Return-Path: <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j2T1jNG12841; Mon, 28 Mar 2005 20:45:23 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 20:45:23 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <1112060561.4248b2916bcac@mail.msln.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Bonnie Fortini <bfortini@mmhs.u102.k12.me.us> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1992] Re: Teacher assessment and professional development X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Status: O Content-Length: 4179 Lines: 68 Sorry to be late in responding to this posting and hope the discussion is still going on. > do you see teacher evaluation folding into a professional development plan for teachers? We have been trying to encourage teachers in adult education in Maine to develop personal professional development goals on a yearly basis. The extent to which the teachers themselves are evaluated varies from program to program, but the expectations at the state level for AEFLA recipient programs is that all such funded teachers will have a plan to work on. We have been using goal planning formats based on Equipped for the Future, and it is probably being followed with varying levels of success, depending upon the committment of the program, administration, and teachers. >How might that plan dovetail into a program improvement plan, and where does all that begin? We've clearly seen the direct connection between teachers accessing professional development offerings, working through personal PD goals, etc. and the continuous improvement model of program improvement. In one workshop I presented a PowerPoint that "Pieced" it all together. If the ultimate goal is increased/secure funding, that has to based on quality programming and reporting (accountability to funders, communities, students), and quality programming is the product of teachers and administrators who are continuously aiming to improve performance, increase their knowledge, be a model of what they want their students to access. The logical place for that to begin is with professional development and staff support that is targeted to meet the needs of the program to assist in reaching the goal of quality and accountability. > > Do programs in your area support teachers in developing a plan for their own professional development? If so, how is it done in your area? Our program attempts to. We provide for the 12 hours of PD per program year, ask for goal plans (including outcomes) which we still do not always get, but given the part time nature of our programs have not pressed the point...at this time. We also ask our teachers to manage their time to attend staff meetings (problematic in our large rural area even using distance education technology) and to schedule their time so that their yearly compensation covers one hour of preparation for every 3 hours of instruction. This last point is an attempt to give the teachers and tutors some amount of time to put what they have learned into instructional practice. > What are the issues or barriers programs face in supporting teachers for developing professional development plans? For us I think the major barrier is the time/money continuum. It is a lot to ask our adult ed practitioners to become PD self-advocates and consumers when often our day school colleagues are reluctant to take on more than they are compensated for. I don't think it is too "Pollyanic" of me to say that those adult ed and day school practitioners who do take the responsibility on themselves discover the rewards are well worth the effort. I'm suspicious that some of my colleagues who have been very depressed by the chaos and workload that comes with systemic change and movement to standards-based practices are actually revived by a bout of PD if it is in an area that they can readily apply and see results from. Some examples of these "bouts" include Brain Gym training, Reading Essentials for Adult Learners, Authentic Materials, Assessment in the Classroom, and others. We are fortunate in Maine to have had access to such PD on a yearly basis through the auspices of our State DoE and our State Literacy Resource Center. Together, along with interested and qualified practitioners from the field we have provided regional professional development, and are moving to the development of distance education components as well as varied formats for presentation. Again, this all takes funding, time, committment, and effort, but the results have been rewarding. Bonnie Fortini Machias Adult & Community Education CWCABEC (ABE collaboration in Washington County) c/o School Union #102, RR!, Box 12-A Machias, ME 04654 (207)255-4917
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