What do you think of when you see or hear “teacher professional development”? Do you envision lively discussions where everyone in the room is fully engaged and participates in the trainer’s presentation? Or perhaps imagine teachers sitting passively, flipping through pages of material and checking the time. Why is the latter the typical reaction? Because it describes the vast experience of most who have had to attend teacher professional development hours that were meant to motivate but lead to feelings of apathy and frustration due to wasted time.
District and school administrators and instructional coordinators are primarily responsible for planning teacher professional development that advances teacher instructional practices, supports student learning and academic improvement, and aligns with goals. state, district and school education. As technology continues to have a greater impact on the way teachers teach and students learn, finding professional development that can lead to consistent application of strategy and high engagement is critical. What are some some key considerations to plan transformative professional development?
- The professional development service provider can customize the content to be comprehensive and meaningful, making the sessions agnostic.
- The services and content are indebtedwith subject matter experts (SMEs) who can communicate clearly with your organization and provide ongoing follow-up and support.
- Teachers have multiple opportunities to practice new skills, including those that involve technology so that they are accessible.
To download an infographic on the full list of key considerations when scheduling a teacher DP, click 5 Key Considerations When Developing a Professional Development Program.
Of course, there are other considerations that can really make the difference between a passive, forgotten professional development session and an active, applied professional learning experience. Organizations that work with districts and schools to design and implement strong and engaging professional learning sessions that include ongoing teacher support are notable for administrators. For example, EOS Education works with several large school districts such as Clayton County Public Schools (Clayton County, GA) and Phoenix Union School District (Phoenix, AZ), creating personalized services and sessions that help teachers maximize their use of technology and products, allowing them to go beyond basic skills to more dynamic and interactive uses of technology and tools provided to them.
Dr. Alex Leis, EOS Education, said, “All of the support programs we offer for teachers (Clayton County Public Schools) are aligned and complement each other, and all digital resources in the district are supported by our team (digital learning specialists ). Through this global partnership, teachers can choose to learn in their preferred modality to meet their individual needs. Because we offer a variety of training opportunities and teachers’ comfort level with technology varies, everyone can receive the right level of support. To learn more about the success story of EOS Education and Clayton County Public Schools, read Clayton County Public Schools Benefit from Personalized Professional Development.
EOS Education has a strong portfolio of professional development offerings that can be customized to meet the unique needs of a district or school. Training can be facilitated in-person, online, or a combination of both to better accommodate the limited schedules and demands of running a busy district or school. To learn more about award-winning EOS Education and explore their course offerings, click here – EOS Professional Development.