What is Professional Development?
 

What is professional Development in the education sector?

Professional Development in the education sector is ongoing learning to improve and strengthen educator’s performance levels and increase student achievement. It helps educators to develop knowledge and skills required to address student needs and identify their strengths, by analyzing student achievement data common to students in a grade or class. Professional development is best carried out in teams whereby teachers collaborate under the guidance of a facilitator or instructor allowing them to take collective responsibility for the success of all students rather than just their own. Formal processes include conferences, seminars or workshops, collaborative team work or courses. Informal professional development can be in form of discussions amongst teachers, research, or peer- to-peer learning

How do teachers collaborate during professional development?

Teachers collect data to determine students’ strengths and needs in order to identify gaps in their learning. They then determine what they need to learn in order to close those gaps. After learning is complete, teachers implement new knowledge and skills in their classrooms. It is imperative that teachers also come up with a plan to measure student achievement in response to the new knowledge and skills learned from professional development. This can be assessed through techniques such as surveys, tests, observations, interviews, conferencing, standardized tests, etc. As teachers learn, adopt and apply new best practices, students’ success will be evident throughout the school student community. It is also important for teachers to discuss what worked well, or what didn’t after a reasonable period taken to implement new best practices.
 

What are the benefits of professional development?

Professional development increases student achievement and success when teachers focus on required skills needed to address students’ needs. Educators who do not take part in professional development do not improve their teaching skills, and this affects student learning. A school is as strong as its weakest teacher just as a chain is as strong as its weakest link. Professional development also helps schools retain new teachers and enable them to become strong teachers by learning effective practices to apply to their teaching practice.

When do schools typically engage in professional development?

Professional development can take place before classes begin, after classes have ended, during a day set aside specifically for professional development, during school holidays, or after school on a teacher’s own time.

What are the different modes of professional development?

• Team meetings to plan, problem solve and strengthen performance
• Online courses
• Workshops
• School Improvement plans
• Grade level meetings
• Teacher peer-to-peer observations
• School community learning teams
• Lunch and Learn meetings

How can your school benefit from our consultancy services?

With student success and achievement being our top priority, we offer a wide range of services, including the following:

• Providing expertise in best teaching practices.
• Identifying strengths and needs of students and teaching staff.
• Building collaborative professional communities in schools.
• Promoting reflective practice.
• Training teachers through professional development workshops.
• Developing a school improvement plan in collaboration with the school administration and Staff through planning and goal setting.
• Utilizing evidence-based practices designed to enhance engagement for both students, teachers and parents.
• Promoting a positive school climate
• Addressing social and emotional wellbeing of students and teachers.
• Providing strategies for classroom management
• Creating school cultures that focus on learning instead of grades.
• Developing best practices to increase student achievement and success.
• Supporting teachers in developing a 21st century classroom

Rosa Kemirembe - Founder