Running Head: Professional Development Implementation and Evaluation

Professional Development Implementation and Evaluation

District v. School
(Part C of Field Experience)
Jeri Lynn Parker
Alabama A&M University

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/EVALUATION
2
Professional Development Implementation and Evaluation
The ultimate purpose of a school or school district is the success and achievement of the
students. Teachers that are hired today are the teachers who are responsible for educating this
generation of students and ensuring success academically as well as preparing them to be
productive citizens within society (Wong, 2004). Therefore, districts and individual schools
should make the effort to implement an induction process to assist new teachers in achieving
their goals.
Effective teachers should obtain structured, sustained, and intensive ongoing professional
development. Teachers remain within a district when they feel supported by administrators, have
strong bonds with their coworkers, and when school culture exhibits collectively committed
personnel who are committed to pursuing a common vision for student learning (Wong, 2004).
The district and local schools should be familiar with the twelve Alabama Standards for
Effective Professional Development standards when considering professional development
sessions.
Examining my current school districts induction practices left me feeling a sense of
urgency. The districts current procedures lack in assisting our new teachers. The district does
offer new teacher orientation and has an official new teacher training before school begins. After
researching my districts new teacher procedure, I inquired with central office personnel for more
answers. Currently I was told there isnt an official new teacher induction process; but our
superintendent and other personnel are working on a yearlong new teacher induction that should
be implemented during the 2015-2016 school year.
I was reminded during my research that in the past there was a more intense new teacher
induction process but due to proration this program was one of the many that was eliminated. In

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/EVALUATION
3
years past, new teachers would have training prior to the start of school and have follow up
meetings monthly at the central office level to address any issues as well as the review of any
policies and procedures deemed relevant by the superintendent.
The district currently offers professional development for all employees pertaining to;
Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI), Alabama Math and Science Initiative (AMSI), and National
Math and Science Initiative (NMSI). Occasionally, the district also provides professional
development for DIBELS training and Scott Foresman strategies.
At the local school level I found that professional development was more intense and
scheduled. Locally, the professional development for new teachers was more detailed and
seemed to help new teachers collaboratively compared to the district level. The administrator
meets with new teachers at the beginning of the year to review current board policies and the
local school handbook. Items covered with new teachers by the administrator are: Educate
Alabama, INOW, Promotion/Placement requirements, Ieps, Instructional Roadmaps/Timelines,
Discipline Referral procedures, Student Injury/Accident reports, Child Abuse protocol, Testing
dates, Medication policy, Direct Deposit to banking institutions, and Aesop (online substitute
request). The administrator also discusses the mentor each new teacher will have and schedule
meetings throughout the year to discuss and review new teacher concerns. I would concur that
new teachers are being supported more at the local school level than at the district level at this
time.
The effectiveness and success of your new teachers will rely on collaboration and a
strong learning environment created by your veteran teachers and school administrators.
Teachers thrive when they feel connected to their school and colleagues. For this to occur there
has to be a strong professional learning community or environment, as well as a high

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/EVALUATION
4
performance culture (Wong, 2004). Teachers need to belong and understand clearly what the
school/district vision and mission contains. New teachers especially need reassurance and
guidance in order to be effective within their job description.
Effective, substantial, and relevant professional development, pertaining to your schools
data as well as collaboration among your faculty, will help increase student achievement. There
is no greater factor in your students success than your teachers and their ability to deliver
instruction strategies effectively. Having a clear understanding of where your students are and
the long term goals for each will help increase student achievement. There is no need in having
professional development if the information presented is not relevant or is not going to help
teachers with instructional strategies. Research indicates that the amount academic success
achieved by students is related to the quality of teaching (Love & Brandt, 2015). Multiple
opportunities must be provided for teachers to refine and advance their teaching practices based
on student data. Allowing for collaboration can have a powerful impact on the amount of student
achievement you obtain. Administrators should select professional development topics that
correlate with the needs of your students and encourage the implementation of areas of need into
daily routines in order to expand the horizons for both students and teachers (Love & Brandt,
2015). Directly, using surveys of professional development sessions can help evaluate if
information presented was useful. Indirectly, your school/district data should indicate if your
professional development is substantial.
Research shows that student achievement is higher in schools where administrators share
leadership roles with teachers and the community. District that support shared leadership fosters
the development of professional communities (Minnesota, 2010). Working together within your

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/EVALUATION
5
system in key to reaching your goals, ensuring success for new teachers, increasing student
achievement and bettering society as a whole.
References
Love, S. L., & Brandt, B. (2015, May). Professional Learning and Student Achievement.
Retrieved from Christian School Products:
http://www.christianschoolproducts.com/articles/2013-May/eNewsletter
Minnesota, U. o. (2010, July 21). Educational leadership linked to student achievement in large
U.S. study. Retrieved from Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Wong, H. K. (2004, March). Induction Programs That Keep New Teachers Teaching and
Improving. Retrieved from NASSP Bullentin:
http://boe.cabe.k12.wv.us/schoolimprovement/documents/InductionPrograms

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/EVALUATION
6