The New Way of Doing PD
Lately, I have been able to be part of some really effective PD experiences that are changing how teachers teach and how schools look at modern learning. It is based around something I call “Embed PD”. This model involves teachers working together in classrooms to design and teach a lesson so that other educators can watch how technology is embedded in a meaningful way. It can include methods of inquiry, hyperdocs or whatever needs showcasing. This allows teachers to collaborate on the learning goals, the essential questions and then deliver the lesson so others can share in the process and offer feedback on running the class and helping students engage in ways that are most effective for them.
Rather than PD that is delivered to an entire faculty outside the classroom via a powerpoint presentation and a stack of handouts, Embed PD happens with a one-on-one partnership between a consultant and a teacher DURING the class periods. Teachers get to see how their students really respond when new concepts or new technology infusions are implemented in class. I gleaned this idea from my co-author Tanya Avrith, who has also applied this concept in her partner schools.
What Embed PD Looks Like
As a digital learning consultant, a school in any part of the world contracts me to work with the faculty to elevate teaching and learning in a technology-rich classroom. Educators are hungry to see what digitally enhanced teaching looks like first hand. While they want so badly to use tech in a way that best meets their students’ needs, they might not know where to begin. And that is where Embed PD comes in.
- I partner with one teacher who has a lesson they want enhanced. We plan together, spend time on video calls and we come up with some learning goals and technology infusions that will spark student interest and deepen the transfer of knowledge.
- Then I fly in, and with the gracious support of the teacher, I teach their class while they observe, knowing the intent of the lesson and why we made the technology updates they are witnessing.
- I teach throughout the day, so the teacher gets to see the lesson play out in different class periods to gauge student response and engagement levels.
A Collaborative Experience
Any teacher who is interested in learning more can come observe the class during their own prep period- and is usually encouraged to by the administration.
- When they walk in, I hand them our essential question and a brief summary of both the learning goals and our “Why”: the specific reason we have decided to teach with this infusion, as well as all the background information necessary for them to understand what I am hoping to accomplish.
- The visiting teacher watches, takes notes and jots down any questions or observations they may have. In some cases, they offer really good insight into student engagement I missed while I was busy in another part of the room.
- Later – and this is the most important part – we meet together that afternoon to deconstruct the lesson. This final critical analysis really solidifies the learning. We talk through what they observed – where they saw standards, the four C’s, and we even look at the lesson in terms of ISTE standards and DOK levels. We spend real time and have meaningful discussion in this CRITICAL reflection stage.
This process of collaborative learning and demonstration has been game-changing! Teachers understand the why and how, and the breakdown of the lesson together really helps them understand its true purpose.
In all of my years of doing PD, I have seen more growth this way than any other time. Often I come in and do a “one and done” due to a school or district’s budgetary constraints. This approach is okay, but not nearly has effective. If I can, I provide more support by extending the process. I have teachers look at of my online course to learn more about the strategies I used and how they might effectively use them in their own classes after our original collaboration.
A few of the schools I work with have written grants, and I come back once a month during the school year to do another lesson. I often and work with a different teacher to expand the process of dynamic lesson upgrades.
The #ObserveME Movement
However, not every school can afford to have a consultant work this closely with teachers and students. Schools that want to do something like this without a grant can look to educators like Robert Kaplinsky in his #ObserveMe movement, which offers a similar, less-targeted solution.
The #ObserveMe movement promotes the idea that we should take the opportunity for the free professional growth that exists right in our own schools. Teachers share their lessons and classroom strategies with other teachers at their school to gain insight from real-life examples of student engagement and progress. Robert Kaplinsky’s blog offers a template on how to do this, and it is such a great place to start.
Being able to observe an expert at their craft, and and then breaking down the lesson by looking at what worked and what could have been improved, is crucial. But this is a means for professional growth, not something to polarize educators. Maybe you have a dynamic teaching strategy that infuses technology in a meaningful and engaging way. Why not share it with your colleagues? Invite collaborative observation and offer professional development on your campus by putting up a sign outside your classroom that says #ObserveMe.
The word OBSERVE often elicits a negative response in teachers because it brings up the dreaded yearly observations by admin that are nothing more than jumping through a hoop. Observation in this setting is NOT about judgment or evaluation. Instead, establish norms of language and recommendations that foster growth and important professional learning. That way, educators learn to appreciate this more modern and meaningful approach.
Source: Twitter and Robert Kaplinsky’s Blog
PD in the Hands of the True Experts
As teachers take the idea of PD and classroom enhancement into their own hands, video-based apps like EdSpace.live will give educators the opportunity to see dynamic classroom instruction from as close as next door to as far away as New Zealand. The coming school year is going to be a great time to get great ideas by peeking into another classroom or to share best practices. Great teaching and classroom magic are happening all the time and must be shared. I can’t wait for PD to begin to move in this direction!