Professional Development Plan
Another section of the strategic plan is the professional development plan. Used to focus, evaluate, and prioritize professional development activities, Waddell (2009) argues that the professional development plan is a key component in outlining strategies to enhance a school district’s staff while preparing to effectively fulfill current and future roles. Furthermore, professional development empowers teachers with new teaching techniques, sharpened skills and updated knowledge (Darling-Hammond, Wei, Andree, Richardson, and Orphanos, 2009). Given the fact that a school district’s ultimate goal is to improve student outcomes, strategic planning that includes a professional development plan is used to improve teachers’ content knowledge and classroom teaching in many ways is associated with improved student learning (Rotermund, DeRoche & Otten, 2017). In addition to improving student learning, a professional development plan contributes to the effectiveness in continuous improvement and sustainability for teacher practices.
Elder (2015) suggests that a professional development plan is most effective in strategic planning when it: recognizes the gap between the ideal and the real, fosters a critical thinking climate, understands the importance of administrative commitment …show more content…
to critical thinking, and provides ongoing workshops. In practice, these four components can provide support for the vision the school adopts. For example, APS implemented a research-based professional development plan dedicated to cultivating teacher and leadership development programs. These programs are in place to ensure an energized and inspired team of employees. Through the use of programs such as ‘Demonstration Classrooms’, APS has taken into consideration the previously mentioned 4 practices as it has developed a professional development plan capable of engaging new and developing teachers as well as administrative and leadership professionals (APS, 2015).
All you need now is some historical input and this is good to go. Put that paragraph here.
Much like historical and political influences, current trends and issues also affect school district leadership strategies, classroom practices and student outcomes in various ways.
For example, Backward Design Planning is a new educational trend that allows educators to examine their end goal and how it connects with the larger vision of the strategic plan and organizational operations (Williams, 2016). Once established, it becomes easier to work backwards and create the professional development plan based on the previously established vision. Essentially, educators can strategically match learning opportunities to objectives and create action steps to achieve knowledge on topics (Williams,
2016).
Elder (2015) suggests that a professional development plan is most effective in strategic planning when it: recognizes the gap between the ideal and the real, fosters a critical thinking climate, understands the importance of administrative commitment …show more content…
to critical thinking, and provides ongoing workshops. In practice, these four components can provide support for the vision the school adopts. For example, APS implemented a research-based professional development plan dedicated to cultivating teacher and leadership development programs. These programs are in place to ensure an energized and inspired team of employees. Through the use of programs such as ‘Demonstration Classrooms’, APS has taken into consideration the previously mentioned 4 practices as it has developed a professional development plan capable of engaging new and developing teachers as well as administrative and leadership professionals (APS, 2015).
All you need now is some historical input and this is good to go. Put that paragraph here.
Much like historical and political influences, current trends and issues also affect school district leadership strategies, classroom practices and student outcomes in various ways.
For example, Backward Design Planning is a new educational trend that allows educators to examine their end goal and how it connects with the larger vision of the strategic plan and organizational operations (Williams, 2016). Once established, it becomes easier to work backwards and create the professional development plan based on the previously established vision. Essentially, educators can strategically match learning opportunities to objectives and create action steps to achieve knowledge on topics (Williams,
2016).