How does your school measure up?

The following video highlights qualities of effective professional development.  Share your thoughts and experiences.

http://www.schooltube.com/video/b6a02610a5424e579a87/

Are these professional development standards practiced at your school?

Read each statement and indicate the responses that most accurately reflect your professional experiences at your school. You may indicate your responses by placing an “X” next to the number that corresponds to your response or you may print out the survey and circle your response.

0-Never             1-Seldom         2-Sometimes    3-Frequently     4-Always

1. Our principal believes teacher learning is essential for achieving our school goals.	0   1    2    3    4
2. Our school uses educational research to select programs.	0   1    2    3    4
3. We have opportunities to practice new skills gained during staff development.	0   1    2    3    4
4. Our faculty learns about effective ways to work together.	0   1    2    3    4
5. Teachers are provided opportunities to gain deep understanding of the subjects they teach.	0   1    2    3    4
6. Teachers are provided opportunities to learn how to involve families in their children’s education.	0   1    2    3    4
7. The teachers in my school meet as a whole staff to discuss ways to improve teaching and learning.	0   1    2    3    4
8. Our principal’s decisions on school-wide issues and practices are influenced by faculty input.	0   1    2    3    4
9. Teachers at our school have opportunities to learn how to use technology to enhance instruction.	0   1    2    3    4
10. Teachers at our school learn how to use data to assess student learning needs.	0   1    2    3    4

Source: National Staff Development Council’s Standards Assessment Inventory

© Copyright, National Staff Development Council, 2004. All rights reserved.

Does this describe professional development at your school? If not, please explain.

Read each statement and think about the degree to which the statement describes professional development efforts at your school. Indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each statement by placing an “X” next to the number that corresponds to your response or you may print out the survey and circle your response.

1  – Strongly Disagree      2 – Disagree     3 – Agree       4 – Strongly Agree

1. Teachers design professional development based on the needs of their students.	1    2    3    4
2. Teachers learn in teams several times a week.	1    2    3    4
3. Teachers’ professional learning goals identify the knowledge, skills, practices, and dispositions to increase teaching quality and student learning.	1    2    3    4
4. Professional development that occurs away from school supports professional development that occurs at the school.	1    2    3    4
5. Principals and teacher leaders facilitate collaborative professional learning teams in our school.	1    2    3    4

Source: Killion, J., & Roy, P. (2009). Becoming a learning school (p. 15). Dallas, TX: National Staff Development Council.

What are your beliefs about professional development?

Read each statement and indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each using the 1–4 scale below. You may indicate your responses by placing an “X” next to the number that corresponds to your response or you may print out the survey and circle your response.

1  – Strongly Disagree       2 – Disagree       3 – Agree          4 – Strongly Agree

1.     Principles shape our thoughts, words, and actions.	1    2    3    4
2.     Diversity strengthens an organization and improves results.	1    2    3    4
3.     Leaders are responsible for building the capacity in individuals, teams, and organizations to be leaders and learners.	1    2    3    4
4.     Ambitious goals lead to powerful actions and remarkable results.	1    2    3    4
5.     Maintaining the focus of professional learning on teaching and student learning produces academic success.	1    2    3    4
6.     Evaluation strengthens performance and results.	1    2    3    4
7.     Communities can solve their most complex problems by tapping internal expertise.	1    2    3    4
8.     Collaboration among educators builds shared responsibility and improves student learning.	1    2    3    4

Source: Hirsh, S., & Killion, J. (2009). When educators learn, students learn: Eight principles of professional learning. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(7), 464–469. Retrieved from the ERIC database.