Blog 3

The following examination of a professional learning opportunity I completed during the 2017-2018 school year looks at the experience in terms of how well the professional learning leveraged the seven common design elements of effective PD as defined in the report, “Effective Teacher Professional Development.”
 
Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M.E., Gardner, M. (2017). Effective Teacher 
     Professional Development. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute.
 
Overview
The professional development opportunity I will reflect on for this assignment was offered to the Florida Teacher Lead Network members by the Florida Department of Education and was conducted by The New Teacher Center.  The FLDOE sought to increase teacher leaders’ efficacy across the state by providing professional development to improve instructional practices and equip teacher leaders with the skills needed to coach other teachers along the path to more effective teaching practices.

The topics of professional learning sessions included:

• Effective Content Planning
• Content Planning Conferences
• Analyzing Student Work to Drive the Work
• Coaching and Observation Cycles
• Effective Questioning Practices
• Providing Meaningful Feedback
• Analyzing Mindsets

 
Design Elements for Effective Professional Development

• Content Focused

          The sessions focused on content planning, content planning conferences, and                       analyzing student work were content focused.  Each participant used materials
          relevant to their content area and grade level. 

• Active Learning Strategies 
  The sessions provided time and space for participants to “analyze, try out, and reflect on new strategies” (pg.7).  When information needed to be presented and discussed, participants’ passive seat time was limited to windows of no more than 40 minutes. The vast majority of the work required active participant engagement in collaborative and reflective activities.
• Collaboration 
  Working with other educators was a required element of all the sessions.  During sessions, face-to-face and online, participants worked with people from different content areas and grade levels to increase the diversity of perspectives to which one was exposed.  Collaborative activities included partner, small group (3-4), and larger group (8-10) work. 
• Models/Modeling
  The facilitators used modeling during the exploration of every topic. They modeled ways to move content planning conferences forward and refocus conversations so student data would drive them, how to use coaching language and questioning stems to guide difficult discussions, and how to provide asset-based feedback.  Participants also engaged in role-playing exercises so they could model the skills taught by the facilitators.
• Coaching and Expert Support
  Coaching and expert support were widely available during the face-to-face and online sessions.  Each participant was also afforded two one-on-one coaching sessions that were very beneficial as well.  Coaching support was also available through email contact with the facilitators. This particular program lacked an infield coaching element where facilitators, either live or through webcam, observed real-time instructional practice and provided feedback. 
• Feedback and Reflection
  Feedback and reflection were essential elements of this professional learning opportunity. During the workshops, the facilitators provided participants time to reflect on how the learning applied to them.  Also, in the time between meetings, participants went back to their classrooms and implemented their learning. The real-world application of knowledge allowed participants to discuss what worked and what did not work when everyone met back with the facilitators. 
• Sustained Duration  
  ​This professional learning opportunity was of sustained duration. It took place throughout the 2017-2018 school year and consisted of: 
  • five days of face to face instruction. 
  • four webinars, 2 hours each.
  • two one-on-one coaching sessions, 60 minutes each.
  • a Facebook forum that served to connect participants. 

 
Overall Efficacy of This Professional Learning 
The Florida Teacher Lead Network sessions form one of the most impactful professional learning opportunities I have experienced.  These sessions helped me to become a more effective instructional leader inside and outside of my classroom.  In addition to the content and pedagogical knowledge gained, I forged relationships with educators across the state that are still an essential part of my professional growth and development.    
 
Room For Improvement
After reading “Effective Teacher Professional Development” the professional learning described here could have been improved by integrating in-field observations.  Observations could have been conducted through live webcam feeds or through short recorded videos. Participants could have been assigned a partner to provide additional spaces to practice giving and receiving feedback and reflections about the experience.  
 
 
Implications For My Current Work 
The most significant takeaway for my current work is that teachers need greater access to professional learning conducted by experts. Teachers need opportunities to engage in the rigorous work of professional learning rather than endure sit-and-get style redelivery of content from someone that attend a multi-day session and has condensed the experience to 45 minutes.   

​The second takeaway is that teachers need greater access to professional learning opportunities focused on making them more effective instructional leaders that stay in the classroom. Too often, the only pathways for teachers looking for leadership opportunities lead them out of the classroom and into coaching or administrative roles.