Lifelong learning isn’t just for students—it’s for teachers too. With innovations and breakthroughs constantly happening across industries, teachers are left to fill the knowledge gap for their students, making it crucial for them to consistently partake in professional development.
The numbers are clear. Research from REL Southwest revealed that students would have increased their academic performance by 21% had their teacher participated in professional development. As teachers continue to learn and develop their skill sets, they will bring their new abilities into the classroom. When teachers understand and are fully engaged with new instruction topics and methods, it is likely their students will be as well. Teachers involved in professional development programs will also be better equipped to aid students who are struggling academically as teachers will have more methods of providing support at their disposal.
Despite the benefits of professional development, teachers may not feel as if they have adequate time to accommodate these programs into their demanding schedules. As principals, here are some strategies you can use to encourage knowledge growth and career development that fit into your teachers’ daily routines.
Getting Your Plan Started
What Needs Support?
A quality professional development plan starts with a personalized self-assessment to understand where the teacher has room to grow. These tools can look like reviewing student achievement data, peer feedback forms or student feedback surveys, and their own recorded lessons. Utilizing these tools can encourage teachers to reflect on their abilities while acknowledging what can be improved.
Make Room for Personalization
After understanding where teachers currently stand in their professional abilities, it’s time to personalize their development plan. Teachers can adjust to short-term goals first, and then start pursuing long-term goals after reaching a few of those early milestones.
Teachers are always on the go, so it’s best to try and meet them where they are at. Conferences might be inaccessible for them, so research and offer a variety of methods for them to expand their knowledge. Many platforms offer free webinars, both live and on demand. The Teaching Channel is one such source, where the webinars are easily accessible and range from 20 minutes to an hour in length.
By implementing flexible learning options, principals can help teachers turn their career growth into an achievable goal.
Bite-Sized Learning for the Busy Teacher
When a teacher only has a few free minutes each day, it’s hard to commit to an entire learning program. However, by setting up a structure that only requires a few minutes, teachers can soon begin the journey without feeling overwhelmed.
Principals can help develop learning modules that can be completed in approximately 15 minutes. They can include short videos, snippets from educational podcasts, infographics, and quizzes at the end.
Because of their length, these modules are meant to focus on actionable content that teachers can start implementing in the classroom from day one. As teachers feel encouraged to put their new training into practice, they will further reinforce the learning process.
Motivate with Rewards
Teachers are taking extra time out of their day to build their skills and enhance student success, but not every step along the way will be easy. Keep your teachers motivated to continue their program by offering a reward system for when they reach certain milestones.
Financial incentives are a strong motivator. Even gifts as small as a gift card can act as the encouragement a teacher needs to keep going. However, if financial rewards are not an option, there are a few other methods to try:
- Career Advancement: As teachers build new skill sets, grant them more opportunities for leadership positions or promotions that will support their advancement through the school system.
- A Day Off: Teacher burnout is on the rise, and it may turn difficult to keep up with a professional development program. After reaching certain checkpoints, grant your teacher a day off to recharge before beginning the next segment.
- Give Control: As your teacher grows in their abilities, they may want to try new lesson plans in their classroom. Allow them some freedom to adjust the lesson plan to fit their new skills, enhancing their autonomy and allowing them to shine.
Achieving Lifelong Learning
Professional development is essential for teachers to support student success. By providing flexible learning opportunities, tailored lesson plans, and meaningful recognition, principals can foster the motivation to continue learning without overwhelming their valuable staff.
