Focused Professional Development

A strong emphasis is placed on training staff in areas of most need. Feedback from learning and teaching focuses extensive and ongoing professional development. The support is also aligned with the school or district vision and objectives.

INDICATORS:

• Professional development is based on a needs assessment and sustained over time.
• Deliberate decisions are made to ensure resources are allocated to maintain and sustain professional development.
• Leaders have focused much of their time in planning, implementing and monitoring professional development activities.
• Professional development engages all stakeholders.
• Professional development reflects the National Staff Development Council standards.
• Professional development models best practice instruction.
• A variety of professional development offerings are customized and based on individual and organizational needs.

RESOURCES:

• Finding Time For Professional Development; Evaluating Professional Growth And Development
• Standards For Staff Development (revised)
• Results-oriented professional development by Thomas Guskey
• Staff development. Adult Learning and Change by Jocelyn Butler
• Teachers.net
• Professional Development. Learning from the Best

• Cunningham, W. G. and Gresso, D. W. (1993). Cultural Leadership: The Culture of Excellence in Education. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. See chapter 8, Personal and Professional Development; chapter 9, Employee Empowerment.

• DuFour, R. and Eaker, R. (1998). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. Bloomington, IN: National Educational Service. See chapter 12, Staff Development in a Professional Learning Community.

• Fullan, M. (1993). Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reform. New York: The Falmer Press. See chapter 7, The Individual and the Learning Society.

• Guskey. T. R. (2000). Evaluating Professional Development. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Corwin Press.

• Lynn, L. (Ed.). Powerful Designs: New approaches ignite professional learning. (1999, Summer). National Staff Development Journal. National Staff Development Council. 20(3).

• Newmann, F. M. and Associates. (1996). Authentic Achievement: Restructuring Schools for Intellectual Quality. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. See chapter 7, Schoolwide Professional Community.

• Senge, P. et al. (2000). Schools that Learn: A Fifth Discipline Fieldbook for Educators, Parents, and Everyone Who Cares About Education. New York: Currency/Doubleday. See section XI, Development.

• Sparks, D. and Hirsh, S. (1997). A New Vision for Staff Development. Alexandria, VA: ASCD and Oxford, CA: National Staff Development Council.

• Zepeda, S. J. (1999). Staff Development: Practices that Promote Leadership in Learning Communities. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.