No more untimely, impersonable, unuseful professional development! Teachers use their own reflection, data, or feedback from an administrator to set 1-2 professional development goals for approximately a 9 week period. They then work with an professional development advisor who creates a plan of action and personalized learning for the teacher. This may include professional readings, peer observations/reflections, modeling, co-planning, or conferencing. Each plan is based on the teacher's needs and learning styles.
The professional development advisor can then facilitate the individual plan in various ways. The plan may require the teacher to have a substitute in his/her classroom for a block of time so he/she is available to carry out the plan. One plan period a week or weekly PLC time may be devoted to working with the professional development advisor to carry out the plan. At the end of the time period, the teacher reflects on their growth and adjusts or resets goals for the next period of time.
This type of professional development is formative in nature, and relies heavily on a relationship between the advisor and the teacher. By making professional development more timely and more in tune with teacher needs it also gives the teacher an attainable goal to work toward. We don't give students a 1 hour lecture on a concept and then expect them to be able to carry out the idea with mastery. Similar to students, teachers need goals, feedback, and targeted instruction to help them grow professionally.
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