May the course be with you.
We work with a lot of teacher professional development (PD) programs. Organizations recognize it is tough out there for K-12 teachers. And they want to help.
But teachers can be a tough crowd. A project partner (who is not Yoda, but could be) summed it up perfectly:
On one hand, teachers face the daunting task of navigating high expectations, limited resources, and constantly shifting landscapes in education.
High Expectations +
Low Resources +
Constant Change =
Need Everything
On the other hand, teachers are experts, operating under massive time constraints. Their own time is a precious and dwindling resource. And their BS detectors are finely tuned.
No Time +
Low Tolerance for BS =
Need Nothing
What does that mean for you?
TLDR: The barometer of successful PD is not whether the teachers learn something in the room at a workshop. It is whether the PD actually makes something about teaching easier.
Our evaluation and research has been showing that the process is what sets Great PD apart from Good PD. It has to feel meaningful, customized, and easing the pathway for implementation.
What does that mean in practice? Let’s break down a few core pieces that can work for any PD effort.
1: Expect Customization
I will never forget one of my first times working on a teacher PD evaluation. One of the most important findings? I'll paraphrase:
“For the love of all that is holy, I just want EDITABLE lesson plans!”
It was the '00s. We kept uploading PDF lesson plans. And they kept being frustrated. Because of course they are going to edit everything. They know their class, their curriculum, their time constraints, and what works for them.
That was my first time learning that teachers will adapt anything you give them. Don't fight it.
2: Make it Meaningful
It's gotta scratch an itch. Great PD taps into something teachers really need or want for their classroom. Maybe it's something they've found a little tough. Maybe it's something they never imagined possible.
For PD providers, don't be a generalist. What is the unique thing you offer that they don't teach pre-service teachers? That you do a little differently? But that meets a classroom need? Find your lane (maybe try some front-end evaluation), and hit the gas.
3: Ease the Pathway to Implementation
Whether you are a university, a museum, or a community-based organization, always remember: You have a very particular set of skills. Use them to help.
Your organization is full of specialists in a wide variety of things that can help teachers do more and do more cool stuff with kids. In general, avoid trying to teach teachers to be you. (Ugh, getting your skills is not easy!) Instead, how can your team do what is second nature to you in a way that gives teachers resources that let them focus time on what is second nature for them?
I have a few ideas in the Real World Examples below.
4: Spirit of Collaboration
Did you ever think about how isolating the work of a classroom teacher can be? They’re experts and they know how to fly solo. But geez, sometimes they can feel like an island.
A PD program that gives teachers sounding boards, collaborators, or thought partners will shine. Listening to their approach, offering additional ideas or thoughts. Suggesting a just-in-time resource that helps with a sticky point in their lesson plan. Whether it's from your org's professional experts or sharing ideas between teachers, it's a major value-add.
5: R-E-S-P-E-C-T
We've heard, pretty frankly, that some PD “experts” who come in and boss them around (or worse, offer nothing of substance) can be a little insulting.
PD that begin from a place of mutual respect can get a lot of traction. You have a special set of skills. They have a special set of skills. Showing that respect and framing PD as a way to do more together can be really powerful.
6: Reignite the Spark
Teaching has a lot of routine and repetition. Experienced teachers find their groove.
That’s not a bad thing! There’s a reason why the first few years of K-12 teaching are notoriously brutal. (I survived <6 months of student teaching and was like, “Yeah, no, hardest job I’ve ever done. I'm out.”)
But a PD that takes teachers out of that comfort zone can create some novelty. It creates a space to play and learn and have some new-teacher nerves again. Except this time, those nerves come with all the existing skills. We've seen a few cases where that reinvigoration can inspire teachers who were considering giving up to stick it out for a few more years.
If you're contemplating a PD that's a little off-beat, it could shake up teaching practices and classroom learning in the best possible ways.
Real World Examples:
OK, so what are some ideas about how your program can ease the pathway for implementation? Here is a smattering of real world ideas we've seen:
- Digging through museum image files to identify a handful of relevant art pieces for the teacher to consider using in pre-visit discussions.
- Finding out teachers' unit and suggesting key (and unexpected) galleries or objects that they could visit to have relevant conversations.
- Locating datasets or data visualizations and doing the most wonky technical bits to get them classroom-usable.
- Creating customized maps (or personally greeting) PD teachers when they come for field trips, to ease wayfinding when 30 kids are with them.
- Lesson plan templates in Google Slides or Docs, with complete starter content and lessons. But 100% editable.
- Sharing behind-the-scenes info, videos, or access they can use with their students.
- Sending packets of specialty supplies or materials to teachers' schools.
- Organizing and tagging resources using NGSS key words so that it can be easily filtered by teachers.
- When they needed to write poll questions for an activity, having evaluators review, suggest, and add. (Michelle and I were so happy to contribute!)
How about in your institution? Reply and share how you're thinking about helping our teachers do good with our kiddos.