School Improvement - Louisiana Department of Education

Facilitating Professional Development for Your Staff I
ONAL D EV E LOPMENT
Whether your school has a firmly established professional development (PD) plan or you are in the startup
phase of PD, it is important to understand the steps necessary to put a program in place. The stepby‐step
approach detailed below is a summary of the SREB publication, “Planning and Conducting
Professional Development That Makes a Difference, A Guide for School Leaders.” It can serve as a startup
guide for schools implementing new programs and an assessment tool for those with programs in
place.
Identify Needs.
• Review student achievement data and identify gaps.
• Allow for teacher input into planning with brainstorming sessions and surveys.
• Build consensus.
Develop a plan.
• Develop a professional development team led by the principal (or designee).
• Base plan on teachers’ needs and the School Improvement Plan.
• Identify activities, target group for each activity, and follow‐up process.
• Use this plan to guide professional development budgeting.
Make room in the school calendar for site‐specific professional development.
• On site.
• Job‐embedded.
• Common planning time.
• Flexible scheduling.
• Evening sessions.
• Weekend retreats.
• Summertime opportunities.
Start early to plan a professional development event.
• Begin at least six months in advance.
• Workshop presenter should customize content to meet school’s needs.
• Prepare teachers for the event.
• Clearly state goals and objectives in terms of expected outcomes from the workshop
Find the best workshop presenter.
• Expert in the workshop topic.
• Authored books or articles on the topic and/or can produce written materials that school leaders can
review in advance.
• Experienced in implementing the strategies that will be taught in the workshop.
• Use a lively presentation style that motivates teachers.
• Involve teachers in meaningful activities throughout the workshop.
• Prepare simple, attractive visual materials using presentation software.
• Provide useful handouts that teachers can consult after the workshop to reinforce what they have
learned.
• Prepare a written workshop agreement between the school leader and workshop presenter.
Prepare teachers for the staff development event.
• Post a calendar of events notifying teachers of the event.
• Read articles or books.
• Develop questions for the workshop presenter.
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