What teachers should expect from staff development
By Dennis Sparks
Teachers and parents understand intuitively that quality teaching makes
a significant difference on student learning. But only recently are educators
and the public learning more about the kind of on-the-job learning that
enables teachers to be more effective in raising student performance.
A recent study in Texas found that 40 percent of the variance in reading
and mathematics achievement in grades 1 through 11 could be attributed
to teacher expertise, which was more than any other factor. A Tennessee
study determined that the single largest factor affecting academic growth,
particularly with lower-achieving students, was the effectiveness of individual
classroom teachers. Meanwhile, research in California demonstrated that
focusing sustained professional development on the curriculum being implemented
improved teaching practices and student learning.
NSDC has been working nationwide to create more innovative and effective
approaches to ensure that teacher learning enhances student learning. Following
is a checklist that teachers can use to determine whether their staff development
program has the potential to produce instructional changes that will cause
all students to learn at high levels. NSDC believes staff development programs
should:
- Deepen teachers' knowledge of the content they teach. Deeper understanding
of academic content and its application in real-world settings requires
sustained, intellectually rigorous study. While occasional awareness sessions
about content standards or after-school make-and-take workshops may have
their place as part of a comprehensive staff development plan, they alone
are insufficient.
- Expand teachers' repertoire of research-based instructional skills
to teach that content. Some strategies are more effective than others in
particular subject areas. It is critical that teachers be taught using
methods that are consistent with those they will be expected to use in
their classrooms. They will also need "at-the-elbow" assistance
to implement many new instructional strategies. This assistance can come
from other teachers, trainers, or the school's principal.
- Create regular opportunities for serious collaborative work. Quality
staff development programs have at their core a small team of teachers
who plan lessons together, critique student work, and assist in problem
solving. These teams should meet for an hour or more several times a week,
with team members sharing responsibility for their students' learning.
- Develop classroom assessment skills that allow teachers to regularly
monitor gains in student learning resulting from improved classroom practices.
Teachers need efficient, practical ways to monitor daily and weekly improvements
in student learning. Not only will the acquisition of these assessment
skills improve teaching, they also will enable teachers and staff development
leaders to determine the effectiveness of their efforts.
- Encourage innovation, experimentation, and the collegial sharing of
new ideas and practices that support teacher learning. Because school cultures
exert a powerful force on performance, teachers must be surrounded by norms,
symbols, and stories that support high expectations and create an environment
in which continuous improvement thrives. School calendars and schedules,
labor contracts, incentive systems, and other structural elements must
also support continuous learning for all teachers.
- Connect teachers to other professionals within and beyond their schools.
Teacher networks, face-to-face and electronic, can serve as important sources
of information, materials, and support. Networks enable teachers to connect
to the latest research and advances in their fields and to have interpersonal
connections that enrich their work.
Teachers can use this checklist to ensure that their schools and districts
are working to reinvent staff development and better connect teacher learning
with student results. Teachers have a right to expect professional learning
experiences with the qualities described above. Without such opportunities,
school reform efforts will never realize their potential for helping all
students learn at high levels.
