Professional Learning Isn’t About Hours

EQUITY & IMPROVEMENT

Professional learning isn’t about hours

By Val Brown

Categories: Advocacy/policy, Collaboration, Leadership

As a professional learning scholar and practitioner, I long for the day when a teacher doesn’t ask me, “How many credit hours do I get for attending this training?” Usually, the question comes from an educator who has not had the opportunity to consistently experience high-quality professional learning, which researchers have defined as a collaborative and active learning experience that is job-embedded, offers opportunities for feedback and reflection, and is sustained over time (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017; Learning Forward, 2022). Despite my frustration at the question, I have empathy for the educators who ask it. I know what it’s like to feel perpetually short on time, not only as a classroom teacher, but as a facilitator, as I have often been asked to lead transformative

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References

Blazar, D. (2020). Teacher coaching to improve instruction at scale: Opportunities and challenges in policy contexts. Teachers College Record, 122(10), 1-9.

Brooks, J.G. & Brooks, M.G. (2021). Schools reimagined: Unifying the science of learning with the art of teaching. Teachers College Press.

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M.E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute.

Learning Forward. (2022). Standards for Professional Learning. Author.

Nelson, T.H., Slavit, D., Perkins, M., & Hathorn, T. (2008). A culture of collaborative inquiry: Learning to develop and support professional learning communities. Teachers College Record, 110(6), 1269-1303.