What effective Professional Learning is NOT
To understand exactly what is effective PL, we must first understand what is NOT effective PL. How many teachers dread the words in-service, training or faculty meeting? Just the thought of giving up more time after the school day has ended sitting in boring professional development trainings and getting nothing useful in return is enough to make any teacher want to use their ever precious personal time.
As teachers, we know our students learn better through active engagement. So, why do administrators insist teachers learn valuable info through Sit & Get methods of professional learning? There is an old education adage that states, "What is good for the littles is good for the bigs." This motto is often heard when elementary teachers are comparing notes with upper grade level teachers. This adage correlates perfectly to notion of active classroom learning versus passive professional learning. If active learning is best for our students, then active learning should be what is best when it comes to our teachers learning.
I speak from 12 years of teaching experiencing (which includes 12 years of faculty meeting experience) that Sit & Get PL is the most ineffective form of educator training out there. Sit & Get methods often result in only surface level classroom changes intended to impress the administrator that walks through following the training. With S&G, most teachers do not transfer their PL knowledge to long-term instructional change causing student engagement to tank along with student achievement.
I believe that it is the responsibility of district and campus administrators to shift PL from the Sit & Get model to the Go & Show Model. Why? Because OUR students deserve the BEST!
As teachers, we know our students learn better through active engagement. So, why do administrators insist teachers learn valuable info through Sit & Get methods of professional learning? There is an old education adage that states, "What is good for the littles is good for the bigs." This motto is often heard when elementary teachers are comparing notes with upper grade level teachers. This adage correlates perfectly to notion of active classroom learning versus passive professional learning. If active learning is best for our students, then active learning should be what is best when it comes to our teachers learning.
I speak from 12 years of teaching experiencing (which includes 12 years of faculty meeting experience) that Sit & Get PL is the most ineffective form of educator training out there. Sit & Get methods often result in only surface level classroom changes intended to impress the administrator that walks through following the training. With S&G, most teachers do not transfer their PL knowledge to long-term instructional change causing student engagement to tank along with student achievement.
I believe that it is the responsibility of district and campus administrators to shift PL from the Sit & Get model to the Go & Show Model. Why? Because OUR students deserve the BEST!
What is effective Professional Learning?
The Go & Show model of professional learning is the hottest thing to hit classrooms since the dry erase board. Well maybe not the hottest, but at least the most effective. Go & Show is based on five foundational principles of effective professional learning: duration, support, active engagement, modeling and context.
This brings up another great question, do student perceptions of how their teachers learn really matter? Let's take a look at a powerful call-to-action video addressing this issue.
- DURATION: must be significant and ongoing allowing teachers to learn a new strategy and grapple with problems
- SUPPORT: must be continuous for teachers during implementation stages addressing specific challenges of changing classroom practices
- ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT: teachers' initial exposure to a concept is not passive, but rather should engage teachers through varied approaches so they can participate actively in making sense of a new practice
- MODELING: is highly effective in helping teachers understand a new concepts
- CONTEXT: must be specific to the teachers' discipline and grade level
This brings up another great question, do student perceptions of how their teachers learn really matter? Let's take a look at a powerful call-to-action video addressing this issue.
As you can see, students Clayton and Nancy have a good understanding of what teachers want for their students learning, but bring up some great questions for teachers to consider for their own learning expectations. This video serves as a table setter for an even bigger call-to-action for districts to turn the page on Sit & Get PL and move towards the Go & Show model of effective PL. The following presentation includes the student perception video you just watched and goes a step further in helping administrators understand and embrace the 5 key principles of effective learning.
One of the biggest take-aways from the presentation is the promise of ongoing support when implementing any new classroom practice. Trying something new with your students can be exciting and scary at the same time. Knowing that you are fully and continuously supported throughout any challenge gives teachers the confidence to drive student achievement and learning forward at tremendous speeds.
Nevertheless, before you begin driving, it is always good to know where you are going. On this trip, we are peeling out and leaving Sit & Get PL in our dust as we head towards creating more significant, technology rich learning environments through the use of the Go & Show professional learning model.
Nevertheless, before you begin driving, it is always good to know where you are going. On this trip, we are peeling out and leaving Sit & Get PL in our dust as we head towards creating more significant, technology rich learning environments through the use of the Go & Show professional learning model.
The Go & Show Road Map
The goal of my plan is to connect and engage every junior high and high school AVID classroom to deeper more meaningful learning through the use of Microsoft OneNote. I am fortunate to be in a district position as the Lead AVID Teacher making this goal very attainable. However, why stop at only AVID classrooms using Microsoft OneNote when I could expand my goal to include EVERY student district wide using more than just OneNote! But first, we begin with the AVID elective teachers and administrators willing to do whatever it takes to reach our goals.
Highlights of my plan include: significant duration for implementation, ongoing support from key district and campus players, all aspects of training follow an actively engaging format, all PL activities are sufficiently modeled for better understanding of learning and all context of learning is specific to discipline and grade level.
I wanted a catchy title to kickoff our campaign to create significant learning environments through the use of technology. Having absolutely nothing to do with music, but everything to do with starting off an initiative correctly, I decided on Right Note with OneNote. In taking my AVID OneNote integration to the next level, I am thinking of calling phase two, From eBinder to ePortfolio but that is a journey for another day in the not so distant future. For now, let's take a look at the Go & Show PL Road Map.
Highlights of my plan include: significant duration for implementation, ongoing support from key district and campus players, all aspects of training follow an actively engaging format, all PL activities are sufficiently modeled for better understanding of learning and all context of learning is specific to discipline and grade level.
I wanted a catchy title to kickoff our campaign to create significant learning environments through the use of technology. Having absolutely nothing to do with music, but everything to do with starting off an initiative correctly, I decided on Right Note with OneNote. In taking my AVID OneNote integration to the next level, I am thinking of calling phase two, From eBinder to ePortfolio but that is a journey for another day in the not so distant future. For now, let's take a look at the Go & Show PL Road Map.
pl_assignment_4.0.pdf | |
File Size: | 236 kb |
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Flipping the Go &Show PL Road Map
Remember when road maps came on poster size foldable paper. Remember when no matter how hard you tried, you could never refold the map back to its original status. Remember being lost and flipping the map over hoping for a different view to shed some light on your present location. Consider the following 3 column table as the flip side to the Go & Show Road Map. The 3 column table side contains the same general information but with a more focused perspective.
Learning goals, Learning activities and Assessment activities headline the columns while the areas of Foundation, Application, Human Dimension, Integration, Caring and Learning How to Learn are featured within the table sections. The 3 column table is a nice compliment to the Go & Show PL Road Map.
Learning goals, Learning activities and Assessment activities headline the columns while the areas of Foundation, Application, Human Dimension, Integration, Caring and Learning How to Learn are featured within the table sections. The 3 column table is a nice compliment to the Go & Show PL Road Map.
right_note_with_onenote_3_column_table.pdf | |
File Size: | 362 kb |
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Professional Learning Activities
Walk & Talk
Resources
See the flyer below for more info on how you can join the Go & Show PL Team
pl_one_pager.pdf | |
File Size: | 135 kb |
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