Professional development is crucial for both classroom teachers, staff, and administration. As educators, we have committed ourselves to engaging in lifelong learning opportunities in order to stay current on best practices and strategies to serve every child that walks through the school door. All districts allow time for Professional Development Training but I wonder… are they using it in the most effective way for their teachers to acquire new knowledge to deliver to their students?  Well, I think we must diversify the way we approach professional development and consider the user.

The best way to engage educators in learning is to allow them to have a choice in what they are learning about. Kindergarten teachers have different needs than fifth-grade teachers which is totally different than special education teachers. Needless to say, it can be difficult for teachers to sit through and engage in training when they are struggling to apply it to their daily teaching experiences.

Here are 4 asynchronous ways to engage educators in professional development that doesn’t require them to sit in an in-service:

1. Webinars- There are hundreds of thousands of webinars (both recorded and live) that are free or low-cost for educators. Engage in conversation while asking teachers to narrow down webinars that pique their interests. After they have listened to their webinar, ask them to share what they learned with other teachers on their team, within their PLC, or even share with all staff at the next staff meeting. Allowing teachers to have a choice in their professional learning opportunities creates stronger engagement and excitement when they are able to share it with their colleagues. 

2. Book Club- Book clubs can also be very engaging and even enjoyable. Allowing educators to choose professional learning books they would be interested in reading, is key to increasing their engagement. The best part about most professional learning books is they give small tidbits of actionable strategies educators can use immediately. If multiple staff members are reading the same book, they can collaborate throughout the reading. Otherwise, the same idea from the webinars can be applied to have teachers share what they have learned with their colleagues.

3. Peer Observations- As a mentor teacher, peer observations are key for new teachers but also for veteran educators. Watching other teachers teach helps generate new ideas and provides new perspectives. Peer observations are never meant to criticize anyone’s teachings, rather to share skills, ideas, and knowledge. Peer observations can be structured where each educator gives the other feedback or where teachers watch another teacher and take notes simply for themselves. Teachers are creative, magnificent humans who have incredible ideas when it comes to relationship building, academic teaching, behavior management, and general classroom management. Seeing their tips and tricks in action is a great way for educators to continually add tools to their toolbox.

4. Coach and Support- It’s no secret that teachers need more support than ever. Instructional coaching is a non-threating way for teachers to get support? Some schools have the extra support of having a coach at their site but others however work to reach out to other teachers. However, peer-to-peer coaching and support can be very helpful for a new teacher and really beneficial for veterans. Teachers understand what other teachers are going through, and sometimes administrators have been so far removed that they struggle to provide support to their team. Allowing strong educators to coach and support others through the wild world of teaching is an easy, cost-effective, and safe way to help teachers engage in professional learning and get the support that they desperately need. 

There are so many opportunities for professional learning out there. They do not have to be costly, include travel, or even include designing presentations or bringing inexpensive speakers. Professional learning can actively happen within the four walls of the school building and be extremely beneficial for teachers and staff as well. 

References

PD activities for professional growth. Alberta Teachers Association. (2018, June 26). Retrieved
January 4, 2022, from
https://www.teachers.ab.ca/For%20Members/ProfessionalGrowth/Section%203/Pages/Professional%20Development%20Activities%20for%20Teachers.aspx