfortable environments to be castigated for perceived failures. Under this plan, faculty meetings will be reformed into collaboration breakout sessions. The structure would be general session, department breakout, team small group, and finally reflection. These reflections will be taken into account when measuring the individuals growth, with points awarded for feedback from leaders and peers implemented. It should be understood that negativity and mean spirited speech would result in consequences. Fostering collaboratively is more than superficial speech. It is the lifeline of the seasoned educators and allowing teachers to be able to have a voice is the goal of this project.
Fostering Self-Directed Learning
In addition to the professional development work, teachers will have the opportunity to conduct a book study that can be used as CRE for their T-Tess evaluation. They would choose the book from the professional library and submit monthly reflections. The most creative reflection would be entered to win a bonus to be drawn at random. The operative theory is that teachers want to learn, but the demands often prevent that from happening. Incentivizing teachers and meeting their needs will foster their learning.
Professional Learning Instructors
At the outset of the project, project leaders and instructional leaders will lead the professional development sessions. Quite simply, starting with the campus leader is logical as they are the boots on the ground. Through the duration of the year, I will bring in guest speakers, and independent evaluators/ consultants to help the teams and departments grow. My list of speakers includes Jacob Montag (project manager), Dr. Dwayne Harapnuik (learning innovator), and Ben Branco (consulting manager). Jacob has recently finished his Masters in Applied Digital Learning and received high marks for the conceptual phase of this project. Dr. Harapnuik is a world-renown innovator that is highly effective at helping schools advance beyond the traditional norms. Other speakers will include my learning community Tristan Dixon, LaDonna Green, and Fred Williams. The reasoning behind bringing in outside speakers and leaders is simply; multiple viewpoints will lead to well-rounded growth.
