Now is the perfect time to prepare for professional learning for the 2022-2023 school year!

Why Does Professional Learning Matter?

According to neaToday, professional learning is an investment that helps educators ensure career growth and academic growth for students. Here are a few more reasons according to their article:

• It sets you up for success.
• It expands your knowledge base.
• It boosts your confidence.
• You can network with other educators.
• It helps you set and achieve goals.
• It helps you become a better educator.

How do you choose which professional development course is right for you?

There is nothing worse than attending a course and realizing that it wasn’t what you thought it would be. You already have limited time, so how can you choose high quality learning opportunities that ensure growth? Here are a five ways to select the right opportunities for you.

1. Determine your professional learning needs and set goals.

The conclusion of the school year is the perfect time to process how the year went and reflect on your personal growth. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What innovations and strategies can help you improve your skills? Talk with your administrators and colleagues about plans they have for the upcoming school year.

Wondering what types of training promote growth? Check out these 8 Universal Standards from NEA. Another great resource is LearningForward. They recently updated their professional learning standards.

Do you need to renew your teaching certificate? All educators should access the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) at least annually to maintain updated contact information and review Education related professional learning totals.

2. Find courses that match your learning goals

Now that you have determined your learning goals, you can look for courses that are purposeful and productive. Check out Kent ISD’s Professional Learning Plans for the 2022-2023 school year.

Ask yourself these questions:

• How will this professional learning impact student learning and support personal growth?
• Does this professional learning meet objectives set by my district?
• Does this professional learning help me achieve my professional goals?

Ron Houtman, Educational Technology Consultant at Kent ISD, said in a recent podcast to look for courses that promote social skills and social emotional learning (SEL). He also stated that courses that promote teamwork “learn by fail” like project based learning help prepare students to be career ready.

According to the ERIC Development Team (www.eric.ed.gov), effective professional learning is:

• ongoing
• includes practice, training, feedback, time for reflection and group practice, coaching and other follow-up
• school based and embedded in teacher work
• collaborative
• encourages and supports school-based and teacher indicatives
• rooted in the knowledge base for teaching
• recognizes teachers as professionals and adult learners
• provides adequate time and follow up support
• is accessible and inclusive

3. Find professional networking opportunities

According to Marc-André Lalande,  “a Personal Learning Network is a way of describing the group of people that you connect with to learn their ideas, their questions, their reflections, and their references.”

Ask yourself these questions:

• Who is in your current network?
• Do they push your thinking or challenge you?

If you are looking to improve your current network and push your thinking, consider joining one of Kent ISD’s many networks. Our networks include Elementary Principals Network, Secondary Principals Network, Literacy Leaders and Coaches Network. Michigan Mathematics Educators (#MichME), Kent Educational Technology Specialist, Teacher Mentor Network, English Learners Connect, Kent Science Connect, Kent Computer Science Network, Mental Wellness PLC, and many more! Check out Kent ISD’s Professional Learning Plans for the 2022-2023 school year to find a network for you!

4. Carve out time for learning and applying what you have learned

This is probably one of the most challenging, yet important steps. Work with your administrator or an instructional coach to plan time for your learning. Kent ISD has been exploring several ways to make professional learning more flexible to meet your needs. Read this recent blog post on microlearning.

And don’t forget to create a plan to apply what you have learned. Practicing your new skills is important to the learning process. Honor yourself and remember that small steps to improvement are valuable.

5. Plan to share and track data

What will you do with your new learning? Will you share it with others? The information might be new to you, but others may be able to give you new insight.

Think about the ways can you measure the impact that this learning has had on your teaching. You can evaluate your new learning by measuring the growth of your students. Compare where your students were before you applied your new skills with where they are now. Share this information with your administrator, instructional coach, colleagues or personal learning network to gain more in-depth insights and unpack what your findings might mean.

You are ready to learn!

Now that you have these five steps in your toolbelt, you are ready to start planning professional learning for the 2022-2023 school year. If you would like additional support and services, please reach out to Kent ISD. We are your partner in education. Please visit the Teaching and Learning Service and Supports document to help you find a contact and resource that will meet your needs as an educator.

#ProfessionalLearning #WeLeadLearning #KentISDpd #Networking #PLC #PLN