Professional Learning Outline
When developing the outline for the Professional Learning (PL) program on my campus, my main priority was to ensure that a significant amount of time would be dedicated to supporting the creation of e-portfolios and their implementation in the teachers' classrooms. To achieve this, teachers will receive 720 minutes of direct instruction and support, specifically focusing on creating and implementing e-portfolios, amounting to 480 minutes.
To foster collaboration among the teachers on campus, I will establish discussion groups where they can upload videos and photos of their lessons. This platform will enable teachers to collectively share their experiences and receive feedback on implementing what they have learned. Mr. Hill and Mrs. O'Daniel will play a key role in facilitating this learning process by utilizing e-portfolios in their classrooms.
To structure the PL program for e-portfolios, I will employ the 3 Column Table method, which will aid in designing and organizing the program content.
The resources needed for the professional learning class include:
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Google Slides and Peardeck for creating interactive presentations.
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Canvas as a learning management system.
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A laptop with a camera for video conferencing.
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Articles on social studies teaching strategies.
These resources will enhance the learning experience by providing interactive content, a centralized platform for course materials, video communication capabilities, and subject-specific teaching strategies.
5 Key Principles to Effective PD
Duration:
The duration of professional learning must be significant and ongoing to allow teachers to learn a new strategy and grapple with the implementation problem with ongoing support. The PL that I will be conducting lasts for the Fall semester, starting in August and ending in December 2023. The sessions will occur monthly during one of our weekly department meetings, with longer sessions during some professional development days. Teachers will receive support during our department meeting and some of our fall PD days, with additional support in the form of informal discussion groups in Canvas with their peers.
Support:
There must be support for a teacher during the implementation stage that addresses the specific challenges of changing classroom practice. The plan is to provide in-person support and use Canvas (LMS) virtually.
Engage:
Teachers' initial exposure to a concept should not be passive but rather engage teachers through varied approaches so they can participate actively in making sense of a new practice. The initial exposure will consist of teachers working in pairs and looking at examples of eps and students while working through a scaffolding activity on eps.
Model:
Modeling has been found to be highly effective in helping teachers understand a new practice. Will model the strategies to the teachers in person and provide examples of the strategies in use by their peers.
Specific:
The content presented to teachers shouldn't be generic but instead specific to the discipline (for middle school and high school teachers) or grade level (for elementary school teachers). The content will be specific to social studies middle school, with examples of interacting with primary sources specific to the content