Professional Development

This week's subject is Professional Development. My goal is to decide which ongoing professional development is important for sustaining professional growth. To be honest, I'm not sure where to start. Let me tell you why.

First, in regards to my district, I know that there's a push for more usage of technology within the district. There are many classes offered throughout the year, and I've been able to take a few. From that, I've been able to implement some of the information I picked up in my class. However, the number of teachers who take advantage of these opportunities are minimal. As a result, I don't think that some of the concepts that are out there are getting to everyone in the intended audience.

So where do we start? I think we need to get our staff trained in using technology. Going over the LoTi levels a few weeks back made me take a look at my school and my district, and the evaluation I had to give wasn't good. I still see word processing skills as the number one use of technology, with free time and game exploration as the second. I've introduced my classes to using Moodle for one of my courses, and designing stories using Power Point and Photo Story to address different audiences. The fear is, though, that they'll lose these abilities if others don't add on to what I've begun with them. That's where I think we just need to set a few specific items that HAVE to be integrated into the curriculum, give training to all involved, and then monitor the progress throughout the year. In terms of training, I think that it needs to be a few sessions spaced throughout the year, and that each session should build upon the previous session.

What items would I focus on? I know that there are a LOT of programs we're investing time and money into. Starting with training on Inspiration/Kidspiration, Moodle, MyAccess, and eSis gradebook is a start. The courses are offered, but I almost think that we need to make some of these sessions mandatory in order to get people to take it seriously. I've already seen similar mandates in Reading, Math, and Writing. Why not do the same in this field?

I think the other part that I'm hesitant to address is the fact that I don't know what my district is going to decide to invest their attention to over the summer. I may come back in August, and there's already a new concept out there to push for use in the classes, and for all intensive purposes, it might not even exist yet. I think in this regard, I have to be open to new ideas, as training for something in the fall might occur for something that doesn't even exist right now.

Overall, I think that there needs to be more training in technology, and that we have to be more accountable as teachers for getting involved in training. Until that happens, I feel like we're just chasing everyone else, and that's not really benefiting anyone...

As always, any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to share.