Developing Effective Professional Leadership
Most professional development uses a traditional information transfer model that results in limited learning. To move from this passive Sit and Get model to an active Go and Show model of professional learning, learners will use the key principles of effective professional learning to improve their learning environment.
Collaborated with Sylvia Clemons
My why:
Firstly, we must always know our why to truly reflect and grow professionally and personally. The inspiration behind my why began one day when I sat through an hour-long professional development for my district on math manipulatives. The lesson objective was to understand what math manipulatives are and how to utilize them in a classroom setting. At this point, I had been teaching for five years and I felt this professional development aligned with what a first-year teacher should learn. I remember wondering how many other teachers were at that moment sitting in professional learning experiences and not benefitting from this use of their time and energy because it did not add to their value, knowledge, or skills.
This professional development experience was one of the many countless hours I have spent in similar sessions where I realized I needed more than what I was being offered. It was obvious to me after conversations with colleagues that I was not alone in this idea. Gulamhussein points out that the real challenge for schools is creating opportunities for educators to grow by developing their practice so, in turn, they help students also develop their knowledge and ability to think critically (2013, p. 2). There is a growing need to change how schools approach professional learning opportunities for educators, and the time is now.
My what:
What should professional learning be?
Alternative Professional Learning #2My How:
After much consideration, revising, and trial and error, this presentation was created using a combination of Google Slides and Zoom. The foundation for the ideas presented came from the 5 principles of effective professional development by Allison Gulamhussein. Another source of inspiration came from watching a video of OCSB's approach to restructuring professional development into sessions that aligns with the needs of their staff members. My inspiration also came from an article and video where Hirsh presented an emphasis on the standards for professional learning because they signify that educators must take an active role in their continuous development and the importance of their own learning. One area that needed revision was the 5 principles of professional learning. Originally I used the wrong 5 principles and had to revise a number of slides that contained inaccurate information that pertained to the parameters of this assignment.
When creating the presentation, it was important to include slides that presented a powerful message with key points outlined per section. I wanted the audience to really understand what makes alternative learning different from traditional professional development. The pictures and graphics were constructed by educators nationwide and shared online through an online free platform to help others learn and grow when asynchronous learning first began. Adding the audio proved to be an area of trial and error. My co-presenter and I worked together in Zoom and tried different applications and screen recording devices in order to hear both our voices in the presentation. We tried to use Screencastify, but only one of our voices could be heard in the presentation. We then tried screen recording on my phone while playing the presentation, but my co-presenter's voice sounded far away in the recorded video. Ultimately we decided to use the screen recording tool in Zoom because it proved to be the most effective tool for our needs. Once our video was recorded, I downloaded it to my computer and then uploaded it to Google Drive. From there I was able to share the presentation with all intended audience members and upload it into this e-portfolio.
Leveling Up with E-Portfolios
Please feel free to navigate through the proposal using the presentation below. You will find a detailed plan for the day as well as ongoing support to continue throughout the school year. Gulamhussein's five principles were the inspiration for creating this Professional Learning experience.
Contributions to my Learning and the Learning Community
This critical reflection allows me to demonstrate my own ability to be a self-directed learner by getting to self-assess my contributions to my own learning and to the learning of my classmates. Learning to self-assess is an important part of my being a self-directed and lifelong learner.
References
Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers Effective Professional Development in an Era of
High Stakes Accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from
http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-
176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf
Hirsh, S. (2021, May 25). Standards. Learning Forward. Retrieved September 2, 2022, from
https://learningforward.org/standards/
Innovation that sticks case study - OCSB: Collaborative Professional Development. YouTube. (2016, May 19). Retrieved August 30, 2022, from https://youtu.be/iUusuw-xdr4
Credits:
Google Chrome, Google Drive, Zoom, Bitmojis for Classroom Educators (FB), Prezi, Google Docs
