I
remember as a teacher, there were times that the term “professional
development” made me cringe. The
question I found myself asking a lot of times was, “Am I going to be able to
use what I learn in the classroom?” Now as an administrator I have realized
that, at times, professional development gets a bad rap. At no time was that more apparent than Monday
at NLHS.
We
had a district Waiver Day for teachers on Monday, October 14th. For those that don’t know, on Waiver Days the
students do not have school and the teachers receive professional development
to improve their craft. School districts
approach Waiver Days in different ways.
Some districts have professional development opportunities for all of
the district employees, while some districts have the buildings design their
own professional development. The great
thing about New Lexington, is that we do a little of both. On Monday, the high school staff was able to
see the power of both types.
Professional
development sessions were available to the district employees such as
Assessment Literacy and Project Based Learning.
During the Assessment Literacy training, the staff was able to learn
more about creating assessments based on the content and depth of knowledge
gained by the students during the class.
This way, assessments are developed based on what and how the students
learned the material in class. The
Project Based Learning session gave staff insight on different types of
projects that can be incorporated into the classroom setting to assist students
in “learning by doing.”
Many
of the high school staff participated in other sessions that were facilitated
by the high school staff. Some of the
breakout sessions included:
- · Differentiation methods for higher level students;
- · Methods of collecting data and using assessment data;
- · Using social media effectively in the classroom;
- · Using Blogs to communicate your message;
- · Creating effective learning matrices;
- · Using effective FIP in the classroom;
- · Using technology effectively & efficiently in the classroom;
- · Effective methods of evidence to use for the OTES (Ohio Teacher Evaluation System);
- · FIP you can use immediately in your classroom.
These
sessions were extremely beneficial for the entire staff. Great conversations were had during these
sessions. At times, the presenters
learned just as much as the audience.
Many different effective teaching and learning strategies were shared
throughout the day. Staff members
received on the job training and instant feedback during the sessions.
The
best part of the day was the fact that the high school staff provided their own
professional development. There are few
things that are more powerful than a group of people growing together and using
their own methods to do it. It sends a
powerful message when staff members will volunteer their skills to help other
members of the staff excel at their positions.
As a Principal, I could not have been prouder of my staff and their
desire to help each other grow.
Sometimes
being a Principal is like professional development, it gets a bad rap. One of the best parts of my position is the
fact that I get to see great people teach everyday. I witness a variety of teaching methods,
teaching styles, and routines that other staff members don’t have the chance to
experience. Professional development
days allow the staff to learn from each other and see the same great teaching
methods I get to experience on a daily basis.
If you are an administrator and you don’t have professional development
days that are lead by your staff, you’re missing out on a great educational opportunity
for your staff and your students. Allow
your staff to share their expertise so we can change the thought process behind
professional development.
