Theory on the importance of professional learning:

Aspiration and practice, although ideally on the same continuum, mostly are separated by various degrees of gaps. Only through a research and development approach to one's teaching, the gaps can be narrowed and ultimately closed. This is true for individual teachers as well as groups of cooperating ones (Stenhouse, 1975).

When a binary system is created where one group works on the design of professional development, and the other is receiving it, where one group holds all the power. In contrast, the other is in a co-dependent position, where one group is seen as actively engaging in intellectual work whist the other is focusing on practical activity, the result is that an authentic contribution to professional learning is highly unlikely at best, and strongly resisted at worst (Groundwater-Smith and Campbell, 2010).

When teachers engage in professional development, they are sometimes researching their own practice. The "teacher as researcher" views teachers as not simply passive consumers, but as active creators of knowledge about their own work and knowledge (Crandall, 2016).

Crandall (2016) continues stating that such an approach to professional development positions teachers as interested and engaged participants in their own practice.

Candall (2016) presents an intriguing theory that can suggest the foundational baseline for developing a practice of continued professional learning in the teaching profession. Seeing a teacher's professional development through a research base practice can assist not only in creating evidence for the recording of progress but also in facilitating the sharing of information and potential moderation by professional learning communities within a teachers school or a broader network.

Within this model, Harris and Muijis (2005) propose a higher involvement of teachers across multiple learning-related practices:

1) Deep collaboration among teaching staff.

2) Partnerships within schools and creating networks between schools and other compatible agencies.

3) Create teacher leadership and student leadership.

4) Identify and allocate appropriate and empowering time slots for teachers to reflect on their teaching and learning.

5) Maintain the professional development inclusive for all teachers involved.

Moving forward, what characteristics should professional development practices have that result in high student learning outcomes? Adey (2004) argues that there is sufficient evidence to determine positive results in student outcomes, both qualitative and quantitative:

1) Effective professional development has to be carefully planned so it does not become imposed.

2) It has to be based on actual teaching practices.

3) Participants must commit to the concept that improvements are uncertain and happen over long inconsistent periods of time.

4) The curriculum must be flexible.

5) Teachers must be seen as partners in the process. Change cannot be administrated top-down without a commitment from the teachers.

6) In-class coaching is essential to solidify and actualise the learned practice.

7) Teachers must be ready to accept setbacks.

The above-mentioned practices can present a defence against a most common phenomena where professional development becomes institutionalised in a school as something that teachers must regularly subscribe to, be polite and receptive, then to go back to their classrooms continuing to do exactly what they have done before the course ((Hubbard, Mehan and Stein, 2006)

Webster and Wright (2009) reassure that there is a recurring trend in professional development to focus more on enhancing learning rather than delivering content across professions, though the training model enacted in the form of individual one off workshops is still dominant (McRae et al., 2001).

During my first professional practice, I had the opportunity to participate in two professional practice workshops that fit the profile outlined by Mcrae et al. (2001). The first one was a Talk to writing half-day course and the second was a full day course by Dr Paul Swan. Both workshops were conducted in full isolation from the teaching environment. There was no follow-up, discussion, feedback, moderation of learned practices and their application in the classroom. The environment presented itself as a continuation of a traditional staff meeeting. Students were not involved in any way in the process and teachers assessment of existing knowledge and self-reflection was not assigned or encouraged by the school leadership.

A program that I found productive was Bright Path. Although not a professional development tool per see, the collaborative nature of the program appeared to spark organic learning and sharing of knowledge among the teachers that were assessing the students work in a collaborative manner.

Principles and school leaders must leverage on their teachers in the same way that teachers must leverage on their students to inspire continuing learning (McRae et al., 2001). Unfortunately, the increasing pressure on maintaining a busy work environment combined with the increasing individualisation of teachers work softens the possibilities of effective professional development for teachers (Groundwater-Smith and Mockler, 2009).

In conclusion, Hammond, Hyler and Gardner (2017) emphasise that policymakers and institutions can adopt effective standards for professional development to create a framework that can redefine how professional developments are conducted in schools. Such institutionalisations can extend to needs assessments using data from staff to target and identify most needed and wanted areas of professional learning. Additionally, institutions could identify and develop expert teachers as coaches and mentors, alleviating the pressure from the individual schools to produce their own exclusively. Finally, institutions are capable of providing flexible funding and continuing education units for ongoing learning opportunities that otherwise, individual teachers or schools would not be able to sustain.

Reference List:

Crandall, J. (2016). Teacher Education and Professional Development in TESOL (1st ed.). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315641263

Groundwater-Smith, S. and Campbell, A. (2010). Joining the dots: Connecting inquiry and professional learning. In A. Campbell and GroundwaterSmith (Eds.), Connecting inquiry and professional learning in education: International perspectives and practical solutions (pp. 200–206). London: Routledge.

Hubbard, L. Mehan, H. and Stein, M. K. (2006). Reform as learning: School reform, organizational culture, and community politics in San Diego . New York: Routledge.

Stenhouse, L. (1975). An introduction to curriculum research and development . London: Heinemann Educational Books.

Reflection on my contunuing professional learning:

I will be developing a plan for professional learning in the Literature strand of English. The APST (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers) that I will target are: 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1, 3.4, 3.7.

I want to deepen and expand my understanding in all sub-strands of literature: literature in context, responding to literature, examining literature and creating literature. My teaching practice relies on practical mediums to convey and construct meaning and understanding. In English, a strong foundational knowledge of literature can help me find ways to instil passion in my students through engaging directly in the work of others and parallelly creating their own work.

To solidify my knowledge of the literature strand of English, my professional development plan will include training in assessment strategies and strategies for gifted students in literature. Furthermore, as a cross-curriculum priority, I want to develop my knowledge in aboriginal literature.

My assessment to identify the needs of developing my practice is purely self-critical at the moment, since I do not work in an organisation where I can leverage on student, mentor and peer feedback and evaluation.

I believe that the most meaningful growth occurs in areas where we don't know we don't know, rather than in areas that I am currently identifying which fall under knowledge and development that I know I don't know. To achieve a more meaningful form of assessment of my weaknesses, I believe I will need to be operating within a school setting where I will be quickly identifying students, peers and mentors who I will heavily rely on to highlight my blindspots: the areas where I don't know that I don't know.

As part of my professional development, I will attend university units such as: Creating and responding to literature, offered online at Curtin University. Another avenue to develop my knowledge in literature in English and Literature Studies offered at the University of Western Australia. I have chosen to commence my plan with university offerings because I believe in excellence, so I can't see why teachers should not keep their academic learning activated during their profession.

I will conduct trips to classrooms in foreign countries from different cultures to explore the differences not only in instructional delivery but also in cultural adaptation to content and how that effects general teaching practices.

What is imperative in the success of my professional development plan is the continuous external and internal assessment of the general direction of my teaching practice and teaching philosophy. I believe that continuity is the key to success in teaching. Adaptation of new practices for the sake of trying something new can be dangerous and result in damaging students learning.

Lastly, Curtin University offers a Noongar Language and culture course that will serve as an introduction to our local aboriginal culture. This approach aligns with APST 2.4.