Effective Professional Learning-1

By Anonymous -
What professional learning is going to best prepare teachers to meet their students’ needs?
Part A: Typical Professional Development
Take a moment and jot down some notes on what typical professional development in your school looks like.
  • Sit and get 
  • Sometimes not needed -- could be unrelated to what I do, or I could already know it and be ready for the next step 
  • Forced 
What is emphasized in this typical model?
  • This model is a top-down approach. The choices come from the top with little or no input from teachers. What is emphasized? Whatever is determined as important is emphasized.
  • From my own past experience, this can lead to disengagement or cynicism towards school-offered PD. 



Part B: Discuss Characteristics of Effective Professional Learning
Think of a time that you learned something from a professional development experience that changed your practice as a teacher.

A few PD days stand out to me:
  1. Teacher workshop in Yokohama -- my first experience at a "real" PD event
  2. Making the PYP Happen
  3. Google Summit
What made the experience so effective?
In these PD experiences, I was able to take a few things back to school with me to use right away. I was given a "menu" of choices and decide which was best for me (except MTPYPH).


Take notes on the characteristics of this professional development experience.

  • vibrant -- lots of energy
  • community
  • models what should be done in the classroom
People there wanted to be there, and were interested in learning and improving. 

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