Thanks for this terrific endorsement Katrina.? You have described well just why I feel that without policy to back it up, PD is just an exercise in going through the motions.? I, too, have had hundreds who loved what I presented, but made absolutely no changes in practice.? This fact is what moved me to change my approach to PD so that now I do not do it unless the administration commits to long term development, and I frame the entire effort in terms of better learner outcomes, not teacher outcomes.? Few teachers who are honest can say they get the best possible learner outcomes doing things "the way I have always done them."? When they persist in that attitude, the poor learner outcomes are always blamed on the learners.?? However, if the administration is committed to better numbers for sustainment of funding, then it (they) will be more likely to press for change in teachers.?? That is the effect I am beginning to see, but it has been a hard row.? 

It is is interesting to me that persons at the state level in states where I do work are deeply interested in that latter point-- how can we improve learner outcomes to improve numbers and program outcomes?? But these same people are often unwilling to see that one two-day workshop or a packaged approach will not obtain these outcomes.? Nor are they wiling to admit, or perhaps able to see, that no two teachers are going to use the same PD effort in the same way, and that variety in outcomes of PD is essential to nourish.? 

Robin Lovrien Schwarz


 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Katrina Hinson <khinson at almanid.com>
To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov
Sent: Sun, 25 May 2008 12:08 pm
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2146] Re: Program-based PD your thoughts










I happen to agree with Robin's comments. Program -PD is only as effective as 
policy and personnel (administrators) require it to be. When it is not supported 
it tends to be wasted effort - especially when the PD does not have an impact on 
classroom teaching practices or student performance goals. I think Robin hit the 
nail on the head when she said it evaporates when teachers know they don't 
"HAVE" to continue doing what they were trained to do. I think one obstacle that 
leads to this isn't so much teacher turnover ( though that is a big one) but 
also, administrative apathy. Training is done because they feel they have to not 
because they want to and then they don't have time to truly dedicate to find out 
if the training was effective or being utilized and then teachers feel like they 
wasted their time or that the training was pointless. My favorite comment from 
teachers is that "I've always done it this way" as if that is the only way 
something can be done - or when someone 
 looks at me and tells me they thought it was 'interesting and cute' but you can 
tell from their comments that he/she has no intention of ever truly implementing 
what they have just been trained on. For PD to be effective, everyone has to 
support it and understand the need and essentialness or inter-relatedness of all 
the pieces - from the training to the classroom to the assessment to student 
performance.



Regards,
Katrina Hinson




>>> <robinschwarz1 at aim.com> 5/15/2008 4:06:47 pm >>>


 Mariann and list-- I find that the most important element of all is policy 
change at the program level. Without that, all the effort soon evaporates either 
as teachers know they don''t HAVE to continue doing what they were trained to 
do, or because there is staff turnover and the effort is lost.?? Robin Lovrien 
Schwarz 


 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mariann Fedele <MariannF at lacnyc.org>
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List 
<professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>
Sent: Wed, 14 May 2008 12:49 pm
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2133]  Program-based PD your thoughts










Hello PD list colleagues,

Program-based PD is becoming a topic of great interest and growing
practice in the world of adult education. What do you think are some of
the key resources/tools/examples anyone interested in this topic should
know about? 
For those of you who have conducted program-based PD what have been the
benefits and what have been the challenges? If the sky were the limit,
what do you think would help in meeting the challenges (trainings,
technology supports, tailored technical assistance)? 

Look forward to hearing from you soon!

Mariann

Mariann Fedele
Director,
NYC Regional Adult Education Network
Literacy Assistance Center
Moderator,
NIFL Technology and Literacy Discussion List
32 Broadway 10th Floor
New York, New York 10004
212-803-3325
mariannf at lacnyc.org 
www.lacnyc.org 


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

Provide feedback by May 30th on the AALPD Quality Professional Development 
Standards:
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/AALPD_PD_Quality_Standards_Feedback 
 
Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki 
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development 



 


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

Provide feedback by May 30th on the AALPD Quality Professional Development 
Standards:
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/AALPD_PD_Quality_Standards_Feedback
 
Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki 
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Development



 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/professionaldevelopment/attachments/20080528/64507881/attachment.html