OM DENNE EPISODE
It is about GROWTH not GOTCHA!
Designing Schools for Meaningful Professional Learning
A Dialogue with Janice Bradley
Our guest is Janice Bradley. Janice comes to this dialogue as a former classroom teacher, a K-12 mathematics specialist, and an adjunct professor. She has just accepted a position at the University of Utah. Janice is a life-long learner!
HOW do we DESIGN schools for meaningful professional learning and WHY is that important!! Educators are busy with many new initiatives, they get swept away on the TRAIN OF DOING and there is little time for professional learning. As Janice has worked with schools she has found a key is the principal who advocates for professional learning by creating the TIME and the CULTURE for continuous improvement.
Janice shares how educators actually implement structures for professional learning and establish the culture of professional learning and shared ownership. Again, principals are the key as they create a culture that is safe for teachers to try new ideas…and made mistakes. Principals and teachers make the connections between professional learning and productive educator evaluations. Connecting the dots! It’s doable!
The Five Part Plan of Professional Learning
- Staff reaches consensus on a shared vision that includes 5 key elements that must be in every classroom every day to support student learning!
- Teams select one of nine learning designs – VOICE and CHOICE! Each design has a cycle of learning that includes planning, implementation in the classroom, and reflections.
- Dates for implementation are scheduled and conducted. Principals ensure time is provided.
- Buildings host a Knowledge Showcase in late spring. Each team SHARES what they learned during the year!! (10 minutes for each team!) A great celebration of learning.
- Teams create a professional knowledge base – strategies to remember and USE next year!!
Learn more from Janice and the Five Part Plan of Professional Learning, remembering that is it not THE answer, it is ONE answer. Check out her new book, Designing Schools for Meaningful Professional Learning: A Guidebook for Educators, Corwin, 2015.
One size does not fit ALL! Everyone has a voice!
