Learning Forward Blog
Take advantage of the wealth of options for professional learning
By Lisa Casto |
We are fortunate to have a wealth of options to choose from when we plan for and participate in professional learning. There seem to be two distinct strategies, each with its own champion.
What do teachers need in professional learning?
By Tracy Crow |
A panel of educators recently discussed the question of teacher agency in professional learning hosted by Learning Forward and the National Commission on Teaching & America’s Future. The organizations co-published Moving from Compliance to Agency: What Teachers Need to Make Professional Learning Work, a white paper that explores the importance of amplifying teacher voice in professional learning and outlines strategies to do so.
Riverside Unified School District shares their vision of measuring impact
By Laurie Calvert |
As a member of Learning Forward’s PD Redesign Community of Practice, Riverside Unified School District is seeking a systematic way to evaluate the impact of professional development on teachers in their district. Learn more about how the Riverside Team is resolving issues like overlapping programs and finding time for the PD Redesign work.
Changing one’s own practice is a great first step!
By Frederick Brown |
Truly changing one’s own practice takes a focused commitment, and the support of a coach can significantly increase the likelihood of success. That’s one of the big takeaways from Learning Forward’s experience facilitating 33 Academy cohorts. As we reviewed the survey data from our most recent Academy graduates, we were pleased to read that close to 90% of them reported their practice becoming more effective as a result of the Academy experience.
The evidence for elevating teachers
By Stephanie Hirsh |
The TeachStrong campaign has rallied leading education groups around nine key principles to draw more attention to the national imperative to invest in teaching and teachers. The principle we most embrace is the imperative to provide teachers with the time, tools, and support needed for success.
Lessons from abroad on professional learning
By Joellen Killion |
What’s the biggest change we can make to improve student learning? A new study provides useful insights to illustrate specific practices that answer this question.
Lessons on professional learning from Star Wars
By Dawn Wilson |
What can educators learn from Star Wars? You do not have to inhabit a galaxy far, far away to learn lessons about effective professional learning. In fact, the most effective professional learning occurs within your own educational sphere, so here are six lessons to transform learning in your own universe.
New bill offers a good start on defining PD
By Stephanie Hirsh |
Overall, we are satisfied with the definition that is included in Every Student Succeeds Act, though we believe that effective professional learning requires more than what the bill describes.
So you think you can lead?
By Denelle West |
When we think about what hooks us to popular reality television shows, it’s often the characters that pull us in each week. Is it the odd or eccentric idiosyncrasies that leave us baffled and intrigued about what they might do next? Do we find ourselves trying to predict their behaviors and how others around them might respond? Trying to decipher the needs and behaviors of others is a critical skill that helps make leaders effective.
Leverage the power of collaborative expertise
By Stephanie Hirsh |
Stephanie Hirsh examines how two recent reports from researcher John Hattie relate to the Learning Communities standard, which states that effective professional learning leads to improved student learning when all educators learn collaboratively as they commit to collective responsibility and continuous improvement.
