Most teachers are lifelong learners. A passion for their discipline, a desire to spark a love of learning in students, and a true passion for helping others are part of what attracted most to the profession. Nevertheless, until recently, most school PD has consisted of sitting in large groups, going through power-point presentations, with the occasional “turn-and-talk” for interaction. Even when teachers attended conferences where they were exposed to amazing new ideas and great ways to engage students or present materials, these “one-and-done” experiences didn’t often lead to enduring change or revision of classroom practices. Unless there was follow-up, or the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues on an ongoing basis to rethink what was happening in classrooms, teachers didn’t often have the time or the guidance to make meaningful changes. Consequently, these experiences did little to improve the learning outcomes of students in their classrooms.
In Guskey’s article, Professional Learning with Staying Power, he comments,
“Although researchers don’t always agree on the specific elements of effective professional learning, they generally do agree on how effectiveness should be defined. Most concur that professional learning is effective when it has a positive and enduring impact on…
