TeachersInPIDiscussion
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The Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers, a network of professional developers across the country, is engaged in an on-going process of developing a platform of policies related to professional development. This platform would constitute a vision for professional development for which the whole field can advocate. AALPD invites discussion of this platform, in an effort to draft policies that represent the field's view. Please join the discussion by adding your comments in below or by subscribing to NIFL-AALPD. To subscribe, visit:
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/nifl-aalpd/subscribe_aalpd.html
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Subject: {NIFL-ASSESSMENT] Re: teacher assessment
From: Katrina Hinson
I'm trying to catch up with some of the email questions that have come up during the discussion: So here goes the first reply I have:
- 1) How do you see teacher evaluation folding into a professional development plan for teachers? How might that plan dovetail into a program improvement plan, and where does all that begin?
For me, both of these are just taking off, developing or redeveloping at my school. I'm on two different committees - one for professional development and one for evaluation of teachers, looking at how to improve or grow both areas at our school after some time of disuse. I definitely see the two areas dovetailing into each other - in part because I helped with the teacher evaluations. I also am keenly aware of the fact that alot of the teachers at my school are very very put off by professional development and are very resistant to it. I think these areas dovetail well if evaluators look at the overall picture once evaluations are done. What are the common threads that weave throughout, such as is there a common weakness exhibited by all the instructors? If so, why? That weakness can become an area for professional development/training. Additionally, it gives evaluators a chance to see what areas the instructors excell in which in turn can be also be used as a professional development area. I noticed when I did the evaluations for the AHS instructors in my department that one of the biggest problems is the teaching is still very much 'teacher-centered' and that in some cases the students didn't seem as involved in their learning as they should be. In turn, one of the professional development topics we're going to be covering at an upcoming retreat is Principles and practices of adult education. Some of the instructors we have came right out of public school and others have never had any training (educationally speaking) and as a result both are doing what they "know" from their past experience forgetting sometimes that what worked for them, won't work for the students coming into our program.
I think it all begins with evaluation of the program itself. I think it helps to look at the program as a whole and determine what areas need improvement and why? Especially with funding switching to a more "performance" based approach, it is very important that a) we keep our students b) we keep our good teachers and c) we help our teachers to better help the students achieve success.
- 2) Do programs in your area support teachers in developing a plan for their own professional development?
Yes, each school develops it's own PD plan. It is part of the budget -however, it can also be part of the budget that is easily cut, ignored or lost or "borrowed" from.
- 3) If so, how is it done in your area? What are the issues or barriers programs face in supporting teachers for developing professional development plans?
The state also sponsors and encourages professional development. I did find out we are all required to have at least 12 hours of professional development each academic year. The state also has a partnership with a university in the state and that university does alot of work in terms of training the trainer kind of things. The flaw or weakness in that is that there is not wide participation. At one school I worked at in the state, I would have never been able to go to the "train the trainer" training b/c I wasn't full time. The same people were going year after year. However, at my current school, I'm actually encouraged to go and I'll become a certified resource specialists after this years week long event. After attending this event, you're supposed to come back and train those in your area. My school serves a 3 county area but participation is often very weak. At the first workshop I did, I had maybe 15 people, at the second, it was perhaps the same number and probably a few less not counting myself and the other two presenters.
I've discovered the off campus people are far more willing to attend professional development activities than those that are on main campus. I'm not sure yet why that is. Our state also does regional training events as well as local training events...but again, participation is the key. Sometimes the regional training is out of town and very expensive to attend which prohibits ppl from participating that otherwise might. Local events, if they are well promoted, sometimes do better but you find the same people going time and time again.
Katrina Hinson
Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1992] Re: Teacher assessment and professional development
From: <bfortini_at_mmhs.u102.k12.me.us>
Sorry to be late in responding to this posting and hope the discussion is still going on.
Do you see teacher evaluation folding into a professional development plan for teachers?
We have been trying to encourage teachers in adult education in Maine to develop personal professional development goals on a yearly basis. The extent to which the teachers themselves are evaluated varies from program to program, but the expectations at the state level for AEFLA recipient programs is that all such funded teachers will have a plan to work on. We have been using goal planning formats based on Equipped for the Future, and it is probably being followed with varying levels of success, depending upon the committment of the program, administration, and teachers.
How might that plan dovetail into a program improvement plan, and where does all that begin?
We've clearly seen the direct connection between teachers accessing professional development offerings, working through personal PD goals, etc. and the continuous improvement model of program improvement. In one workshop I presented a PowerPoint that "Pieced" it all together. If the ultimate goal is increased/secure funding, that has to based on quality programming and reporting (accountability to funders, communities, students), and quality programming is the product of teachers and administrators who are continuously aiming to improve performance, increase their knowledge, be a model of what they want their students to access. The logical place for that to begin is with professional development and staff support that is targeted to meet the needs of the program to assist in reaching the goal of quality and accountability.
Do programs in your area support teachers in developing a plan for their own professional development? If so, how is it done in your area?
Our program attempts to. We provide for the 12 hours of PD per program year, ask for goal plans (including outcomes) which we still do not always get, but given the part time nature of our programs have not pressed the point...at this time. We also ask our teachers to manage their time to attend staff meetings (problematic in our large rural area even using distance education technology) and to schedule their time so that their yearly compensation covers one hour of preparation for every 3 hours of instruction. This last point is an attempt to give the teachers and tutors some amount of time to put what they have learned into instructional practice.
What are the issues or barriers programs face in supporting teachers for developing professional development plans?
For us I think the major barrier is the time/money continuum. It is a lot to ask our adult ed practitioners to become PD self-advocates and consumers when often our day school colleagues are reluctant to take on more than they are compensated for. I don't think it is too "Pollyanic" of me to say that those adult ed and day school practitioners who do take the responsibility on themselves discover the rewards are well worth the effort. I'm suspicious that some of my colleagues who have been very depressed by the chaos and workload that comes with systemic change and movement to standards-based practices are actually revived by a bout of PD if it is in an area that they can readily apply and see results from. Some examples of these "bouts" include Brain Gym training, Reading Essentials for Adult Learners, Authentic Materials, Assessment in the Classroom, and others. We are fortunate in Maine to have had access to such PD on a yearly basis through the auspices of our State DoE and our State Literacy Resource Center. Together, along with interested and qualified practitioners from the field we have provided regional professional development, and are moving to the development of distance education components as well as varied formats for presentation. Again, this all takes funding, time, committment, and effort, but the results have been rewarding.
Bonnie Fortini
Machias Adult & Community Education
CWCABEC (ABE collaboration in Washington County)
c/o School Union #102, RR!, Box 12-A
Machias, ME 04654
(207)255-4917
Subject:[NIFL-AALPD:1992] Re: Teacher assessment and professional development
From:evelyn.beaulieu_at_umit.maine.edu
Hello everyone,
Bonnie has done a great job decribing our professional development process here in Maine. I thought some of you may be interested in the forms we have in place to document the practitioner's participation in professional development. You can
download our Professional Development Handbook at the following web site: http://www.umaine.edu/call/pubs/pubs.html
On pages 40 - 50 in the handbook, you will find the forms to doucment the professional development process: a teacher self assessment, professional development plan, event follow up form, observation planning and observation form. These are all samples our administrators can use to document practitioners participation in professional development and how they plan to incorporate their new learning in the classroom.
Evelyn Beaulieu, Director Center for Adult Learning and Literacy 5749 Merrill Hall, UM Orono, ME 04469 (207) 581-2413 evelyn.beaulieu_at_umit.maine.edu
Subject:[NIFL-AALPD:2006] teachers' role in program improvement
From:<jataylor_at_utk.edu
Hello Bonnie, all,
No apologies necessary, Bonnie - and thank you for the thoughtful reply! It is good to hear from our colleagues in Maine and elsewhere, and your rich description below is very informative. I do have one question for you. When you responded to this question:
"> Do programs in your area support teachers in developing a plan for their own professional development? If so, how is it done in your area? Our program attempts to. We provide for the 12 hours of PD per program year, ask for goal plans (including outcomes) which we still do not always get, but given the part time nature of our programs have not pressed the point...at this time."
So Bonnie, is developing the PD plan a part of the 12 hours of PD per program year, or are you saying that it is in addition to it?
Further, I'd like to know what you and others think -- should teachers be compensated not only for the paid PD release time each year, but an additional amount to participate in developing their PD plan and to participate in program improvement? If so, then for how much of their time? What would that look like, specifically?
What is the teachers' role in program improvement in your area? In what ways do programs and states support teachers in participating in program improvement?
Best, Jackie
- Add your thoughts about teacher involvement in program improvement here!
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