The Problem
Over the past few months, a few administrators I hold in high regard have talked/tweeted/blogged/bragged about the endless options their teachers have for professional development. In some instances, their entire district’s professional learning plan focuses entirely on teacher choice (in an effort to create something like a wide-scale Genius Hour).
This is an approach with which I strongly disagree.
As I have previously tweeted…“We need to balance choice with vision. If your school PD options are all over the place [much like a Cheesecake Factory menu], strong chance there is a lack of direction.”
Don’t promote Cheesecake Factory Professional Development…which can be defined as: A district doesn’t know what it wants to be, so everything but the kitchen sink is thrown at teachers in an effort to mask indecisiveness and/or lack of direction.
Douglas Reeves shares the same sentiment when he writes, “The clear imperative for educational leadership is focus. Unfortunately, the typical response of leaders at every level is diffusion, often in the guise of strategic plans” (p. 32). Reeves goes on to state, “Large-scale improvement is most likely to occur when a few school improvement initiatives are implemented deeply, not when a laundry list of initiatives is implemented in a scattershot manner” (p. 40).
The Solution
The solutions are focus and discipline.
As Jim Collins writes, we must “create a ‘stop doing list’ and systematically unplug anything extraneous” (p. 124). In other words, if you are someone who plans school/district professional development, choose a distinct direction and stick with it (while providing room for some teacher choice). Resist the urge to continuously schedule “learning detours” by jumping at the latest and greatest, or whatever topic may appear to be urgent. Trust me, it can wait. You do not want to detract from time that could be spent on your primary focus.
Currently in my district, the focal point of professional development at the elementary level is Writing Workshop. On this topic, we have conducted two three-hour sessions, with a third one of the same length coming up in a few weeks, and then a six-hour session is scheduled for March (and possibly even more beyond that). Furthermore, in an effort to promote continuous learning, all materials related to this professional development can be found on a Google Site. And, of course, my district’s two Reading Specialists helped to make this all possible.
Just like any other professional development I have facilitated/co-facilitated, some parts “clicked,” while others I would modify if it had to be done again. (And, based on the anonymous feedback forms that are distributed after each learning experience, those in attendance would agree.) Nonetheless, I refuse to jump to another topic, and from conversing with teachers there is no doubt in my mind they appreciate the less is more approach. After all, they have an entire school year to toy around and familiarize themselves with Writing Workshop before anything mandatory is put into place by the district. (I shudder at the word mandatory.)
In the End
The goal of professional development should be to create sustainable change. I’ll say that again…sustainable change. When you walk through classrooms, student learning experiences should look noticeably different (and better) than they had prior to the professional learning. (Yet, how often do countless classrooms look almost entirely the same, year after year, despite teachers constantly “completing their hours?”)
School/District leaders should think about what they can do to continuously move teachers (and themselves) forward. From my experiences, more often than not, this shift requires having the focus and discipline to promote this less is more approach to professional learning…Cheesecake Factories need not apply.
How do you learn best? What professional development models have made a difference in your school/district? Can you relate to Cheesecake Factory Professional Development?
- Project Based Learning: 3 Types of Direct Instruction #RealPBL - April 17, 2022
- Getting Started with Project Based Learning #RealPBL - April 11, 2022
- How Do I Lead Project Based Learning? – Evaluate Professional Learning #RealPBL (part 4 of 4) - April 3, 2022
Great post, Ross. I completely agree with your point. Professional Development is the district’s way of making sure everybody is moving in the same direction. Toward the same vision/goal. Now, we may offer choices on how this can be done, but the choice of topic may not be. I look at this the same way in my classroom: I may offer students options on homework, projects, or quizzes, but they all are against the same standard, I do not let them choose whatever standard or topic they would like. I think this helps with providing direction, as you mention a lot better in the above post.
Jim, thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Yes, teacher professional development should model the instruction we want to see in the classroom, and vice versa!
You make several valid points about both professional development and school improvement. In the area of school improvement, schools should absolutely focus on 1-3 areas for several years, which is what any sustained improvement will take. The leadership book, “Influencers” really highlights the power of this approach in schools and business. As for teacher professional development, I feel a balance must exist. I think schools and districts should use faculty meetings and internal PD to mainly focus on the identified school improvement areas. However, it is also important to enable and encourage teachers to seek professional growth in areas of interest. Often times, it’s completely one way, or the other. But like most things, a balanced approach is best.
Thanks, Mike! Yes, there definitely has to be a balance…As administrators, another issue is this balancing of district level learning with what takes place at the building level. Especially in larger districts, getting everyone on the same page is not always so easy…I may have to check out “Influencers.”
While I will never argue with the idea of sustained focus on the most important pieces, how do you account for differentiated approaches for teachers as learners? If I was a teacher well versed in writer’s workshop, I would be frustrated that I was sitting through such focused PD. And it’s not that a teacher who had expertise couldn’t share their wisdom or experiences and lead, but I think this creates the same conundrum in a classroom where we sacrifice the abilities of the strongest to support those who need support. Perhaps you and your district have this solved, but to push back, how do you account for those who won’t grow from the 12-18 hours of focused PD this year? Isn’t there a lost opportunity by not affording more choice? (Again, just pushing back, not completely disagreeing with your sentiments)
Chad, thanks! Looking at the situation from the point of view of a teacher…If I was already well versed in an area of focus, I would want an administrator to come to me with options to (1) assist in facilitating the professional development, and/or (2) spend my learning time elsewhere. In theory, this makes sense. For me, the bigger question is how this type of “opt-out” process becomes formalized. For instance, if a teacher declares, “I already know that!” what are the next steps? Some consistency/”rules” would be needed in order for this approach to become systemic.
Great post, Ross. I do love the idea of choice and recognized opportunities for teachers to develop in areas of passion and interest ; however, you raise excellent points on how this strategy alone does not leave room – or time – necessary for the focus and practice required to master any initiative or strategy that is a part of a school’s larger vision. It may actually lead to initiative fatigue and be entirely counter productive. My favorite line is the one in which you refer to no mandatory asks from the district until teachers have had sufficient time to master the task at hand. Brilliant! I wish more administrators thought like you. We have a bad habit in education of preaching best practice for students and practicing with regard to PD for teachers as if our brains don’t work the same way.
Thanks for sharing !
Thanks, Lisa! Means a lot coming from you. Yes, what we learn from working with students should definitely not be ignored when facilitating professional development…I’m flattered you think more administrators should think like me, however, there is always so much more to learn, especially in my new role. Hope to connect with you soon!
The simple fact is, we don’t know what we don’t know. Choice is good, and to be encouraged, of course, but promoting a vision is equally important, even if only to give teachers a chance, possibly, to disagree with that vision. Such is the nature of learning and the nature of education – always a battleground of ideas and philosophies. And long may it last.