Ongoing Professional Development

Team 9

Randy & Phyllis

Who can help?

• Teaching requires ongoing professional training to stay current in their field. Studies show that the first three years of teaching are vital to the success of the teacher as well as future students. What can parents, educators, and policy makers do to help?

Parents can help!

• Parents can work with the PTO or school group to advocate for professional development.

• Parents can talk with teachers to see what continuing education they find valuable.

• Parents can provide teachers and school officials with online resources offering professional development and teacher forum and exchanges.

Educators can help!

• Take advantage of professional development including in-person and online workshops.

• Share with other faculty what you learned at the workshops.

• Advocate for school policies to allow more time to be used for professional development.

Policy makers can help!

• Create policies that support ongoing professional development, including time, funding, and courses.

• Consider how technology can support teachers needs.

• Work with local universities and businesses to develop development opportunities for teachers.

Supporting New Teachers

During Their First Years of Teaching

Supporting New Teachers

• The traditional method of of giving a new teacher the key to the classroom, shutting the door, and teaching does not work. Up to 50% of new teachers leave within 5 years when no assistance is given.

What will help teachers?

• The Santa Cruz school system uses a mentoring system. This type of dedicated support enhances teacher development and satisfaction. 94% of their new teachers stay onboard!

• Teaming veteran teachers with new teachers allows the new teacher to team up and have someone tangible they can get help from. This helps them feel a part of their new community.

Teachers Helping Teachers

Improving Schools!

Meetings

• Teachers from each grade can meet and discuss the upcoming curriculum as well as any problems they may have encountered. Teachers from specialized departments can help as well.

Information Literacy

The old and new media..

Old Concepts, New Media

• We all know students must decide what information they need, find it, and present it. This has not changed. What has changed is the way the information is gathered and used.

What media is out there?

• Traditional search methods such as encyclopedia’s and periodicals are still available for student research. New media methods such as web searches, e-zines, and direct communications with experts are also available. So what should be used and how are teachers sure it is valid?

The Search is on!

• Students should use a research web site such as:

• From Now On: The Research Cycle.

Search and Evaluation

• Edutopia pages 247 and 250 provide more search sites to assist students and teachers.

• Citations are very important in online researches. This will allow educators to verify the information that student presented.

Community Connections

Tapping in your community for the future!

TAPPED IN!

• TAPPED IN is an online community developed by SRI International for formal professional growth and networking of K-12 teachers. TAPPED IN provides real-time chats as well as looking at web sites together, and creating documents together. Participants can not be anonymous as each participant has a profile that has been verified.

TAPPED IN

• This community allows teachers worldwide in the same grade to exchange ideas, hold staff meetings, and find instructional materials.

• The site is located at www.tappedin.org

Leadership & The Digital Assistant

The new leadership!

A new era of leadership!

• Superintendents and sometimes principals have not been very easy to access. Technology now allows for the “Digital Superintendent”.

Digital Superintendent

• Doug Otto of Davenport, Iowa is a digital superintendent. He uses computers in each classroom and every teacher and council member has e-mail access. Parents also can communicate via e-mail with the Superintendent or others at the school web site. Otto knows the power of parental involvement and communication and has taken it to another level in his school. He is always accessible even when out of town on business. His PDA (Personal digital assistant) allows him to communicate with parents, teachers, and school board members anytime and anywhere. This digital superintendent is a truly digital superintendent!

Chain of Command

Th e d ig ita l s ch oo l

E d u ca to rs B u s in esses P aren ts

S u p erin ten d en t

At last!

• Professional ongoing education is vital to the success of the future of the world! Educators need to feel a part of a group and have support from parents, their board members, and businesses in the community. We have looked at many ways this can be accomplished. Take action and help your educators.