Module 3: Strategic Support and Professional Development
In this module, participants will learn about providing teachers with strategic support and professional development. After this module, participants will be able to identify teacher, grade level/subject area, and school needs for supporting teachers, to develop data-informed plans, and evaluate teacher professional development opportunities.
Learning Objectives:
After this module, participants will be able to:
- Use available teacher evaluation and effectiveness data to identify the needs for an individual teacher, grade levels/subject area teams, and the whole school
- Develop data-informed plans for creating job-embedded professional learning
- Evaluate teacher professional development opportunities
Questions to think about during this module:
- How are teacher evaluation and effectiveness data used to support individual teachers in your school?
- How are teacher evaluation and effectiveness data used to support grade level or subject area teams in your school?
- To what extent are professional development decisions in your school based on teacher effectiveness data?
- How are professional development opportunities evaluated at your school?
Video Introduction to Strategic Support and Professional Development
Principles:
- Identify Teacher Needs: Use multiple sources of data to identify what supports and/or development teachers need to reach the school goals you have articulated.
- Align with Standards and Resources: Develop teacher support and professional development plans that align with the TEAM domains and indicators and draw upon school personnel’s expertise and your district’s strategic plan.
- Set Expectations: Establish clear expectations with teachers for how they will implement what they learn in classroom practice and what outcomes they will achieve.
- Monitor and Assess: Use data and observation to monitor and assess progress towards professional development goals.
Quick Reads
Read the following articles:
- OECD: Teachers Matter: Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/48627229.pdf
- DeMonte, J. (2013). High-Quality Professional Development for Teachers: Supporting Teacher Training to Improve Student Learning. Center for American Progress. https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/DeMonteLearning4Teachers-INTRO.pdf
Additional resources for specific types of support
- Beginning Teacher Induction: What the Data Tell Us – https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/05/16/kappan_ingersoll.h31.html
- High-Quality Induction and Mentoring Practices: https://newteachercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/high-quality-mentoring_induction-resource.pdf
- Implementing Effective Professional Learning Communities: http://www.sedl.org/insights/2-3/implementing_effective_professional_learning_communities.pdf
Instructions and Activities for Module 3:
We strongly recommend that you proceed with this module in the order the pages are listed below. Each page contains readings and activities design to build knowledge and skills that will prepare you for success with the summative activity.