ALTERNATE PL: CALL TO ACTION

CALL TO ACTION

The Why

For years, I have had to endure professional learning that was not engaging, effective, and never held my attention. The professional learning presenters were experts in the sit and get model of professional learning and it showed. For hours, teachers are in the gym, library, or cafeteria taking in loads of information without ever being asked about what topics could be useful, without moving, or having a brain break. In my old school district, we would refer to it as an information dump. 

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 As an elective teacher, I’ve sat through many professional learning sessions that had nothing to do with the content that I teach and it did nothing to help me enhance my student's learning. Professional learning sessions were always "one size fits all" and that model of professional learning isn't effective for a lot of teachers. Because of this, I felt like professional learning was a waste of valuable time. If teachers feel like professional learning is a waste of time, then it is a waste of the school district's money.

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Once professional learning was over,  no one ever followed up with the teachers or supported us on how we were implementing what we had learned and if it was effective in our classrooms. In my opinion, the go and show model of professional learning is better for learners because it engages educators. When I am fully engaged and a part of the learning, it makes me want to effectively put what I am learning to good use. When I am engaged in learning, I ask more questions up front, so once the learning is over, I have more answers than questions.

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For professional learning to truly work and be successful, there are five principles for effective professional learning that need to take place.

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Five Principles For Effective Professional Learning (Gulamhussein,2013)

1. To allow teachers time to grasp a new strategy, the duration of professional learning must be significant.

2. Challenges of classroom changes must be supported during implementation.

3. Teachers should be actively engaged in professional learning so they can participate in actively making sense of the new practice.

4. Modeling is very effective in helping with understanding of new practices.

5. Content presented to educators should be specific to discipline (high & middle school) or grade level (elementary school).

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Effective professional learning calls for much more than sitting and getting. As seen in the 5 principles of effective professional learning, teachers must feel engaged, supported, and information must be relevant.The time to end ineffective professional learning is now. Using the five principles will help teachers to change their attitude about professional learning. No longer will it feel like time wasted, but time well spent.