The ugly monsters arising during PD!!! oh no...
I believe that teachers can be the worst audience and the hardest critics of their peers, especially when it comes to PD... which always amazes me and scares me! You would think educators would always be open to new ideas!! Not so. New ideas represent change. Change causes stress for most people but, can and should bring new energy, too. So... we must address the stressors and make sure that scaffolding and support are always available to allow change to take place in a non-threatening manner. Then, new energies and professional efficacies will arise!
Reflection is the other component that allows change and better practices to take place. Teachers need to feel free to experiment with new ideas... and reflect on how this fits into their values and professional dreams. I believe that the lens we bring to a PD session, can allow us to learn something in the worst of situations. We must bring a REFLECTIVE lens. If NOT, then we negatively impact those around us as well as create minds for growth! I think reflection is the key component for real professional growth. Some folks are not very reflective... which therefore makes a negative setting for others or if not negative... then just a blah blah blah.. I'll ignore this and it will go away attitude. Then there's ones that do not like to appear reflective, as they think this makes them appear weak and needy. (We must change environments if that is the case) Asking good questions and being curious leads up to being reflective. So... someone needs to do this during PD training as a model, it it's not happening naturally. I believe that when we are exposed to PD, good or bad, timely or untimely... the reflection of what we are doing as professionals compared to what we need, our curiosities and seeking of what we want should lead us to new growth and deeper thinking about our practices. What areas can I improve upon in my own professional life? Am I satisfied with my results and my day to day experiences? Bringing this reflective lens will allow us to see that there is always something to learn and allow us to be OPEN to new ideas... (even if one believes they have the very best ideas...) As a reflective professional, I'm never satisfied with what I know, how to do things, not to mention the never-ending quest for what possibilities are out there! So again... I guess the question for me is how can we get people to reflect on their own practice and make meaning and connections to new ideas based within their own practice... if they are not being reflective (and maybe even monsters at PD events) Here are a few of my answers... real Professional Learning Communities that have the students' best interest in mind, teacher leaders spread throughout systems that truly lead by example, educators who feel empowered and worthy and are recognized privately, safe environments, admin encouragement for peer collaboration, instructional coaches available as reflective partners, structures that support student success such as schedules and TIME, available mentors, effective technology tools/training and on-going support... and I'm sure there's more!
I believe that teachers can be the worst audience and the hardest critics of their peers, especially when it comes to PD... which always amazes me and scares me! You would think educators would always be open to new ideas!! Not so. New ideas represent change. Change causes stress for most people but, can and should bring new energy, too. So... we must address the stressors and make sure that scaffolding and support are always available to allow change to take place in a non-threatening manner. Then, new energies and professional efficacies will arise!
Reflection is the other component that allows change and better practices to take place. Teachers need to feel free to experiment with new ideas... and reflect on how this fits into their values and professional dreams. I believe that the lens we bring to a PD session, can allow us to learn something in the worst of situations. We must bring a REFLECTIVE lens. If NOT, then we negatively impact those around us as well as create minds for growth! I think reflection is the key component for real professional growth. Some folks are not very reflective... which therefore makes a negative setting for others or if not negative... then just a blah blah blah.. I'll ignore this and it will go away attitude. Then there's ones that do not like to appear reflective, as they think this makes them appear weak and needy. (We must change environments if that is the case) Asking good questions and being curious leads up to being reflective. So... someone needs to do this during PD training as a model, it it's not happening naturally. I believe that when we are exposed to PD, good or bad, timely or untimely... the reflection of what we are doing as professionals compared to what we need, our curiosities and seeking of what we want should lead us to new growth and deeper thinking about our practices. What areas can I improve upon in my own professional life? Am I satisfied with my results and my day to day experiences? Bringing this reflective lens will allow us to see that there is always something to learn and allow us to be OPEN to new ideas... (even if one believes they have the very best ideas...) As a reflective professional, I'm never satisfied with what I know, how to do things, not to mention the never-ending quest for what possibilities are out there! So again... I guess the question for me is how can we get people to reflect on their own practice and make meaning and connections to new ideas based within their own practice... if they are not being reflective (and maybe even monsters at PD events) Here are a few of my answers... real Professional Learning Communities that have the students' best interest in mind, teacher leaders spread throughout systems that truly lead by example, educators who feel empowered and worthy and are recognized privately, safe environments, admin encouragement for peer collaboration, instructional coaches available as reflective partners, structures that support student success such as schedules and TIME, available mentors, effective technology tools/training and on-going support... and I'm sure there's more!
Part of my problem on PD is the one size fits all approach that my district often employs. I find that a "sage on the stage" talking to several hundred teachers is not an effective way for me to learn. There is little, if any, opportunity to have a conversation about what we are covering in these sessions. No time to discuss application in our own classrooms.
ReplyDeleteAnother problem is we have to sit through the beginning of the year in-service mandated by the state that is reviewing information I have hear now 20 times. It makes for a long day. Yes, the new (newer) teachers need to hear it (as I probably do to :), but it is still relatively boring.
I have found that when I do PD in small groups or at the building level I get much more out of it. I also learn a lot from my PLN.
You know... when I was writing my response to Monsters... I was so thinking of fairly decent delivery of PD. YUCK to the Sage on the Stage and huge group scenarios and most of all the lack of differentiation in PD. Why do we not think of best practices for all instruction... including adult learners!
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