Learning Forward
Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.
The time dilemma
August 2023
Prioritizing professional learning time is an investment in educators and the students they teach. This issue explores a variety of strategies, tools, and mindsets to make every minute count.
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In This Issue
FOCUS
Make every minute count, for educators and students
Professional learning time is valuable. Spend it wisely to address the unique challenges we face.
Time: A timeless topic
We can’t make more of it, but we can find better ways to use it.
Yes, a conference can lead to sustained learning. Here’s how.
Strategies before, during, and after Learning Forward’s Annual Conference fuel year-round learning and shift an organization’s approach to professional learning.
Florida district ensures professional learning time is well-spent
As instructors’ needs change, it’s time to rethink and revise the existing system.
Professional learning in the world’s top education systems
Infographic shows how top-performing countries prioritize the educator workforce and educators’ learning and growth.
The school board’s role in a professional learning system
Q&A with Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, CEO of the National School Boards Association.
Why some teachers skip professional learning days
The reasons point to solutions to increase attendance and engagement.
Can workshops be high-quality professional learning?
To make a difference for educators and students, workshops must be an integrated part of a larger professional learning strategy. Here’s how to make that happen.
Don’t make time, rethink time
School and district leaders offer practical advice for overcoming the challenges to finding time for professional learning.
Principals: To maximize impact, focus on your school’s priorities. ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
An adaptive approach that centers the unique needs of each school leads to redesigning time and leveraging PLCs.
Improve professional learning for the ‘hidden half.’ ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Teachers aren’t the only staff who can benefit from dedicated professional learning time.
TOOLS
Explore how you use time — and find ways to improve it
Two tools can kick-start your efforts to study how you use learning time and make needed changes.
Through the lens
How this issue’s articles can help you understand and apply Standards for Professional Learning.
IDEAS
To improve assessment, Georgia district turns to teachers
Job-embedded professional learning supports teachers in designing and using assessments.
Superintendents are key to principals’ professional learning
A superintendent who saw student achievement payoffs after investing in principal learning offers advice for other leaders.
RESEARCH
Study explores how teachers spend professional learning time
While shedding light on how educators spend their time, the study also suggests avenues for further time research.
Research spotlight: Research Partnership for Professional Learning
The Research Partnership for Professional Learning offers insights on professional learning designs that are particularly effective.
Data points
The latest research on support for making math relevant, number of teachers of color, and the public’s perception of teachers.
VOICES
UPDATES
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