One of the best professional development experiences that I have had was the
most recent and combined everything that has been pointed out as a plus.
The workshop or series of workshops was for Teachers Investigating Adult
Numeracy (TIAN).  Not only did the program I work for pay for hours I missed
from the classroom but there was a small stipend as well.  (I should note
that there were hours included in which I would not have been in the
classroom, and I was not paid for that time.)
There was food included (continental breakfast). (This was a minor
incentive.) 
There were free resources to go back and use with our classes (always a BIG
plus). 
There was a report in which we had to reflect on our experiences and provide
samples of student work (after obtaining student permission.)  I have to
admit that I did not enjoy doing this.but I did enjoy hearing what others
had written.
There was sharing with other teachers from around the state.another plus.
The best thing that I have brought forward is the habit of asking myself,
"What does the student know how to do?", "What does the student not know how
to do?", and "What question can I ask that will lead to the student thinking
about his/her error without immediately letting on that it was an error or
just giving the answer or my own explanation?"
Of course, this is math and these questions won't always work the same way
with other topics.

To shift perspectives a little, I would like to say that I agree that
lifelong learning is what we should be about.  I decided about five years
ago that I wanted to learn Italian (actually I have wanted to learn it for
much longer, but five years ago I started taking steps to do it.)  I have
been taking classes at the community college almost ever since.  These are
the typical twice a week offering, for an hour and a half each class.  One
of my ABE/GED classes happens to be held on the same campus, also twice
weekly, but for three hours at a time.  
Here is the point. My students frequently ask, "How long will it take me to
get my GED?"  When they ask,  I tell them that it depends on what they know
now and how hard they are prepared to work.  I explain about my Italian
class and about how long I have been studying.  I also tell them that if I
only went to class and did the prescribed homework I would still be a
beginner.  What I do is listen to Italian music in my car and at home.  I've
gone to Italy twice for two weeks at a time (although most people you meet
there speak English better than I speak Italian. The trips weren't
necessarily instructive in themselves but were certainly motivation to learn
as much as possible.)  In addition, while I was there I purchased books in
Italian (paperbacks in subjects that I like to read in English).  I read
every night before I go to sleep.  I have taken an additional class in
Italian film each semester that it has been offered.  I'm still not
proficient in speaking, and I still cannot understand someone speaking at a
"normal" pace, but I can see progress.  I tell them that if you really want
to learn something, you have to work at it more than twice a week.I then
give some tips to keep this work at a minimum but still expose them to what
they want to learn several times daily.
I would like to ask my students, "So how long do you think it will take to
get your GED?", but I don't.  Unfortunately,  I think the motivation of many
of my students is approximately equal to that of teachers who like to use
the same old handouts every time and see PD as just something more to do.  I
think the feeling of my students about doing work at home is approximately
equal to my enjoyment of  preparing a report for the TIAN workshop.  I don't
believe food is much of an incentive to most (indeed, I have an activity
with M&M's that I allow them to eat when the activity is done.each person
gets his/her own new, unopened bag.and people often don't eat them.)  Pay?
They're lucky we aren't asking them for money (although that day is looming
on the horizon.)  I'm afraid my lecture about only coming to class twice a
week may drive some students away.

I love learning, but that is something that I have generally been successful
at, unlike many of my students.  To many people, I'm a little weird that
way.  I love sharing.  I don't relish doing reports and working beyond my
normal hours (Aha! I'm not weird.).  So I can understand why
students/teachers, in spite of all the motivating influences: get a job, a
better job, go on for further education/training, get paid, get fed, etc.,
don't always want to do the up front work to learn.

What can be done?  Appeal to their vanity, perhaps.  Let them know/think
that their contributions are invaluable and proceed to treat them that way.
Pay them more for this consulting work than they make teaching if you really
want to see a change in attitude.  Provide lots of time for networking; one
of the biggest complaints we get regarding inservices is that there was not
enough time to share.  Offering choices is important.

In the days when people went to national conferences (I hope those days
aren't completely gone), I had lots of chances to share.  I felt a little
important because going to the conference (paid back by the program or on a
scholarship) was a privilege.  Going wasn't just for the conference sessions
but for the preconference sessions as well, where I got to pick out
something I really wanted to know more about.  I went to Mount St. Helens as
a part of a COABE preconference and brought back knowledge, pictures, and
some materials that I purchased there that I have used a number of times
with my students.  It was something I could get excited about.  It had some
of the same elements that summer camp had.away from home, with people that
you had something in common with, on a bus trip...That same excitement is
pretty hard to duplicate in a learning circle.

Enough for now.
Claire Ludovico

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/professionaldevelopment/attachments/20071112/ca8622d4/attachment.html