Alternate PL - Call to Action
What is Professional Learning?
Professional learning is the continuous process by which people, in this case, teachers, acquire and refine the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become better in their chosen profession or field of work. These include activities such as training workshops, conferences, formal education programs, mentoring, self-directed study, and on-the-job experiences aimed at improving professional practice, problem-solving skills, and making sound decisions regarding work and life in general. Professional learning is essential for people to adapt to changes since we live in a world where everything changes in a matter of minutes, keep up to date with industry trends be at the forefront of everything, meet job requirements, and progress in their careers. It is a lifelong commitment to growth and improvement within the professional field which helps us become better professionals day after day.
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The Why
As a teacher and advocate for the implementation of the STEM program in elementary school, I am keenly aware of the importance of professional learning and development. Without a solid foundation in learning, teachers would not know how to implement the programs presented to them in their professional workshops. For many years, educators have received information in a very general manner, which does not favor them when it comes to implementing certain programs or projects in school. We can also say that they have the information, but not the necessary resources to implement them. How can we expect a group of teachers to know how to use an educational program after just a couple of hours in a workshop or class? Many of these professional workshops consist of someone speaking and presenting the program, but teachers do not have the opportunity to delve into the program, or practice, as the time is very short.
Sadly, this method of professional development is not the best for our teachers. I believe it is time for us teachers to raise our voices and prepare an effective model that benefits us all equally.
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In my innovative plan, I suggest that my school create a STEM pilot program that can be used in all elementary schools in the district where teachers have digital access to everything they need to implement the STEM program in their respective schools.
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Through the five principles of effective professional development (Gulamhussein, 2013), we can create professional development classes that teach our teachers how to use the available resources. We can also create personalized programs for the needs of each school, specifically from the beginning until they are fully implemented in their respective schools and classrooms.
The what
When creating my presentation, my primary objective is to advocate for a different approach to existing professional development. One of the key aims is to convey to the administration the inadequacy of current professional learning practices and the necessity to enhance them in order to provide the best education for our students.
Professional development sessions typically involve disseminating a wealth of information, yet there is often a lack of adequate follow-up to facilitate its implementation. This can lead to frustration and exhaustion among teachers, as they feel they are constantly battling against the tide.
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In the video, I illustrate how we can enhance the effectiveness of our learning sessions, thereby benefiting both teachers and the school as a whole.
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Ultimately, the goal is to effect meaningful change in our approach to professional development, which will, in turn, empower our teachers to foster greater student achievement and bring about positive transformation within our school community.
The HOW
I created my video using Canva, a platform I've used before and find to be a bit more user-friendly compared to other popular ones. To streamline the video creation process, I began by drafting the entire message I wanted to convey. Then, I recorded the audio using an application called Voice Recorder.
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With the audio ready, I proceeded to craft the presentation on Canva, leveraging the platform's video and image features. I've experienced great success with Canva due to its ease of use and comprehensive array of tools, which allow me to create dynamic presentations that captivate the audience's interest.
Video Transcript
Reference
Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the teachers effective professional development in an era of high stakes accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf
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Duarte, N. [Stanford Graduate School of Business]. (2013b, February 19). Nancy Duarte: How to create better visual presentations [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so9EJoQJc-0
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Credits:
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Video: www.canva.com
Video Pictures: www.canva.com
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