According to research, The Mirage printed "that despite enormous and admirable investments of time and money, we are much further from that goal than has been acknowledged, and the evidence base for what actually helps teachers improve is very thin." (TNTP, 2015) Reading this was devistating but it resonanted with me, becuase I have felt deflated many times after leaving a PL session. Sessions didn't provide enough time to learn, time to develop inquiry, or support to see if what I was implementing doing the program justice.
In my opinion, some techers improvment is thin, but because of the nonexsistance of support after teachers attend PD. Most PLs teachers attend are fast paced. Then teachers are released and are not provided the additional support by the program coordinators. If new programs are to be implemented successfully guidance and coteaching needs to be included with the porcess. Teachers should be able to observe what the PD looks like in action by others who have had success with the implementation.
The ususal happens at every PD, a trainer or presenter provides their emails for support. How can support be seen in an email, how can a techer grow when support isn't provided throughtout the year. I have also begun to reflect on Q & A's at the end of the session. Is there truly enough knowledge to ask when implementation hasn'a happned? The opportunity to come back to the PD after a couple of months of implementation would be a better plan.
but how can valid questions be asked if the experience is needed to implement and the learning hasn't occurred yet. I am not pointing fingers, because this is all we know, but the lack of guidance and support after the PD is what needs to restructure.
Again, according to The Mirage, some districts have a budget to spend $18 thousand on professional development per teacher. States and districts should allow teachers to have a voice on the type of assistance they need to enhance their lessons or teaching style.
Even with the lack of successful PL educators are resourceful and will rearch, form collaborative groups, or look online for additional help, but this should not be the soultion. Additional support to can be the predictor of of successful implementation which will benefit all involved, especially the students.
I strongly believe campuses, districts and states should always provide additional support. Not someone who observes and offers a glow and grow, but assists for success and coteaches to see how the program is correctly implemented in action.
Reference
TNTP. (2015). The Mirage: Confronting the Hard Truth About Our Quest for Teacher Development. Retrieved from http://tntp.org/publications/view/evaluation-and-development/the-mirage-confronting-the truth-about-our-quest-for-teacher-development
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