Make Your PD Investment Worthwhile
Why it Matters and How to Make It Valuable
A quality education is the foundation of our society, and the key to our children's future success and our country's economic prosperity. At the heart of quality education are effective teachers, principals, and schools, who need access to high-quality professional development to achieve their goals and fulfill their missions.
In this article, we will explore why professional development (PD) matters - how it impacts educators and student achievement, and what it takes to overcome the barriers to implementing a successful professional development program. By the end of this article, you will have concrete solutions for creating and implementing effective professional development in your school.
Effective PD Is Crucial For School Success
As educators, we all want children to have great teachers who can inspire and motivate them. Although many factors contribute to a student’s academic performance, research has shown that teacher quality and effectiveness matter most (Hattie, 2008; Darling-Hammond, 2000). This is why it's essential, as a building leader, to understand and participate in PD that teachers find valuable and relevant to their work.
Moving from a poorly-performing teacher to a highly-effective teacher can result in a significant increase in student learning, equivalent to multiple years of schooling.
Highly rated teachers also have a remarkable influence on the future. Studies trace effective teaching to overall improvement in students’ long-term social and labor outcomes (Education Next, n.d.). Furthermore, research reveals that exceptional teachers can significantly enhance students' future income and increase the likelihood of pursuing higher education, leading to a more prosperous life. Teachers are the key to promoting equity and closing the achievement gap for disadvantaged students, as noted by Hanushek and Rivkin. Outstanding educators can pave the pathway to success.
By investing in effective professional development you'll be positively impacting the wellbeing and future success of your teachers, your students, and yourself. Studies like Kwang, Suk, et al.'s "Reviewing the Evidence on How Teacher Professional Development Affects Student Achievement" (2007) have demonstrated that high-quality professional development can have a positive impact on a schools’ overall performance.
Going from a low-performing teacher to a high-performing teacher increases student learning dramatically.
A strong education system is the foundation of our country's strength, and research spanning many years has linked education quality to economic success. Therefore, it is essential to invest in the development of tools and methods for measuring the effectiveness of professional development programs, as this can help ensure that the investments we make are improving teacher practices and leading to better student outcomes.
Barriers to Consider
Despite spending an estimated $18 billion on professional development per year, there is little evidence that these investments have consistently improved teacher practices or student outcomes. This is concerning, given the critical role that teachers play in shaping the future of our country.
For PD to be successful, leadership needs to take into consideration the barriers most prevalent in their building and proactively plan to minimize the impact they may have on teacher participation and engagement. Here we discuss four common barriers principals must overcome.
Lack of Time
According to a recent report, American teachers often view professional development as a necessary burden rather than a valuable asset to their teaching practice due to their never-ending to-do list. The NCES (2017) found that teachers often feel they lack the time to engage in professional development activities, further highlighting the need to prioritize meaningful and relevant professional development opportunities. Although collaborative learning with experienced colleagues has been shown to be one of the more effective ways to bring about positive changes in teaching practices, it is seldom done due to the time constraints faced by teachers.
Lack of Relevance and Mindset
Research has shown that relevant professional development programs have a positive impact on student achievement and can lead to the adoption of new teaching strategies in the classroom (The National Staff Development Council, 2009; Garet et al., 2001). Conversely, professional development that is not relevant to teachers' needs and goals results in low participation and limits the application of learning (Journal of Staff Development, 2012).
Many teachers approach PD with a mindset that the topic being covered is irrelevant to them, therefore, a waste of time. Recent research has emphasized the importance of a teacher's mindset in the effectiveness of professional development. According to a study by Dweck and colleagues (2015), a growth mindset, where teachers believe that their abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and learning, can lead to more positive attitudes towards professional development and a greater willingness to engage in new learning opportunities.
Lack of Follow-up
Research has consistently shown that ongoing support and feedback are critical for translating professional development into sustained change in the classroom. A study by Desimone et al. (2002) found that teachers who received follow-up support were more likely to implement new practices in their teaching, leading to improved student learning outcomes. Furthermore, a report by the Learning Policy Institute (2019) found that high-quality professional development programs include ongoing coaching, feedback, and opportunities for collaboration and reflection. Providing sustained support and follow-up is essential for ensuring that teachers can effectively apply what they have learned and lead to long-term improvements in student achievement
Lack of Leadership
When school and district leaders do not participate, this demonstrates to teachers it is not a highly valued resource, leading to low participation and engagement rates. According to a survey by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 33% of teachers reported that the lack of support from school leadership was a barrier to participating in professional development.
Additionally, a study by the Learning Policy Institute found that when school leaders do not prioritize or participate in professional development, it can create a sense of disconnection between the goals of the school and the professional development being offered.
How to Overcome Barriers
The evidence is clear, to improve student achievement, providing high-quality professional development to educators is essential.
Recognizing that improvement is an ongoing journey, a school's culture is shaped by leaders who prioritize the learning needs of both adults and children. Effective leaders see themselves as learners as well as leaders, and they work to create a culture that supports ongoing learning and development.
Solutions
Lack of Time
Flexible Scheduling: Principals can create flexible scheduling options that allow teachers to participate in PD activities without disrupting their regular classroom instruction. This can be done by adjusting class schedules, offering early release days, or rotating teachers out of their classrooms for short periods of time.
Micro-Learning Opportunities: Principals can provide micro-learning opportunities that allow teachers to participate in brief, targeted PD activities during short periods of downtime throughout the day, such as during lunch breaks or planning periods.
Collaborative Learning Communities: Principals can participate in and facilitate the creation of collaborative learning communities within their schools or across schools. These communities provide opportunities for teachers to share ideas and learn from one another, without requiring large blocks of time away from their classrooms.
Lack of Relevance and mindset
Collaborate with teachers: Involve teachers in the process of planning and designing PD sessions. This will help ensure that the training is relevant to their needs and will increase their buy-in and motivation to participate.
Offer PD that is ongoing and that uses a variety of delivery methods such as peer coaching, team teaching, and collaborative online courses. This will help engage teachers who may have different learning styles and preferences.
Offer incentives: Offer incentives such as stipends, extra time off, or recognition for teachers who participate. This will help motivate teachers who may be reluctant to attend due to time constraints or negative attitudes towards professional development.
Focus on growth mindset: Foster a growth mindset culture by participating in the PD. This helps to emphasize your belief that learning is an ongoing process and help encourage a positive attitude towards PD and a willingness to try new teaching things.
Lack of Follow-up
Proactively plan for follow-up: Develop a clear and measurable way for how the PD will be followed up on, such as small or large group meetings, check-ins, progress reviews, classroom observations, or coaching sessions.
Assign instructional leaders: Start small with a few adopters, who will be responsible for implementing the new strategies/practices first and grow from there, with your leaders sharing how-to and the impact its had on learning and/or culture.
Use technology: Leverage technology to facilitate follow-up, such as using video coaching, surveys, or online collaboration tools.
Make follow-up a collaborative effort: Group teachers to work together to implement new strategies and techniques, and to provide ongoing support and feedback to each other. Offer to cover classes to make this happen.
Lack of Leadership
Lead by example: Principals who attend PD with teachers demonstrate they value the learning and are committed. This helps build a professional relationships where teaching and learning can be focused. You should not assign PD you don’t attend. Improvement is a group effort and if you want all teachers engaged, you need to be there, working alongside them. If you don’t value it enough to attend, they may be present, but likely not engaged.
Build a culture of collaboration: Principals can establish structures and routines that encourage collaboration with and among teachers, such as professional learning communities, peer observations, and co-teaching.
Provide coaching and feedback: Principals can provide ongoing coaching and feedback to teachers to support their growth and development.
Invest in leadership development: Principals can provide leadership development opportunities for themselves and their teachers to build their capacity to lead and support professional learning.
Conclusion
In conclusion, data shows effective teachers equal improved student learning, and student success in school is tied to their success in life, both socially and economically. Therefore, professional development is a crucial component of a teacher's growth and their effectiveness in the classroom.
It is essential for school leaders to provide meaningful and relevant professional development opportunities and create a culture of learning that values and promotes collaboration among teachers.
With the right support and resources, teachers can become the pathway to promoting equity and closing the achievement gap for disadvantaged students. By prioritizing professional development and cultivating a culture of learning, schools can ensure that all students receive the best possible education.