From Required to Inspired: Inside Culture Change in Professional Learning

In Hanover County Public Schools, there's a shift happening... something bubbling up from deep within the Curriculum & Instruction Department. Something exciting.

In the past, teachers would complete their professional learning requirements in large part by participating in mandated sessions for two days every August. “The problem is,” says Dr. Steve Castle, Director of Professional Learning and Leadership Development, “it felt forced, and it felt like there’s no choice in this, and teachers were given the things that were required.”

So, for the past several years, Dr. Castle and Chris Biagiarelli, Instructional Technology Project Coordinator, have been on a mission to change the culture around professional learning — so teachers select the learning opportunities that will most help them in the classroom. In this podcast, we ask them how they’re making that happen.

Listen to this 14-minute conversation and hear:

• The steps they’ve taken (and continue to take) to change mindsets around professional learning within the district

• Why the right technology is crucial to making this change

• What they’ve learned, and what they would change if they were starting this journey all over again

Be sure to check out these resources about professional learning and supporting teacher growth and voice and choice:

• [Case Study] Culture Change: Moving Toward Teacher-driven Professional Learning — How Hanover County Public Schools uses Frontline Professional Growth to offer teachers a voice in their learning and bid farewell to a ‘check the boxes’ mentality.

• Effective Professional Learning Strategies (that Actually Work) — A look at the national landscape of professional development, best practices for an effective professional development program, resources for getting started, and more.