This has been a terrific discussion so far, but I want to specifically thank Rebecca Sherry for her comments.  As a former adjunct who has just recently attained full-time status and soon to be department chair, her comments are going in my "to be aware of" file to keep in mind when I have to help plan PD for our dept. adjuncts.
Thanks for taking the time to put the comments together in such a clear, helpful way. Looking forward to the rest of the discussion.
 
Thanks,
Mary Lynn Carver
ABE/GED Instructor
College of Lake County
Building 4, Office 405
19351 W. Washington Street
Grayslake, IL  60031
Phone:847/543-2677
mlcarver at clcillinois.edu
Fax: 847/543-7580
 
 
"The great aim of education is not knowledge but action" -- Herbert Spencer

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled." --Plutarch



________________________________

From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of professionaldevelopment-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Tue 11/13/2007 11:00 AM
To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov
Subject: ProfessionalDevelopment Digest, Vol 26, Issue 17



Send ProfessionalDevelopment mailing list submissions to
        professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

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        http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of ProfessionalDevelopment digest..."


Today's Topics:

   1. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1721] Re: PD Experiences that Change
      Practice (Rebecca Sherry)
   2. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1722]  PD Experiences that Change
      (Crystal Anika Cuby)
   3. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1723] Re: PD Experiences that Change
      (tjdclaire)
   4. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1724] Re: ProfessionalDevelopment
      Digest,   Vol 26, Issue 16 (Wendy Quinones)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:02:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Rebecca Sherry <rebeccas42 at yahoo.com>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1721] Re: PD Experiences that Change
        Practice
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List
        <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <433237.24858.qm at web57709.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi,
  
  I have worked in adult ESL and ABE for about 10 years as both a part-time and a full-time staffer.  I would like to respond to the discussion of what contributes to a meaningful, quality professional development experience from my own experience as a part-time instructor (my current position).  I see the following components as crucial, and I've tried to add a part-time perspective to each.
  
  1. Pay - This may sound petty, but it's not.  If I have to divide my already low per hour wage by the mandatory unpaid admin work, the unpaid prep time, and then mandatory unpaid professional development time, I'm coming out around minimum wage.  And professional development, even if it has no registration fee, is still not free to a part-timer.  Almost for sure, I will have either child care or transportation costs associated with my attendance.
  
  2. Sharing with other teachers - Other posts have mentioned this, and I see it as important in two ways.  The first is to help avoid the perennial "reinvent the wheel."  The second is that I feel it goes a long way towards treating part-time teachers as professional, contributing members of the department.  So often, I feel like part-time professional development takes an almost remedial tone.  But I know that my colleagues are doing creative, exciting things in their classrooms, and I would love to learn about it.
  
  3. Follow-up - Again, mentioned earlier, but almost a novel idea.  We don't expect our students to learn new skills without feedback on their performance.  Why do we expect it of our teachers?  I personally have only had one professional development experience that included follow-up mechanisms.  And that was the only professional development workshop that has significantly changed my philosophy and my teaching practice (it was about student voice and student leadership in the classroom).
  
  4. Agendas & needs - Some people have asked how to get buy-in from reluctant teachers.  Have you asked them what they want to learn?  I know it is tempting as an administrator to "know" what your teachers need.  And you may have a very valid point.  But so often as I sit in our semester in-service, I feel like what is called "professional development" is really more like an indoctrination.  The state requires X, the program requires Y, and good teachers do Z.  Great, but what I really wish is that the program, which needs to accomplish both X and Y, would have a genuine conversation with the teachers about how we as a group can best meet those requirements AND provide the best possible learning experience to students.  As a whole, part-timers may not have the credentials of full-timers, but we have an awful lot of practical experience and we are often the ones who have to buy in and carry out the activities needed to really get the program to X and Y.  This is, again, a
 question of treating part-time teachers as professionals.
  
  5. Watered-down versions of a good PD experience - Programs I have worked in have, rightly or wrongly, decided that the program gets greater return for spending substantial professional development money on full-time staff as opposed to part-time staff.  The argument is that full-time staff stay with the program while part-timers often quit (one can argue that is because they don't feel that the department is investing in them as teachers).  The professional development result is that full-time staff will see an amazing conference presentation which they then are supposed to disseminate to their part-timers in a one-hour summary.  But the value of that second-hand presentation is very dependent on the second presenter's understanding of the key ideas and ability to give a dynamic training summary.  If administrators want to use this method of professional development, then I really feel like they need to be sure that the full-timers do have the training skills necessary
 to do this.  If not, it is likely that part-time teachers will not be excited enough about the new method or even fully understand how or why to implement it.  And I think it would be wonderful if programs could seriously look at more equitable ways to share conference-level professional development opportunities between both full- and part-time staff.
  
  Sorry for the long comments, but I hope this is useful.
  
  Rebecca Sherry
  ESL Instructor/Program Coordinator
  Women's Intercultural Center
  Anthony, NM

Janet Isserlis <Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu> wrote:
  Kathy

What prompted you to consider change and growth?

It's difficult to suggest to people that they need to learn more, because until we know what we don't know, it's hard to know that we don't know it.

It seems that helping people talk/think through what they do, where they feel they're strong and then where they feel they might learn, might be a good way to start.

As well, bringing practitioners together to share their knowledge (as opposed to the default position of bringing in An Expert) might help shine a light for some around other people's good ideas (e.g. their colleagues' good ideas), which may in turn prompt a different kind of curiosity and interest in learning.

Janet Isserlis

 
---------------------------------
  From: K Olson <kolson2 at columbus.rr.com>
Reply-To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:08:42 -0500
To: 'The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List' <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1711] PD Experiences that Change Practice

I agree with everything David has said (PD Experiences that Change Practice). But I?d like to raise a related issue. Many teachers do not have this ?need? to learn more. They are happy giving out packets of photocopied math worksheets or teaching ESL through a rigid grammar approach.  They are not concerned with expanding their horizons. They look at their successes with their methods and see no reason to change. So, my question is, how do we as professional developers get these teachers to want to consider a change? While ideally intrinsic interest is the best way to learn and grow and change, are there some extrinsic things we can do as professional developers to stimulate a need and interest?

Kathy Olson
Training Specialist

   
---------------------------------
   
 
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------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:10:45 -0500
From: "Crystal Anika Cuby" <ccuby1 at student.gsu.edu>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1722]  PD Experiences that Change
To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov
Cc: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <1194909045.41a1f0a4ccuby1 at student.gsu.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

As I read through the posts, I was reminded that when teachers can see success through the change it is helpful.  So, the suggestion that teachers actually have a follow-up session to show how they used the PD makes them not only accountable, but may also show them that it is a useful change to make.

Crystal Cuby Richardson
Georgia State University
-----Original Message-----
From: professionaldevelopment-request at nifl.gov
To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:49:05 -0500
Subject: ProfessionalDevelopment Digest, Vol 26, Issue 16

Send ProfessionalDevelopment mailing list submissions to
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
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Today's Topics:

   1. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1719] Re: [Professional Development
      1716] Re: Professional Development Digest, Viol 26, Issue 14
      (donnaedp at cox.net)
   2. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1720] Re: [FLAG]
      ProfessionalDevelopment   Digest, Vol 26, Issue 15 (Cindy Fischer)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:39:12 -0500
From: <donnaedp at cox.net>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1719] Re: [Professional Development
        1716] Re: Professional Development Digest, Viol 26, Issue 14
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List
        <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <20071112133912.Y3M36.4998.root at eastrmwml07.mgt.cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Hi All,

This is an interesting conversation and although I agree with everything that has been said so far, I would like to suggest an even stronger reason to participate in professional development activities and why our jobs should depend on it.  I hate to use the "m" word, but shouldn't pd be a requirement that is mandated by all programs?

Funding for AE is often based on outcomes and the learners in our classes often have high stakes motivation for coming to class. They  want/need to learn to read/speak/write English, get a high school credential for economic reason such as get a better job, keep a job, further their education; enter a training program, etc. 

The world has become more complicated and our responsibility as Adult Educators is to assist the learners in acquiring the tools necessary to make sense out of it.  What is essential basic knowledge today has changed from what it was five or ten years ago and whether we like it or not, the bar has been raised out of necessity.  Adults now entering our programs often have college, or some post secondary, in mind.  This means that what we,as professionals, need to know and be able to do to get them there is more complicated.   Since we don't have more time or more money, we need to figure out how to work smarter with what we have.

As professionals, how will we do this?  In my work in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, I have found it not just necessary, but extremely rewarding to improve my skills by attending pd workshops, reading books and articles on the latest research findings and proven methods in the field, and trying to keep up with  several LISTSERV discussions such as this one. Because I love what I do, I am very willing to share ideas with others as well as receive ideas from others. I don't see how anyone could not be interested in learning.  Isn't lifelong learning what our profession is all about?   I believe it is difficult to  survive and move forward with the needed changes in our practice without sharing, talking and learning from each other. I will even go out on a limb to say that, with the changes and the increased demands of our profession, we have a responsibility to learn how to do the best job we can for the learners in our program. They are investing precious time and, in order t
 o respect this, we must make sure we are providing  the highest quality service available today.  After all, change is inevitable and we must all learn from each other to keep up with this change.  Donna Chambers
 
---- tcqmom at comcast.net wrote:

> I think follow-up--in addition to being paid and fed--makes a difference.  Having teachers report or demonstrate a way they've actually utilized something they learned from professional development can help.  Especially if they know they're going to be asked to do it before the PD begins.  They may even be asked to make a commitment before they leave the PD and begin their planning then.  If the PD is divided into two parts, the first for the presentation and the second a month or so later for reporting, demonstration, follow-up, sharing, the participants can be more inclined to try it out.  If the PD leaders let them drop the ball, no questions asked, it becomes too easy to do. I know this to be true from both sides.

> Kathryn Quinn

> Frederick, Maryland

>  -------------- Original message ----------------------

> From: "Kim Bellerive" <KBellerive at greaterhomewood.org>

> > "So, my question is, how do we as professional developers get these

> > teachers to want to consider a

> > change? While ideally intrinsic interest is the best way to learn and

> > grow and change, are there some extrinsic things we can do as

> > professional developers to stimulate a need and interest?"

> >

> >

> > I face the same challenges, Kathy. Sometimes food can lure people in.

> > The promise of being fed holds a surprising amount of weight with many

> > of the teachers I work with. Then there are the others and I too wonder,

> > how do I motivate them?

> >

> > Sincerely,

> >

> > Kim Bellerive

> > Assistant Director

> > Adult Literacy and ESOL Program

> > Greater Homewood Community Corporation

> > 3501 N. Charles Street

> > Baltimore, MD 21218

> > Phone 410-261-3518

> > Fax 410-261-3506

> >

> > STRENGTHENING NEIGHBORHOODS IN NORTH CENTRAL BALTIMORE

> > www.greaterhomewood.org

> >

> >

> > -----Original Message-----

> > From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov

> > [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of

> > professionaldevelopment-request at nifl.gov

> > Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 12:00 PM

> > To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

> > Subject: ProfessionalDevelopment Digest, Vol 26, Issue 14

> >

> > Send ProfessionalDevelopment mailing list submissions to

> >     professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

> >

> > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit

> >     http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment

> > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to

> >     professionaldevelopment-request at nifl.gov

> >

> > You can reach the person managing the list at

> >     professionaldevelopment-owner at nifl.gov

> >

> > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific

> > than "Re: Contents of ProfessionalDevelopment digest..."

> >

> >

> > Today's Topics:

> >

> >    1. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1711] PD Experiences that Change

> >       Practice (K Olson)

> >    2. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1712] Re: PD Experiences that Change

> >       Practice (Janet Isserlis)

> >

> >

> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------

> >

> > Message: 1

> > Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:08:42 -0500

> > From: "K Olson" <kolson2 at columbus.rr.com>

> > Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1711] PD Experiences that Change

> >     Practice

> > To: "'The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List'"

> >     <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>

> > Message-ID: <005c01c82546$4ba8a0e0$ba725d18 at bessie>

> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

> >

> > I agree with everything David has said (PD Experiences that Change

> > Practice). But I'd like to raise a related issue. Many teachers do not

> > have

> > this 'need' to learn more. They are happy giving out packets of

> > photocopied

> > math worksheets or teaching ESL through a rigid grammar approach.  They

> > are

> > not concerned with expanding their horizons. They look at their

> > successes

> > with their methods and see no reason to change. So, my question is, how

> > do

> > we as professional developers get these teachers to want to consider a

> > change? While ideally intrinsic interest is the best way to learn and

> > grow

> > and change, are there some extrinsic things we can do as professional

> > developers to stimulate a need and interest?

> >

> > 

> >

> > Kathy Olson

> >

> > Training Specialist

> >

> > 

> >

> >   _____ 

> >

> > -------------- next part --------------

> > An HTML attachment was scrubbed...

> > URL:

> > http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/professionaldevelopment/attachments/200711

> > 12/fb1c0f1e/attachment-0001.html

> >

> > ------------------------------

> >

> > Message: 2

> > Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:41:21 -0500

> > From: Janet Isserlis <Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu>

> > Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1712] Re: PD Experiences that Change

> >     Practice

> > To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List

> >     <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>

> > Message-ID: <C35DEC61.1CA7A%Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu>

> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> >

> > Kathy

> >

> > What prompted you to consider change and growth?

> >

> > It's difficult to suggest to people that they need to learn more,

> > because

> > until we know what we don't know, it's hard to know that we don't know

> > it.

> >

> > It seems that helping people talk/think through what they do, where they

> > feel they're strong and then where they feel they might learn, might be

> > a

> > good way to start.

> >

> > As well, bringing practitioners together to share their knowledge (as

> > opposed to the default position of bringing in An Expert) might help

> > shine a

> > light for some around other people's good ideas (e.g. their colleagues'

> > good

> > ideas), which may in turn prompt a different kind of curiosity and

> > interest

> > in learning.

> >

> > Janet Isserlis

> >

> >

> > From: K Olson <kolson2 at columbus.rr.com>

> > Reply-To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List

> > <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>

> > Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:08:42 -0500

> > To: 'The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List'

> > <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>

> > Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1711] PD Experiences that Change

> > Practice

> >

> > I agree with everything David has said (PD Experiences that Change

> > Practice). But I?d like to raise a related issue. Many teachers do not

> > have

> > this ?need? to learn more. They are happy giving out packets of

> > photocopied

> > math worksheets or teaching ESL through a rigid grammar approach.  They

> > are

> > not concerned with expanding their horizons. They look at their

> > successes

> > with their methods and see no reason to change. So, my question is, how

> > do

> > we as professional developers get these teachers to want to consider a

> > change? While ideally intrinsic interest is the best way to learn and

> > grow

> > and change, are there some extrinsic things we can do as professional

> > developers to stimulate a need and interest?

> > 

> > Kathy Olson

> > Training Specialist

> > 

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ----------------------------------------------------

> > National Institute for Literacy

> > Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> > professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

> > 

> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment

> >

> > Email delivered to janet_isserlis at brown.edu

> > 

> > Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki

> > http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Devel

> > opme

> > nt

> >

> > -------------- next part --------------

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> > http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/professionaldevelopment/attachments/200711

> > 12/4424aa70/attachment-0001.html

> >

> > ------------------------------

> >

> > ----------------------------------------------------

> > National Institute for Literacy

> > Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> > professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

> > 

> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment

> > 

> > Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki

> > http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Devel

> > opment

> >

> > End of ProfessionalDevelopment Digest, Vol 26, Issue 14

> > *******************************************************

> > ----------------------------------------------------

> > National Institute for Literacy

> > Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> > professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

> > 

> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

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> > 

> > Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki

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>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

> 

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment

>

> Email delivered to donnaedp at cox.net

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> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki

> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development



------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:40:37 -0500
From: "Cindy Fischer" <CFischer at Harford.edu>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1720] Re: [FLAG]
        ProfessionalDevelopment Digest, Vol 26, Issue 15
To: <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <473857D50200001700352311 at ADM4.Harford.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hello:
As the professional developer, if you will, it is my responsibility to provide excellent learning experiences for our instructors.  We all know that PD is just another "meeting" and easily forgotten if no change is made.  What I've started doing is asking instructors to make a change and then "reflect" on that change over the semester.  They have some guiding questions:  What did you change?  Why did you change it?  "What was the experience like?  How did the students react?  How did the students feel?  I also ask the instructors to collect their own feedback from the students.  Then we will have have a one-on-one meeting, or even a group meeting, if the instructors like to discuss what went great and what didn't go so great.  Since this is the first semester I've implemented this, I haven't any feedback to share, but I will.  One thing I have been stressing with instructors is that our students become reflective learners.  Most have to be taught that.  When they become refle
 ctive learners, they begin to see connections and possibilities.

On another note, I actually attended a workshop that changed me!  I attended Barbara Given's Teaching to the Brain's Natural Learning System in Williamsburg in October.  It caused me to rethink my winter professional development and totally revamp it.  It caused me to work more closely with our instructors on reflection--not only the students, but the instructor's.  Barbara's workshop was multi-sensory and made so much sense.  I wish every workshop I attended could be so helpful.  I actually had something to take back to my program and use.

Cindy

"If you believe in good things, you can  make them happen."


>>> <professionaldevelopment-request at nifl.gov> 11/12/2007 1:18 PM >>>


Send ProfessionalDevelopment mailing list submissions to
    professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
    http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
    professionaldevelopment-request at nifl.gov

You can reach the person managing the list at
    professionaldevelopment-owner at nifl.gov

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of ProfessionalDevelopment digest..."


Today's Topics:

   1. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1713] Re: PD Experiences that Change
      Practice (David J. Rosen)
   2. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1714] Re: ProfessionalDevelopment
      Digest,    Vol 26, Issue 14 (Kim Bellerive)
   3. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1715] Re: PD Experiences that Change
      Practice (Molly Elkins)
   4. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1716] Re: ProfessionalDevelopment
      Digest,    Vol 26, Issue 14 (tcqmom at comcast.net)
   5. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1717] Re: PD Experiences that    Change
      Practice (Emma Bourassa)
   6. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1718] Re: ProfessionalDevelopment
      Digest , Vol 26, Issue 14 (Sandman-Hurley, Kelli)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 12:05:39 -0500
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1713] Re: PD Experiences that Change
    Practice
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List
    <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <023A5D76-C5C7-4B35-A14B-E824A808DEA0 at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes;
    format=flowed

Kathy, and others,

Several years ago I asked adult education teachers in the Boston 
area,  "If you could have any kind of professional development you 
wanted, what would it be?"  A large number of those who responded 
said they wanted to see what other adult education teachers were 
doing in their classrooms, even the classroom next door. Most adult 
education (and perhaps other) teachers are isolated. They don't have 
much time to talk with other teachers about practice, even teachers 
who work in the same center or school. They almost never can see what 
another teacher is doing in her class.

So, one thing that might help teachers consider change is seeing what 
other teachers do, how they might be solving similar problems using 
different approaches or methods.

Because this is so difficult to arrange, to get a substitute while 
one teacher visits another's class,  I am interested in working with 
classroom teachers and tutors who would like to video record each 
other's practice and put these videos in an online library for others 
to use.  To see what this might look like, go to http://mlots.org <http://mlots.org/>  . 
If this is a project you are interested in, let me know.

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net



On Nov 12, 2007, at 11:08 AM, K Olson wrote:


> I agree with everything David has said (PD Experiences that Change 

> Practice). But I?d like to raise a related issue. Many teachers do 

> not have this ?need? to learn more. They are happy giving out 

> packets of photocopied math worksheets or teaching ESL through a 

> rigid grammar approach.  They are not concerned with expanding 

> their horizons. They look at their successes with their methods and 

> see no reason to change. So, my question is, how do we as 

> professional developers get these teachers to want to consider a 

> change? While ideally intrinsic interest is the best way to learn 

> and grow and change, are there some extrinsic things we can do as 

> professional developers to stimulate a need and interest?

>

>

>

> Kathy Olson

>

> Training Specialist

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

>

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment

>

> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

>

> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki

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> Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development








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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 12:22:01 -0500
From: "Kim Bellerive" <KBellerive at greaterhomewood.org>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1714] Re: ProfessionalDevelopment
    Digest,    Vol 26, Issue 14
To: <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
    <A194D5548F99754AA12B9823C790853DCA9A6A at MAIN.greaterhomewood.local>
Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="us-ascii"

"So, my question is, how do we as professional developers get these
teachers to want to consider a
change? While ideally intrinsic interest is the best way to learn and
grow and change, are there some extrinsic things we can do as
professional developers to stimulate a need and interest?"


I face the same challenges, Kathy. Sometimes food can lure people in.
The promise of being fed holds a surprising amount of weight with many
of the teachers I work with. Then there are the others and I too wonder,
how do I motivate them?

Sincerely,

Kim Bellerive
Assistant Director
Adult Literacy and ESOL Program
Greater Homewood Community Corporation
3501 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
Phone 410-261-3518
Fax 410-261-3506

STRENGTHENING NEIGHBORHOODS IN NORTH CENTRAL BALTIMORE
www.greaterhomewood.org


-----Original Message-----
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[mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
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Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 12:00 PM
To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov
Subject: ProfessionalDevelopment Digest, Vol 26, Issue 14

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Today's Topics:

   1. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1711] PD Experiences that Change
      Practice (K Olson)
   2. [ProfessionalDevelopment 1712] Re: PD Experiences that Change
      Practice (Janet Isserlis)


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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:08:42 -0500
From: "K Olson" <kolson2 at columbus.rr.com>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1711] PD Experiences that Change
    Practice
To: "'The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List'"
    <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
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National Institute for Literacy
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Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki
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End of ProfessionalDevelopment Digest, Vol 26, Issue 16
*******************************************************


Crystal Cuby Richardson
Doctoral Student, MSIT
Georgia State University


------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 20:44:05 -0700
From: "tjdclaire" <tjdclaire at cox.net>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1723] Re: PD Experiences that Change
To: "'The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List'"
        <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
        <20071113034240.TTNL26427.fed1rmmtao104.cox.net at fed1rmimpo01.cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

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

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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:13:25 -0500
From: "Wendy Quinones" <wbquinones at comcast.net>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1724] Re: ProfessionalDevelopment
        Digest, Vol 26, Issue 16
To: <professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <000901c82607$be0e8bb0$a500a8c0 at nscdd05>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
        reply-type=original

I think Kathryn is right on with the follow-up issue -- doesn't the research
say that PD doesn't tend to produce much change unless there is follow-up?
I'm trying out a hybrid model with a couple of offerings in Massachusetts
early in the year: a 4 hour face-to-face workshop followed by 4 weeks of
online discussion and support, with the idea that participants will develop
or modify lesson plan(s) in light of what they learned, and a 2-hour final
gathering to reflect on what  they did and learned.  We'll see how it
works -- but I'm feeling less and less inclined to do just the one-shot
face-to-face workshop if I can possibly convince the funders to let me do
more.

Wendy Quinones
Gloucester, MA


>

> ---- tcqmom at comcast.net wrote:

>> I think follow-up--in addition to being paid and fed--makes a difference.

>> Having teachers report or demonstrate a way they've actually utilized

>> something they learned from professional development can help.

>> Especially if they know they're going to be asked to do it before the PD

>> begins.  They may even be asked to make a commitment before they leave

>> the PD and begin their planning then.  If the PD is divided into two

>> parts, the first for the presentation and the second a month or so later

>> for reporting, demonstration, follow-up, sharing, the participants can be

>> more inclined to try it out.  If the PD leaders let them drop the ball,

>> no questions asked, it becomes too easy to do. I know this to be true

>> from both sides.

>> Kathryn Quinn

>> Frederick, Maryland




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End of ProfessionalDevelopment Digest, Vol 26, Issue 17
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