Sgreen Professionalgrowth

Professional development is a major issue in education. As teachers, we need to keep up with new and ever changing approaches in education. We have the need for continuing education and learning. We are in a profession where learning and growing can never stop, but we sometimes find it difficult to continue with our education.

Many districts have designated days for professional development. Frequently, this time is not used wisely, and teachers feel it is a waste of time. Teachers need to see the relevance of something and see how it will benefit them. Without this relevance, they seem to tune it out. If the districts just have meetings for the administration to preach at the teachers, teacher just resent in-services and find any viable excuse not to attend. The ideas that are presented at in-service day are chosen by the administration whose main concern is the budget and standardized testing. As teachers our main concern is little Jimmy who still is not reading. Yet, school distracts provide no support for real concerns of teachers.

Teacher collaboration is a great way to improve and develop better teaching, but how often is it used? Along with teacher collaboration, we as teachers need to be willing to let others teach us what they have learned and used. With the great budget crisis in education, districts are not able to send many teachers to workshops and conferences. As teacher we need to share and get ideas from those who are going to these types of developmental opportunities.

As we explore the area of professional development we need to keep in mind that all of us are working to become the best teachers we can be. Teachers need to understand who is driving their learning, them or the administration in charge of in-service.

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