Professional Development
"It's a big mistake to think that teaching is what we do every day and professional development is an occasional seminar or workshop or institute. No! The job is professional development, and professional development is the job. When we learn that - really learn it - we'll be on our way."
-Anthony Alvarado
Chancellor for Instruction
San Diego, California
Overview
The Hilliard City School District Staff Development program has three levels - individual, building and district wide. The focus on all three levels is on improving student achievement. Individual and building professional development plans are aligned with the district's initiatives and goals. Suggested activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Book talks
- Peer coaching
- Study groups
- Teacher collaboration
- Workshops
- Conferences
- Action research
- Staff developers and presenters
- Designing of curriculum
The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) standards establish a knowledge base of effective staff development practices. They serve as a tool to strengthen current efforts in the design and implementation of professional growth plans.
NSDC Standards for Staff Development (Revised, 2001)
Context Standards
Staff development that improves the learning of all students:
- Organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district. (Learning Communities)
- Requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement. (Leadership)
- Requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration. (Resources)
Process Standards
Staff development that improves the learning of all students:
- Uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement. (Data-Driven)
- Uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact. (Evaluation)
- Prepares educators to apply research to decision making. (Research-Based)
- Uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal. (Design)
- Applies knowledge about human learning and change. (Learning)
- Provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate. (Collaboration)
Content Standards
Staff development that improves the learning of all students:
- Prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement. (Equity)
- Deepens educators' content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately. (Quality Teaching)
- Provides educators with knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders appropriately. (Family Involvement)
