Motivating Teachers to Want Professional Development

by, Gretchen Sting

Description:

Go beyond the one-shot workshop into a new way of giving meaningful professional development that provides instruction, collaboration and feedback to inspire teachers to want professional development.  Discover the elements used to motivate teachers to learn different ways to use educational technology to improve classroom instruction.

Purpose and Objectives

Often teachers are dumped into professional development that will improve test scores or meet ways to meet district objectives.  These workshops are given after school, one time.  No time is given to develop, experiment, collaborate, or try the ideas.  Teachers are alone in their efforts, without feedback or learning more. It’s time to give teachers what they want, professional development that provides ongoing learning and support. Providing detailed ongoing professional development that teachers can access independently when they have time offers a solution to demanding schedules. In detailed modules, teachers proceed on a self-guided path to earn follow Bloom’s hierarchy to master subject matter.  In this way, teachers become active learners, and question, share, reflect, try, and collaborate to make learning meaningful with their own class.  Each teacher adjusts assignments to fit within the curriculum and confines of their own class.  See an example of an innovative multi-step process with resources and support given along the way.  The professional development becomes real, relevant, and applicable right now to improve teaching in every classroom and honor the way teachers learn.