Hello- leaders and participants. Thank you for the
opportunity to discuss professional
development.  



 



You have asked about our experience with professional
development.  As the founder and leader of
an educational community based organization in the metropolitan Boston area establishing two adult education
programs I had the opportunity to read standards in the field, research with
employers, take seminars on language, education and business and espouse a
philosophy of education with colleagues and new hires.  Throughout our years of direct service the
staff and I ongoingly clarified that philosophy with an ongoing articulation of
our practices in the educational and training experiences with multicultural
adults.  In other words, professional
development has been the means by which we became more effective in our
teaching, mentoring and coaching.  The
outcomes verified the value of professional development over the years:  high rates of employment by the learners who
entered the program at an intermediate ESOL level.  They participated in an integrated ESOL,
basic skills, computer skills 7/8 or 9 months program with daily job search for
3 months or until hired- 100% of 14 cohorts were hired in training-related entry level office jobs.  



 



What is professional development?  The staff members of
an organization, division or department engaged in adult/young adult education
"build" a learning organization for continuously developing a
mission of learning while teaching, mentoring and coaching.  The members of the learning organization
commit to daily, weekly and monthly personal and group reflection and to
practicing a personal and team 'learning discipline.'  Together through
readings, DVD's, guest speakers, journaling and discussions, instructors create
distinctions about teaching, mentoring and coaching.  These distinctions
broaden their perspectives and suggest new ways to shape their behavior and
actions in training/classroom and experiential learning sessions.  With
these distinctions they cultivate and share best practices.  



 



An example of a distinction is “What is an instructor’s
responsibility for the learner’s mastery of skills?” Responsibility for success
with learning skills can be broadened to incorporate assisting with life
issues/crises/hardships that might obstruct completion of lessons and mastery
of skills. How then will this be implemented, tested and developed into a best
practice?



 



The staff members also seek out resources outside their
learning organization to evaluate their current practices, challenge their
systems thinking and introduce improvements in their program and practices for
successfully educating learners.  



What are the quality standards for professional development? The staff members
of a learning organization design and implement their pd program (prep a book
for new hires.)




Employee
     Orientation 

Program
     mission, statement of philosophy and standards for practices.




 a..   Job
descriptions and teacher assessment system.



  
   b..   Probationary
standards for teaching and performance measures.



   
  c..   Day
long workshops identifying staff relationships and responsibilities, the    



             learning organization’s requirements, the
training program’s schedule, the  



             program’s
system of recruitment, assessments and accountability.








Learning
     organization practices. The members of the learning organization review their
philosophy when new hires receive an orientation and ask questions about the
program.  The senior staff set up a
system of mentoring new hires who are on probation.  The staff members meet weekly to review their
discipline and their practices.  When an instructor considers a relationship with a learner perplexing and/or difficult, s/he counts on immediate coaching from senior and veteran instructors to repair it and recommit to the learner..


All the continually
examines professional standards in the city, state, nation,
international field (SCANS, EFF) among employers/grantors. The members of the learning
organization explore whether their practices,
lessons and program meet these standards. The staff members evaluate
the
programs against these standards annually. 
They review and when needed, revise lessons to meet these
standards. 










Margaret van Duyne 
Executive Director
One WITH One, Inc.
978 443 8884
________________________________________________________________________
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