The role of a professional educator in the current scenario is far more challenging than it has ever been before. Professional educators are today expected to have distinctive qualities ranging from being reflective learners about the students’ milieu displaying philosophy and depth in their teaching standards, to being leaders in the drafting of educational policies. Feiman-Nemser and Parker (1992) affirm that the professional development of educators is assisted by the attributes of reflection and collaborative functioning. It is, therefore, necessary for professional educators to be equipped with consideration and confidence to be able to execute efficiently in the ever-changing educational scenario.
The Master’s degree program in Elementary Reading and Literacy accomplished by the educator has contributed substantially to the personal and professional growth and development and has enabled the structuring of a personality, crucial to meet the current educational needs.
The educator has been able to develop a reflective attitude and stresses analytical thinking rather than the mere transfer of knowledge. This development of reflective approach has facilitated in the honing of the educator’s problem-solving skills and in determining the distinct needs of the students (Smylie and Conyers, 1991), which ultimately enable the educator in the conduction of research, crucial to building knowledge and skill suited for the particular classrooms and students.
With the help of these attributes, the researcher has evolved as a coach in order to promote students in the construction and analysis of self-knowledge rather than rote learning practices. The researcher has learned that in order to achieve the best results from students it is essential to engage them in small groups and encourage them to function independently (Railsback, 2002).
The master’s program has also developed in the educator the necessary interpersonal skills, which would aid the communication with not only the students but also the parents and peers. The educator has been able to imbibe and hone the skills of management, problem-solving, and organization, all of which are vital for the influential and effective role of an educator (Greenberg 2001).
In the current scenario of multi-cultural classrooms, a reflection is an important approach which the educator has developed, which would enable classroom research and would subsequently aid the decision of the best and most suitable instructional classroom strategy, suited to the needs of the students.
The educator would be able to employ these qualities of observation and reflection to make decisions with regard to the most appropriate approach suited to fulfill the distinct needs of the students in the classroom. The development of these traits would benefit the educator in the crucial decision of the optimal strategies and programs, best suited to teach the students of the classrooms.
Thus, the professional development of the educator has been greatly enhanced by the successful completion of the Master’s program in Elementary Reading and Literacy, which has geared the educator with all the necessary tools of teaching and facilitating learning in students.
References
Feiman-Nemser, S., & Parker, M. B. (1992). Mentoring in context: A comparison of two U.S. programs for beginning teachers. NCRTL Special Report. East Lansing, MI: National Center for Research on Teacher Learning, Michigan State University. ED 346 091.
Greenberg, R., (2001). In Search of Career Services Professionals. Journal of Career Planning and Employment, 61, no.3: 45-52.
Smylie, M. A., & Conyers, J. G. (1991). Changing conceptions of teaching influence the future of staff development. Journal of Staff Development, 12(1), 12-16. EJ 431 936.
According to P, Black and D, William, evaluation refers to a sequence of interrelated actions that have a definite purpose.1 Since education instructors are involved in several multifaceted issues, they should be assessed as professionals.
The standards of evaluating them should be developed by all the stakeholders of the school institution and their evaluation should be based on the extent to which they resolve professional issues proficiently. Since teachers are the main subjects of training, professional development has a direct impact on them.
H, McMillan argues that, the main objective of professional development for teachers and other school staff involves its crucial task in the improvement of the learning process 2. For this reason, the school administrators ought to put great emphasis on the results of professional growth on profession performance, organizational efficiency and the achievement of learners.
All the professional development endeavors should always be subjected to an appropriately designed evaluation plan in analyzing their efficiency. The intricacy of changes in education necessitates that the plan is based on the use of ethnographic research.
This should be done over a long period of time so as to evaluate and assess the connection between individual changes and the systematic transformation in education. Effective professional development enables the acquisition of new knowledge and expertise.
P, Black and D, William asserts that, in one way or another, there’s a support structure that follows teachers and other staff within the school institution school in their place of work which provides continued training or some kind of system enabling teachers/staff to continue solving problems in their working environment. 3
As a matter of fact, ineffective evaluation systems within the school institution are exceedingly hectic, of little significance, and an obstacle to the staff drive. According to P, Black and D, William, such unproductive assessment systems are more expensive as compared to efficient ones.4
This is because; they do not improve the performance of teachers as well as other school staff and thus rob off the learners’ achievements. For this reason, evaluation for professional development should be done in the most effective manner, failure to which it can become meaningless or intensify apprehension between teachers or school staff with their administrators and increase negative competition amongst them.
In other words, ineffective evaluation methods can lead to communication breakdown within the stakeholders of a school institution as it may lead to unnecessary barriers, and destroy an otherwise excellent working rapport amongst the school professionals.
Consequently, the need for efficient evaluation policies within a school should not be underestimated. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders in the education process to be accountable. Thus Professional development programs should be evaluated in order to determine their value in schools, to the instructors as well as the learners.
For the efficiency of all professional development attempts, evaluation should be an ongoing process that is introduced in the early stages of program planning and should persist even after the completion of every development program.
The stakeholders in the education sector are involved in selecting the evaluators who are given the task of evaluating all the programs. The purpose of evaluation enables the evaluators to come up with the research questions used during the evaluation process. The research questions should be formulated with the help of several stakeholders in the development program.
After determining the purpose of the evaluation, the evaluators should then plan the evaluation procedure with regards to the intended results of the school upgrading efforts. The reason for an evaluation and the usage of the evaluation outcomes are dictated by what is being evaluated.
H, McMillan asserts that, in order to ensure an effective professional development program, the evaluators should ask those questions that are directed on bringing out the significance of the program in attaining development. 5 The evaluation of a professional development program has got two main objectives.
The first one is to enhance the program’s quality or transform a professional development program which is known as formative evaluation, and the second one involves coming up with the program’s general efficiency also known as summative evaluation. In a professional development program, formative evaluation is usually done in intervals.
Here, the stakeholders are asked to give their remarks, which permit the evaluators to effectively amend the program’s quality. This form of evaluation ascertains that all the professional development programs meet the expectations and requirements of all the stakeholders. This involves a meaningful endeavor which may entail some classroom activities.
On the other hand, summative evaluation is employed at the end of the whole program. Bruner, S affirms that, more often than not, the research is done at three main points; educator practices, organizational transformations and learners results 6.
At the initial level of summative evaluation, the educators’ changes that result from participating in the professional development program are assessed. Here, the members are asked to point out the necessary changes according to what they think, what they believe, and their school/classroom activities.
They are supposed to describe their individual professional development and assess if the program meets their individual as well as professional objectives. S, Bruner suggests that this can be done through the use of observations, interviews, questionnaires and other self-evaluation instruments.7
The second stage of summative evaluation is where the school organization changes are assessed. According to research, organizational environment directly impacts on both initial and continued use of improvement strategies. In other words, professional development actions will influence student results in case the organizational environment presents continued support for the efforts.
Positive organizational adjustments lead to successful professional development. Constructive transformation within a school institution can be achieved through the use of observations, interviews, analysis of documents as well as questionnaires. To determine this form of change, evaluators should look for improved teamwork and an enhanced relationship between administrators and the instructors and the overall changes within the school environment.
The third phase of summative evaluation involves establishing the influence of the professional development practices on learning. This is mostly because the majority of school-upgrading attempts are projected to influence the learners’ success.
Thus, evaluation is obliged to determine the efficiency of professional development with regards to students’ achievement. C, Calfee and V, Masuda affirm that, by getting comments on the instruction outcomes, teachers as well as other staff within the school institution are able to have sufficient proof on the validity of their actions on learning. 8
Teachers should employ the new practices in case they notice some positive outcomes in the learners. This notwithstanding, measurement of the effectiveness of a program should not be limited to the learners points in standardized tests.
The evaluators should also consider how much the students are responsible for their individual learning and if they employ thorough research in their studies. Professional development assessment should also include nonacademic goals such as curbing student brutality.
According to H, McMillan in this case, the pointer of efficiency should embrace valid forms of evaluation procedures such as determining the rate of dropping out of school and changes in the degree of damage to the school. 9
In general, evaluation of a professional development program is usually restricted to the stakeholders’ initial response to the content and significance as well as the efficiency of the facilitator. The most important factor of an evaluation process is the long-term influence brought by the professional development program.
A follow-up evaluation should also be carried out after the instructors have implemented the necessary changes. This facilitates to assess changes within the instructional practice, in the professional environment and students’ success. C, Calfee and V, Masuda argues that, in order to reinforce the adjustments made by the stakeholders of the evaluation process, follow-up sessions and support actions should be programmed as part of the assessment course.10
In conclusion, even though professional development programs are meant to influence the students’ achievement, they characteristically have an impact on all the other participants who include; administrators, school heads counselors, as well as other staff.
For it to be thorough, an evaluation program should draw its findings from all the above sources as well as from the evaluators. A comprehensive approach, which uses diverse information from multiple sources, should be embraced.
Both quantitative and qualitative facts should be included in this course to provide suitable information. Precisely, this information should comprise facts based on the results from participants, organization, and learners.
Moreover, the assessment outcomes should be presented in a way that is easily understood by all the participants involved in the professional development course. Comprehensible communication of the program’s outcomes should ensure that the findings are used to direct school improvement efforts and consequent professional development actions which include teacher training.
The significance of professional development is especially emphasized in the modern reform movement; it was proved that this method positively impacts literacy instruction improvement. The process of reading improvement is rather sophisticated and intricate, requiring attention, observation, and careful learning. Reading scores improvement through professional development covers a number of methodological activities and systematic study of instructions; the method involves the participation of the qualified staff to raise the level of reading instructions.
The program aimed at the increase of reading scores level should contain the following methods:
The disclosure of instructional strategies and their theoretical knowledge;
Constant practice of the learned strategies;
Development methods aimed at the reading skills improvement;
Literacy-oriented activities.
The introduction and development of the mentioned issues in the program of reading skills improvement will bring effectiveness in the plan realization. The principal goals of the reading scores improvement program are considered to be worked out in accordance with the state requirements:
To improve the induction and preparation level;
To provide sufficient support for novice representatives involved in the program;
The development of coaching and mentoring process;
To provide involvement and support for community members as partners and administrators as instructors. (Improving Reading Achievement through Professional Development, 2003)
The plan of professional development identifies basic activities, measures of success, and principle objectives. The data analysis of the program fulfillment will allow evaluating the gradual increase of reading scores.
Professional development is focused on the following aspects: vocabulary reading, increasing reading fluency, unfamiliar words decoding, comprehension strategies reading. The involvement of the presentations in the plan will influence the effectiveness of reading instructions understanding. The problems and difficulties in reaching the necessary level of reading scores lie in misinterpretations of the principle pedagogic practices; the improvement process depends upon tacit and explicit assumptions. To raise the effectiveness of reading scores growth, the methods of professional development are to be included in the learning processes; the program should be developed in a way to encourage the reflection of teaching practices. (Wagaman, 2008)
Professional development is also focused on the lecture methods of reading improvement; this allows promoting the adaptive means of teaching and perceiving the necessary reading instructions and concentrating on the collaboration, which is based on the following principles:
The emphasis of the reflective thought;
Egalitarianism spirit in the teaching process;
The disclosure of basic difficulties in the reading process.
The observation of the principle issues being part of the professional developmental process will result in the improvement of reading scores.
So, the improvement of reading through professional development means the realization and strict observation of the principal methods of the teaching program and requirements of the practices.
References
Improving Reading Achievement through Professional Development. 2003. The LSS Review. Vol. 2.
Wagaman, Jennifer. 2008. How to Improve Reading Skills: Teaching Fluency and Comprehension Skills to Enhance Reading.
Texas Reading First Initiative. Institute for Public School Initiatives. 2008. Web.
An effective professional development programme in a school should be in a position to move ideas from knowledge to action. If carried out in the proper way, it leads to school improvement and that helps in achieving the main objective of the learning institution. It is very important for teachers to learn from the duties that they undertake in the school community. Teachers should be given the chance to share their experiences with one another in study groups and other group settings (Zepeda, 2008). Teacher’s evaluation is very important because it shows whether progress is being made or not. If there is no progress, then the necessary measures are taken to ensure that the best service is delivered to the recipients. In the company of others, they will be in a better position to reflect on what they have learnt out of what they have done. All this will enable teachers and principals to be equipped with strategies to improve teaching and leadership in the given school. This will work to the overall benefit of the learners as they will receive the best kind of services from their instructors (Zepeda, 2008).
The principal is the major driving force behind the performance of the teachers he or she leads. It is the principle’s role to assist the teachers to find their learning voices (Zepeda, 2008). This is very important because it is the ability of the teachers that determines how students perform. In order to form the best professional development goals various forms of data should be used. The principle should collect, analyze and interpret student work samples, results of different kinds of tests and gather information from administrators and coaches who have observed the teachers teach (Zepeda, 2008). He or she should also follow up and ensure that all what students learn in class is also done practically. Practical lessons assist the students in capturing the concept being passed across. Observers should pay keen interest to note whether the teacher teaches them from what they known to what they do not known and report to the principle. Students will best understand a concept if it is taught from what they already know.
Motivation of employees is one sure way of increasing their productivity. To ensure that the teachers deliver the best to the students, their general well being should be taken care of (Zepeda, 2008). To start with, the principal should see to it that the employer gives them the best pay package. This should come with allowances and benefits in addition to job security. Little pay will make them unsettled as they will be looking for greener pastures. They can not also work well knowing that they can loose their job any time. They should also be given some time off to relax and this should be during the school holidays. Some principals make holiday tuition mandatory without caring that the teachers need some time to refresh. There should also be opportunities for job promotions which should come with a better pay. The principal must create a working environment that is conducive by first creating good interpersonal relationship within the staff (Zepeda, 2008). He or she should also work towards encouraging them to learn from what they teach and share their experiences with one another.
Reference
Zepeda, S. J. (2008). Professional development: What works. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
Receiving education and being good at one’s job is not enough to become a great specialist. Professionals need to keep working on their skills constantly. Continuing professional development (CPD) is necessary for those who strive to achieve the best results at their workplace.
Activities That Constitute CPD
CPD is the process of maintenance, enhancement, and enriching skills, knowledge, and personal qualities needed for the performance of professional duties (1). CPD is significant for laboratory medicine specialists since it helps to provide patients with the best service (2). CPD is constituted by such activities as formal or educational learning, professional activity, work-based learning, and self-directed learning (3). The following categories of CPD may be identified:
distance learning (teleconference, e-conference);
activities suggested by National Society and other professional associations;
publishing articles in professional scholarly journals or performing activities related to them (reviewing, editing);
authoring professional books or book chapters;
professional training (practical laboratory work);
patents in the professional field;
supervision of Ph.D. students or specialist training (2).
To acknowledge the efforts and achievements of the professionals engaged in CPD, a credit system has been developed. According to this scheme, a particular number of points is designated to every hour spent on CPD activities (2; 3).
The Ways of Recording CPD Activities
Recording CPD enables specialists to reach their objectives faster and helps to target the educational demands more effectively (4). A CPD log should include such data as the location, date, and affiliation of the activity. Also, it is necessary to define the type and title of activity and the person (people) who arranged it. Further, a specialist describes the venue and leaves comments and suggestions about it. Also, the log should contain a list of the main points of the session. The CPD log should be checked and signed by a supervisor.
Some companies prefer online logs to handwritten ones. A CPD scheme suggested by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries presupposes using an online record (5). When using this method, a participant has to classify the event into “external” or “other” (5). Depending on the chosen activity, a person needs to describe it in a more detailed form. Further, the number of hours spent on the activity should be mentioned. Participants should keep evidence of all activities for two years (5).
Audit and Recognition of CPD
CPD records are audited and checked with the purpose of recognition by professional bodies such as the National Association of Testing Authorities of Australia. According to regulations, a professional has to complete at least 20 hours of CPD activities annually and at least 120 hours in a three-year period (6). If a person has reduced working hours, they may apply for the reduction of CPD obligations. The reduction may be partial or total, and an applicant has to provide a substantial reason and supporting documents to obtain it (6). An example of such evidence may be a letter from work confirming that the employee has been absent for a period of time or a medical certificate proving that the person’s health condition impacted the ability to complete CPD.
Conclusion
Continuing professional development is a determinant of a professional’s desire to improve skills and knowledge. By participating in CPD activities, specialists remain informed of the newest trends in their field and become able to raise patient satisfaction. CPD is necessary for laboratory medical specialists since their profession requires awareness of contemporary approaches and the ability to apply them in practice.
Topic E, Beletic A, Zima T. Continuing professional development crediting system for specialists in laboratory medicine within 28 EFLM national societies. Bioch Med. 2013;23(3): 332-341.
The educational sphere holds the top priority for contemporary society as the institution responsible for training individuals and preparing for future work and career building. For this reason, the development of the sector remains topical, and there are multiple attempts to foster its further evolution. The proposed literature review is focused on the problem of literacy among students and ways to improve it by providing teachers with training, tools, and equipment vital for their professional development (PD). The choice of the topic is justified by the significant scope of the problem and by the critical importance of PD in terms of modern schools and other educational establishments.
Review of the Literature
Importance of Literacy
The existing body of evidence acknowledges the critical importance of literacy for academic achievement and success. Thus, Ciccarelli (2017) states that the improvement of this factor can also precondition the appropriate rise in other subject areas. Moreover, the statistical data shows that schools focusing on literacy development and its consideration as the foundation of all learning demonstrate improved outcomes, and their students have more chances to succeed in the future (Ciccarelli, 2017). Under these conditions, there is a tendency towards the shift of priorities towards putting much effort into the cultivation of this skill among learners and the creation of an environment beneficial for further achievement. This change also means that teachers should also be ready to alter and engage in PD practices.
The diversity of learners’ needs and the sophistication of society drive change in the teaching process. Today, learning moves away from the old scholastic approaches and “sit and git” methods (Ciccarelli, 2017). The focus on literacy as the foundation of the educational sector presupposes the critical reconsideration of the framework and implementation of a new methodology, including the teacher learning and acquiring new skills and experiences to remain capable of satisfying students’ basic academic demands (Wasik, 2010). Collaboration, professional development, and the increased importance of details and instructions become the central factors of the modern education sector, focusing on literacy promotion (Selvaggi, 2016). The given change is vital for the positive rise and creation of the basis for success in other spheres.
Professional Development
Regarding the processes mentioned above, and the importance of literacy development, professional development is viewed as the factor that should be given much attention and effort. Bates and Morgan (2018) are sure that PD should positively affect teacher knowledge, practice, and student learning, as the most relevant and credible indicators in education. Recent research shows that the change in teachers’ practices is positively correlated with student learning outcomes (Bates & Morgan, 2018). That is why there are multiple attempts to foster positive change and ensure that educators are equipped with innovative tools, skills, and knowledge critical for their success. However, there is still a high risk of failure as not all strategies can be viewed as effective, and teachers might suffer from the inappropriate selection of methods to prepare them for new challenges in terms of the focus on literacy.
In such a way, the approach to organizing professional development among teachers should also be given much attention. Researchers tend to outline several critical elements vital for fostering positive change and equipping educators with practices necessary for their further achievement. These include a focus on content, active learning, support for collaboration, models of effective practice, coaching and expert support, feedback and reflection, sustained duration (Bates & Morgan, 2018). The inclusion of these elements in PD and their better understanding by educators are fundamental for educational establishments as teachers should be ready to function under new conditions and adapt to diversifying learners’ needs, which is impossible not considering these factors.
The content-focused design presupposes significant attention to what is taught. Bates and Morgan (2018) state that the fast-changing nature of society introduces the continuous need for updating the content. It allows teachers to connect theory and practice and attain improved outcomes among learners (Bates & Morgan, 2018). However, educators should be able to select effective and practical strategies that will be able to explain the chosen content and guarantee an enhanced understanding among learners. Regarding literacy, it acquires the top priority as teachers should be ready to meet the diverse needs of students and provide them with explanations and texts vital for their motivation and readiness to engage in the process and master their skills.
Active learning is another critical element of professional development and achievement of success regarding literacy promotion. Bates and Morgan (2018) state that traditional lecture models and approaches presupposing the minimal or passive role of students is not relevant today as they demonstrate undesired outcomes. In terms of literacy, this method cannot guarantee the desired results and should be replaced by new, more interactive, and motivational ones. For this reason, educators should employ more engaging and interactive exercises and view them as a vital part of the whole process. That is why the PD should also be focused on providing teachers with strategies and means how to use active learning approaches in diverse classrooms and attract pupils’ attention to the knowledge that is explained now. At the same time, active learning helps teachers to improve their conceptual understanding of content, its importance, and how it should be presented to individuals.
Speaking about the collaboration, most researchers view it as a central element of professional development and literacy coaching. This view is linked to the fundamental role the factor plays in facilitating positive change and improving outcomes. Collaboration functions as the force cultivating a togetherness mindset, developing collective knowledge, and experience sharing, which is crucial for both teachers and learners (Bates & Morgan, 2018). It can occur at different levels, such as one-on-one conversation, small group learning, or whole-school settings, which means that it is a potent tool that includes the elements of social learning and encourages all stakeholders of the process to share their experiences and fill the gaps in knowledge related to various spheres (Bates & Morgan, 2018). In such a way, by establishing positive relationships between educators and building trust relations with students, it is possible to improve outcomes and understanding of instructional contexts and other nuances.
Teachers should also possess an improved understanding of effective models and practices as another element of PD. The employment of paradigms with proven effectiveness can reduce the level of undesired outcomes and create the basis for new achievements. Stegg and Lambson (2015) state that all educators today need guided opportunities to investigate available materials and select among the most appropriate ones to ensure that they provide knowledge in the most effective ways. For instance, in focusing on literacy, an educator can choose from the pool of strategies that helped his/her colleagues in other establishments and preconditioned positive outcomes (Bates & Morgan, 2018). At the same time, there is also a place for new improvements, which means that the continuity of the teaching process’ continuity is established.
The PD also presupposes substantial support from other specialists, such as instructional leaders, literacy coaches, and principals. Bates and Morgan (2018) assume that the literacy coach’s role becomes critical as he/she becomes responsible for the evolution of teachers and their ability to acquire skills vital for their collaboration with students. Under these conditions, experts should act as helpers and facilitators of professional development among teachers who work with literacy and its promotion (Bates & Morgan, 2018). This sort of support is critical for the achievement of success among students and their transformation into active readers and learners. Coaching also presupposes collaboration, which proves the idea that all components of teachers’ training are vital for the attainment of success.
Sufficient professional development also presupposes feedback and reflection as two interrelated components. Bates and Morgan (2018) state that these factors are critical for deepening any educator’s knowledge and an improved understanding of the current situation. Moreover, it can help to remain in touch with the classroom and consider learners’ needs, their progress at the moment, and gaps in the knowledge that should be filled to create the basis for further achievement (Peterson et al., 2009). In terms of literacy coaching and learning, feedback and reflection can also be viewed as fundamental elements as they help a teacher to select among the existing strategies and alter them to adapt to the current situation and needs.
At the same time, effective professional learning should be a continuous and durable process. Investigators working in the field state that a one-shot approach, regardless of its content and focus, cannot guarantee a significant improvement in educators’ skills. Today, the learners’ needs continue to diversify, which means that teachers should also be ready to become learners and follow existing trends to preserve their capabilities (L’Allier et al., 2010). However, in multiple situations, the attempts to establish the PD paradigm fail because of the incorrect vision of duration and timeframes of teachers’ evolution. Principals might fail to work with educators and insist on short terms of their preparation and training as they are needed for the school’s functioning (Selvaggi, 2016). This mistaken vision can deteriorate the outcomes of PD.
Collaboration
As stated previously, collaboration is often viewed as a critically important element of both PD and literacy coaching. Stegg and Lambson (2015) are sure that the main idea of successful PD is the participation of all actors regardless of the content area, instructional focus, or final goals. It means that teachers, coaches, and principals should work together to create a framework characterized by multiple opportunities available for educators and their professional growth. Fostering the idea that every teacher should also be a literacy teacher, it is vital to ensure that all stakeholders will provide their support and help to attain high flexibility levels (Bos et al., 1999). For this reason, collaboration becomes a vital part of PD and introduces the idea of collaborative learning as one of the most effective ways to transform an educator into a specialist who can promote literacy levels among students in different environments.
The idea of collaboration is closely linked to the concept of community where everyone teaches, learns, and reads. Gilrane et al. (2008) state that along with literacy coaches and teachers themselves, administrators and principals are also vital in fostering positive change and establishing a system that will function and provide educators with the opportunities for their rise. It means that the school context also acquires the top priority as the factor supporting other stakeholders to become effective and teach students literacy.
Finally, speaking about collaboration, specialists admit the positive impact of team coaching and specialized reading professionals. Mokhtari et al. (2009) assume that schools hiring teachers credentialed in their area of expertise might acquire multiple benefits because of the opportunities to establish team coaching practices. Such specialists can share knowledge and skills with other team members and guarantee that their attempts to engage in PD will be successful (L’Allier et al., 2010). Additionally, effective literacy coaches can help to critically evaluate the existing school context and recommend the change that might be beneficial for teaching learners and developing their literacy (Miller & Stewart, 2013). In such a way, principals and other team members are also responsible for attaining final success and teachers’ evolution as specialists.
Instructional Planning
Finally, speaking about PD, the majority of authors recognize the critical importance of instructional planning. Fisher et al. (2012) emphasize the necessity to establish an instructional framework as the basis for the further improvement of teachers’ ability to make appropriate decisions. At the same time, the existence of developed instructions can help to increase the flexibility of teachers and simplify the task of monitoring the academic achievement of students, as well as the success of educators themselves. Moreover, Pomerantz and Pierce (2013) offer the example of a school with poor outcomes which were preconditioned mainly by the lack of clear instructional framework and inappropriate literacy coaching,
Analysis
In such a way, existing research acknowledges the critical importance of literacy in the modern educational sector. It should be cultivated by teachers as the factor promoting success in other spheres and helping learners to improve their academic performance. However, to achieve the given goal, educators should engage in effective PD practices that will guarantee their ability to succeed and provide them with skills and knowledge vital for the relevant tasks. The authors emphasize the critical importance of collaboration, instructional framework, and school context as the primary factors affecting results (Selvaggi, 2016). The focus on these elements and other components of successful PD can help to train educators and make them literacy teachers with an emphasis on the use of new methods and strategies to attain success. Principals and administrators are also viewed as vital stakeholders who remain responsible for outcomes and the formation of the appropriate environment.
Conclusions
Altogether, today, there is a shift of priorities towards the use of innovative and interactive teaching methods to guarantee that students will be able to succeed in the future. Literacy is determined as the fundamental component of the modern educational sector as it promotes success in other subjects and helps students to evolve. However, to become effective literacy teachers, educators should employ new methods and engage in effective PD to eliminate gaps in knowledge and become valuable specialists who can facilitate the further development of schools and the whole sector.
References
Bates, C., & Morgan, D. (2018). Seven elements of effective professional development. The Reading Teacher, 71(5), 623-626. Web.
Bos, C., Mather, N., Narr, R., & Babur, N. (1999). Interactive, collaborative professional development in early literacy instruction: Supporting and Balancing Act. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 14(4), 227-238. Web.
Ciccarelli, M. (2017). Setting the example: What happens when principals make literacy the foundation of all learning. Literacy Today, 5(8), 3.
Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Nelson, J. (2012). Literacy achievement through sustained professional development. The Reading Teacher, 65(8), 551-563. Web.
Gilrane, C., Russel, L., & Roberts, M. (2008). Building a community in which everyone teaches, learns, and reads: A case study. The Journal of Educational Research, 101(6), 333-349.
L’Allier, S., Elish-Piper, L., & Bean, R. (2010). What matters for elementary literacy coaching? Guiding principles for institutional improvement and student achievement. The Reading Teacher, 63(7), 544-554. Web.
Miller, S., & Stewart, A. (2013). Literacy learning through team coaching. The Reading Teacher, 67(4), 290-298. Web.
Mokhtari, K., Thoma, J., & Edwards, P. (2009). How one elementary school uses data to help raise students’ reading achievement. The Reading Teacher, 63(4), 334-337. Web.
Peterson, D., Taylor, B., Burnham, B., & Schock, R. (2009). Reflective coaching conversations: A missing piece. The Reading Teacher, 62(6), 500-509. Web.
Pomerantz, F., & Pierce, M. (2013). “When do we get to read?” Reading instruction and literacy coaching in a “failed” urban elementary school. Reading Improvement, 50(3), 101-117.
Stegg, S., & Lambson, D. (2015). Collaborative professional development. One school’s story. The Reading Teacher, 68(6), 473-478. Web.
Wasik, B. (2010). What teachers can do to promote preschoolers’ vocabulary development: Strategies from an effective language and literacy professional development coaching model. The Reading Teacher, 63(8), 621-633. Web.
Selvaggi, T. (2016). Principal and literacy coach: Collaboration and goal alignment. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 82(3), 28.
Professional development and school improvement is a continuous process. It is imperative that teachers be empowered to improve on their training skills and strategies (National Staff Development Council, 2014). On the other hand, it is the responsibility of the school administration to ensure that students’ performance improve. The presentation defines an effective professional development. In this regard, the presentation focuses on instructional vision and personal development, as well as, associated challenges of the same. Finally, the presentation provides a connection between curriculum, instruction and professional development in the context of an educational setting.
What is effective professional development?
An effective professional development is a necessary process where need for establishing a performing educational system is indispensable (Richards, 2009). There are important elements associated with an effective professional development. In this regard, the importance of facilitating collegiality and collaboration among education stakeholders is critical. Therefore, a teamwork should be established to conduct needs assessment to evaluation of the professional development and school improvement initiative. Moreover, it is necessary to involve educators as primary planners in professional development. Educators possess necessary experience and skills that require improvement. The importance of identifying the purpose of personal development is critical in providing a guideline and inspiration to the initiated efforts.
Effective professional development
An effective professional development must possess diversity of ideas, people and practices as main characteristics (Richards, 2009). There is importance of empowering teachers to facilitate professional development at the school level due to their expertise in classroom culture. Teachers can provide social and technical assistance to colleagues or during the initial phases of the professional development initiative. Moreover, teachers understand the importance of a follow-up in the program and inclusion of stakeholders from the learning community. An effective professional development process must adhere to school and personnel schedules. In addition, integrated planning is critical in ensuring the initiative is well-coordinated. An effective professional development encourages systems thinking for optimal benefit. In this regard, the use of technical and communication systems to integrate subsystems and phases of change towards a common goal is necessary. Considerations of the complexity nature of provides an insight into how the same will be managed by the facilitators. Finally, an effective professional development must be results-driven.
A common instructional vision
A common instructional vision is a general description of practices agreed upon by major stakeholders. In this regard, instruction vision in a professional development program entails common practices for education instructors. In this context, the aspect of supporting or facilitating a common instructional vision is evidenced. A common instructional vision must include a narrative of how a common practice is to be applied. Therefore, the inclusion of learning theories and methods in regard to the professional development and student improvement initiative must be applied as a point of reference (Cramer, 2007).
Instructional vision
Indeed, a common instructional vision can foster student achievement. Instructional vision provides a standardized guideline to the teachers. In this regard, teachers employ systematic tutoring methodologies that are customized to suit students’ learning needs. From common instructional vision, students benefit from systematic approval and intervention practices embedded in the district curriculum. In this context, provision of education services in the school district are deemed to be equitable. Therefore, students are offered with an equal opportunity to perform within the same approval, interventions, instructions and tutoring standards (Cramer, 2007). Common instructional vision is critical in ensuring that strategic allocation of resources among schools in the district benefits all students. For example, appropriate allocation of resources like teachers and finances follows requires autonomy among schools because of quality reasons. The improvement in students’ performances is reflected through clear and collaborated efforts of a common instruction vision.
Professional development
The link between a common instructional vision and professional development is the objective to improve teachers’ pedagogical practices, learning experience and students performance. A common instructional vision is the principle guideline and objective to achieving a commonly desired goal of implementing change in the education system through professional development. As indicated earlier, professional development can enhance student achievement through new learning behavior (Richards, 2009). New learning standards, curriculum and schedules can be customized to meet students’ needs for optimal performance. Institutional changes for an effective professional development initiative include improved stakeholders’ collaborations, educational policies, curriculum content, diversity of ideas and people, communication strategies, training methods and use of technology-based techniques (Keengwe, Onchwari & Wachira, 2008).
Challenges
Previous teaching cultures especially in schools and between people impedes establishment of a professional development initiative. Lack of enough resources to allocate especially teachers and funds can be a challenge. Lack of collaborative structures impedes the training process and communication.
Conclusion
In an education setting, a curriculum remains the primary design through which acquiring of knowledge and skills must follow. A curriculum is a standardized design formulated by school districts or educational institutions. On the other hand, instructions are practical means through which acquisition of knowledge and skills takes place. However, instructions are embedded in a curriculum. For a curriculum to take effect, it is imperative to train teachers for optimal benefit to the students. In this regard, professional development is the process through which teachers are trained on how to develop and use an effective curriculum (Richards, 2009). Therefore, it is important to include instructions that are realistic and help the students improve on academic performance
References
Cramer, S. R. (2007). Update your classroom with learning objects and twenty-first-century skills. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 80(3), 126-132.
Keengwe, J., Onchwari, G., & Wachira, P. (2008). The use of computer tools to support meaningful learning. AACE journal, 16(1), 77-92.
National Staff Development Council. (2014). Standards for professional learning. Web.
Richards, M. K. (2009). Closing the Gap between Professional Development and Student Achievement. Web.
Adjusting Current Knowledge and Skills to the Changing Environment;
Ensuring Creative Organization of the Content.
The professional development of an early childhood education teacher is a continuous knowledge building cycle. Such learning implies an in-depth understanding of student needs and the ways that are most beneficial to meet their expectations. Even those teachers who are confident in their skills and competences need to reconsider their beliefs and methods due to the rapidly changing environment. For instance, while the solid foundation of factual information is obtained by an educator, it is still important to organize knowledge in a creative way to ensure that students are involved in the process of learning.
2020:
Field of Professional Development;
Reviewing the Standards by NAYEC.
2021:
Remaining aware of the recent technological advancements;
Integrating technology into my practice.
2022:
Assessing various resources for teaching;
Sharing experience with others and learning from colleagues.
…:
Becoming an active member of the teachers’ community;
Developing critical thinking and informed decisions.
Early childhood professional development promotes one’s involvement with the given field through the use of professional standards and ethical guidelines. In this connection, I plan to engage in continuous learning to inform my practice, reviewing the standards and adjusting my performance to them as an ongoing process. At the same time, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) recommends integrating technology into the teaching and learning with the aim of obtaining relevant information in a timely manner. I would like to be aware of the recent technologic advancements in the field of early childhood education, being able to use them in working with children. Most importantly, technology provides a valuable opportunity to access the resources for teaching, including scholarly articles, templates, check lists, and activities. The latter refers to collaborative learning, which boosts critical thinking, reflection, and informed decisions.
Diversity and Content Presentation
Looking for the ways to expand their content knowledge and information presentation (InTaSC, standard);
Encouraging children to better understand the material, as well as question and reflect on themes (4o);
Making the content more comprehensive and properly selected specifically for target students (4p; 9d);
Engaging in both group and individual learning, identifying the pertinent enhancement needs (9a, 9b);
Personalizing practice (9l) and focusing on diversity awareness (9e).
The Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) offers a range of teacher development standards. I strongly believe that this standard contributes to encouraging children to better understand the material, as well as question and reflect on themes (4o). As a result, the content explained and presented by a teacher during lessons is to become more comprehensive and properly selected specifically for target students (4p; 9d). The progression for Standard 9 seems to lead to the personalization of practice (9l) and diversity awareness (9e). In my point of view, it is critical to understand cultural, gender, ethnic, and other learning differences while using resources and preparing for lessons.
Communication and Collaboration
I plan to establish the continuing relationships with the community resources (10e) and other teachers to develop their knowledge and act as a leader as well (10f, 10i).
Use technological instruments (10g).
Develop collaborative interaction (10n).
Build community in virtual contexts (3a).
Leadership and collaboration compose the essence of Standard 10 that is elaborated by InTASC to foster teachers’ responsibility for student learning and collaborate with colleagues. In a broader context, I consider that my role also lies in applying communication to connect families, students, and my colleagues via technological instruments (10g). For creating such links, I need to have knowledge on working with adults and collaborative interaction (10n). My future initiative will be devoted to developing with my colleagues, improving our knowledge, and supporting children (10r). In terms of The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards, I want to create the activities that would leverage technology (4a) and make positive impacts on building community in virtual contexts (3a). In addition, I agree with points 4c and 5 d, which recommend collaborative tools to share students’, real-life experience along with the creation of innovative digital learning environments.
Leadership
Effective implementation of policies and regulations to manage and support colleagues;
Collaboration with families and care providers to ensure connections;
Education quality maintenance.
NAEYC Professional Standards
Core Elements of Teacher Development Ethics;
Humane approach to teaching students;
Commitment to child development;
Advocacy for ethical use of resources;
Respect for diversity.
Code of Ethical Conduct:
Self-analysis;
Responsibility;
Evidence use;
Awareness.
A Code of Ethical Conduct is a document provided by NAEYC to guide teachers based on a set of moral principles and the discipline. As an early childhood teacher, I believe that I should explore the concept of ethics and employ it throughout my career (“2010 NAEYC standards for initial & advanced early childhood professional preparation programs”, 2010). Therefore, I would strive to reflect on my ethical teaching and try to improve it by following the mentioned code. Consistent with the ethical practice guidelines that are proposed by InTASC, I will advocate for the ethical use of information and sources, showing respect for others (9f). InTASC informs my responsibility for utilizing a set of strategies for self-evaluation and self-reflection, which assist in adapting to the changing environment (9g). The understanding of relevant policies, laws, and ethics composes another goal of my professional development (9o). The formation of early childhood education implies the dedication to planning time with colleagues and working as a team to enable ethical practice.
California Requirements
Early childhood education teachers need to obtain Child Development Permits that are approved by a Commission.
The California Professional Growth Manual implies a five-year renewal cycle, and there are ten-year mandatory professional growth necessities.
LA County: the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education.
Every teacher can choose a professional growth advisor and discuss the preferred activities. As stated by the Manual, I consider it useful to have the right to amend the personal lifelong learning plan. In LA County, it is possible to refer to one or several of organizations that provide support for early childhood educators. For example, the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education: stipends are funded by the California Department of Education/Early Education and Support Division. Another option for early education teachers’ is Child Care Resource and Referral (R&R) and Alternative Payment (AP) agencies. The Gateways for Early Educators is a system for comprehensive training and strengthening their competences (“Gateways for Early Educators”, 2020).
Theories from Research
Schachter (2015) explored the effects of professional learning and 35 information delivery mechanisms.
It was found that teachers should focus on diversity in the content and resources as well as experiment with innovative technology and more elaborated means of evaluating their learning outcomes.
The current evidence offers a wide range of early childhood professional development theories and recommendations. Indeed, my plan will include a great emphasis on using a range of tools to present information and make sure that my students are engaged in the process of education. I will implement the instructional design principles and support student learning.
The reflection on teachers’ practicum-related activities is proposed by Körkkö, Kyrö-Ämmälä, and Turunen (2016), who stress the role of a thematic analysis approach.
I will apply the typology of reflection by Jay and Johnson, which involves comparative, descriptive, and critical stages of reflection.
In particular, feedback and reflection are noted as the strategies that promote an educator’s professional development. It will give me the opportunity to continuously seek the ways to research the literature as well as generate new evidence.
Webinar
Through a webinar, it is possible to take distance learning courses, organize meetings with interesting people, and discuss the problems of modern education (Allred & Hancock, 2015).
A webinar is a type of web conference, online meeting, or online presentation in real- time. During the webinar, each of the participants accesses the resources through a personal computer, and communication between them is supported via the Internet. Based on the results of webinars, you can receive a certificate indicating the topic and the number of hours he or she have listened, which, in turn, is a confirmation of the advanced training (Allred & Hancock, 2015).
Workshop
Workshop is practical work or discussion of a particular subject;
Examples: cooperative and collaborative learning, inquiry-based learning, and interdisciplinary learning in the classroom (Gomez, Kagan, & Fox, 2015).
Workshops can include strategies, videos, and tips to advance early childhood teacher education. Among other issues, workshops emphasize the role of pedagogy, classroom practice, and knowledge development. By completing these activities, teachers are expected to improve in different areas, such as teaching differentiation and strategies or problem-solving in a classroom.
Conferences
A holistic approach to lifelong learning;
An intercultural dialogue;
Active citizenship;
Social values;
Cross-community interaction and learning.
Another area I would like to participate in is conferences on early childhood education, both at regional and national levels. My purpose is to obtain the experience of other participants and share insightful information from my learning. The conferences also provide the opportunity to guide teachers’ decision-making and introduce changes in their practice. In a broader context, conferences contribute to global citizenship, empowering learners and promoting social values. Thus, the platforms for early childhood education allow for linking theory and practice and exploring various perspectives on the topics of interest.
References
Allred, K. W., & Hancock, C. L. (2015). Reconciling leadership and partnership: Strategies to empower professionals and families. Young Children, 70(2), 46-53.
Gateways for Early Educators. (2020). Web.
Gomez, R. E., Kagan, S. L., & Fox, E. A. (2015). Professional development of the early childhood education teaching workforce in the United States: An overview. Professional Development in Education, 41(2), 169-186.
Körkkö, M., Kyrö-Ämmälä, O., & Turunen, T. (2016). Professional development through reflection in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, 198-206.
Schachter, R. E. (2015). An analytic study of the professional development research in early childhood education. Early Education and Development, 26(8), 1057-1085.
2010 NAEYC standards for initial & advanced early childhood professional preparation programs. Web.
In a differentiated instruction, the teacher plans tactically in order to satisfy the needs of all students. This method of instruction is based on the belief that there exists a degree of differences among groups of learners and the teacher will change the instruction method to fit any particular group (Tomlinson and Allan, 2000).
Thus, a varied kind of tuition is a way for tutors to give instruction based on individual capacity to learn and understand things better at a persona level.
Tomlinson defined differentiated instruction as a teaching philosophy in which learners’ interests are best served when the facilitator, in this case the teacher, is aware of the variance in the learner’s levels of readiness, interest and learning profile (Sousa, 2001).
In addition, she insists that differentiation is more than an instructional strategy for teaching; rather it is a new and creative way of understanding learning and teaching (Tomlinson and Allan, 2000).
According to Tomlinson (1999a), classroom teachers should begin from where their students are and not from the first page of the curriculum guide book.
A classroom that is differentiated will use a vast number of instructional strategies, be more creative and flexible with time management as the teacher develops ways to collaborate more with the students in creating an environment that is not only conducive for learning, but also fits the individual needs of each leaner (Tomlinson, 1999b).
The most essential aspect of a differentiated classroom is the availability of data on the learner’s readiness for a specific skill through assessments by the teacher. This data provides valuable feedback to the teacher thus allowing him or her to modify the content, process and the product.
Identifying Components
In a differentiated instruction, there are some key features that are instrumental in maintaining the integrity of the education environment. According to Tomlinson, there are three elements of the curriculum that teachers can differentiate (Tomlinson and Imbeau, 2010). Some of the areas that can be differentiated in a class room by the teachers are:
Content: These are what the student is actually learning. Content deals with facts of the unit. These facts taught may include the skills and principles taught by the teacher.
Process: This is the way content is being delivered to the learners. Process uses activities that help learners gain an understanding of the concepts and skills being taught by the teacher.
Product: This enables students to showcase their acquired concepts and skills in and outside the classroom. With these core principles, the teacher can now differentiate the content (which is what he or she teaches) from the process (which is how he or she teaches) to the product (which is what he or she uses to demonstrate the student’s learning).
Teachers conduct these processes by being aware of the student’s readiness (what the learners know), their preferred style to learning or the learning profile and finally their interests (Sousa 2001).
Finding goals and objectives that are essential (KUDs): Differentiated instruction is based on the assumption that it has a well-developed curriculum as differentiation cannot occur in a vacuum.
In articulating this process the teacher needs to have a clear understanding of short and long term learning objectives; be able to share these short and long-term goals and objective with student; with a clear understanding of what the goal are based on; and finally to be able to reorganize and prioritize these learning goals and objectives (Sousa and Tomlinson, 2010).
KUD-Objectives: Know Understand Do
The learning goals and objectives which deal in facts are in the “know” group
The second is the “Do”-group. Some of the challenges experienced by teachers in trying to develop instructions that are beneficial to their learners include;
Making sure that a room is created for genuine context for assessment and also for practice
Developing major skills that can be assessed and is known to produce improvement
Determining self-assessment reports from students coupled with constant assessment by the teacher
Being able to give useful and timely feedback to students concerning their skills
The third group is involved with the “understanding”. This is the less talked about group and some of the questions that a teacher may ask to help clarify this category are as follows-:
What does the teacher want the leaner to remember and understand 2 years from now?
What is it that the teacher wants the learner to use inside and outside the classroom?
Why do we study these skills?
What does it mean to be proficient in a particular skill?
Assessing the student’s readiness, interest and learning profile
As already mentioned earlier, another core component of differentiated instruction is an effective assessment (Tomlinson, 1995). The following are some of the strategies used in the learner’s assessment even though some experienced educators have developed some intuitive ways of assessing their students.
Formative assessment
This is a key tool used to highlight the need to concentrate on understanding while improving on the learner’s learning as opposed to measuring the learning (Wiggins,2004). This tool is not focused on ranking students but in designing tasks that gives data on all areas of the student’s learning with the clear understanding of their own cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
The formative assessment involves some or all of the following: pre-assessment activities, ongoing informal assessments, observation, checklists, student reflection and self-assessments, exit slips and collaborative analysis of student’s work.
Feedback
Feedback is central to communication between the educator and student. This is a special skill the teacher must learn to be able to communicate effectively and provide guidance to the learners.
Pre-assessment
This process is normally conducted at the start of each semester. This is the initial stage of the assessment process as it accords the teacher an opportunity to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their learners.
Readiness, interest and learning profile
Several researches by experts have shown that assessing readiness and learning profile are critical to the creation of a differentiated class. It is believed that these are the factors that differentiate one learner from the other, and are crucial in the planning of the instructions (Tomlinson, 1995).
Readiness
Teachers generally tend to employ different types of assessments to help gauge a student’s readiness with particular interest in their knowledge or skills and understanding. Tomlinson states that readiness levels in a class vary, so must the complexity of work provided (Tomlinson, 2003).
Interest
The student’s interests are also assessed as part of the differentiated instruction as this information is used in developing learning experiences that are relevant to the learners. There are certain software applications such as the mind manager and the Inspiration that can be used by teachers to guide through concepts and subtopics which may be of personal interest to the students (Tomlinson, 2010).
Learning Profile
This alludes to the best style with which a student learns. It’s their preferred way of learning which may be influenced by learning style, intelligence preference, culture, and gender.
This differentiation can be done by the use journals, videotape presentations, and role plays, changing the environment, oral histories, or project-based learning. Because of the difference in student’s motivation and role its role in learning, it is paramount for the teachers to understand it to be able to apply the necessary strategies to motivate them (Nunley, K).
Available data and research gives credence to the notion that learning styles of students change over time and with age. This affords the learners an opportunity to develop alternative learning strategies and thinking skills to prepare them for the tasks that require specific modalities.
The student’s learning profile helps the teacher to develop strategies that target the natural strength of the student while seeking to develop other alternative learning strategies.
Designing differentiated strategies
Classroom Routines
These are important because of the different changes that occur in classes that may be confusing and at times distracting. A typical class routine may begin with the large group interactions, small groups and finally paired or individual practice (Wiggins, 2004).
Tiered Assignments
Generally tiered activities are a series of tasks with different degrees of complexity but are related in their objective and outcome. The activities involved in this process are intrinsic to the desired skills and understanding that the learners need to obtain. Educators in some cases use these activities as a special way of achieving the same goals and objectives of the learners while being sensitive to their unique needs
Flexible Grouping
The performance of the student will change depending on their readiness thus the teacher should allow for movements within the groups as these allows the learners to benefit as leaders and from intellectual peers. Based on the premise that “one size does not fit all”, teachers using flexible groupings endeavor to attend to learners who may be identified as gifted while not excluding those who lag behind the unit level or grade level.
Table 1
Gathering Evidence: Life Cycle of Plants
Teaching Method
Differentiated Instruction Feature(s)
Give several examples.
In developing the lesson plan, the facilitator can comes up with examples that can help the learners to focus on seeds. The teacher may also use growing plants as an example in the classrooms
Focus on important features.
The teacher uses oral presentation to focus the learners on the important aspects of the lesson. The teacher can focus the learners using written materials as this allows for the monitoring of the learners progress on these important issues in the classroom lesson.
Provide different media platforms.
Different course texts were availed by the teacher and areas of reading difficulty were identified in the books. These parts were provided to the learners in digital and audio forms for easier accessibility.
Support background context.
A lot of planning with various different aspects were conducted to provide the necessary background context:
Before this particular assignment was done, the teacher and the learners had isolated seeds from different tree grown within the school compound. This allowed the teacher to concretize the seeds from their earlier abstract concepts.
To enable the students to learn from their “proximal zone of development,” the teacher instructed the learners on how to find books that challenge them appropriately.
Provide peer learning.
Students are given the freedom or choice to work in pairs to research the questions. The teacher shifts into a facilitator’s role by monitoring the work done independently or in pairs
Allow for different avenues to showcase skills.
The most important aspect of this lesson is its adaptability which creates room for various approaches during the lesson as they choose their preferred learning style.
Different varieties in content and tools.
The lesson were developed with different varieties in content and tools:
Varieties in the resource materials,
Varieties in the access (text, digital, audio), and
Varieties in the response style.
Allow for different levels of complexity challenge.
Different levels of complexity are offered to the students by the teacher through varied texts which represent varying levels of challenges. This process enables the learners to be tasked with researching questions that are adequately challenging to each of them.
Offer choices of learning contexts.
During the course of this lesson, the teacher developed ways that differentiated the learning context:
Learners have the option to vary their response to the research science question in a written or recorded form.
Learners can work in small group, in pairs or independently during the assignment completion portion of the lesson.
Challenges and Conclusion
The biggest task in executing differentiated instruction has to do with how time is managed. The amount of time consumed in planning for a lesson by the teacher is considerable. The planning time includes the teachers’ assessment of the needs of each individual learner.
As we already know, students have different levels of readiness and interest and this requires a teacher to prepare activities that do not discriminate against any student. Achieving this task requires a lot of careful planning which is time consuming, as the teacher tries to incorporate key concepts while designing appropriate activities for each learner.
The nature of differentiated instruction allows for transitions to occur in the classrooms. This aspect of a differentiated class creates a challenge in the management of the class as the educator changes his/her role to that of a facilitator.
Finally, the need for continuous professional development cannot be emphasized enough as it allows the teachers to stay abreast with the emerging trends on skills and strategies of differentiated instructions. Teachers constantly encounter skills which may be new to them but they are encouraged to use them during the teaching process to build their confidence.
For differentiated instruction to become a successful in our schools, the teachers and the students passion and commitment is forms a huge part of the process. This is a new instructional approach that requires patience and perseverance on the part of the student and teacher as they settle into a different way of learning (Nunley, 2003).
Their participation is paramount to the success of this process as they encourage teachers in their professional development or peer coaching. It is therefore important to engage in instructional practices that integrate evaluated approaches as they are more likely to bring desired results in the learning process
References
Nunley, K. (2003). A student’s brain: The parent/teacher manual. Amherst, NH: Solution Tree Press.
Sousa, D. (2001). How the brain learns. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sousa, D., & Tomlinson, C. (2011). Differentiation and the brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom. Bloomington: Solution Tree.
Tomlinson, C. A. (1995). Deciding to differentiate instruction in the middle school: One school’s journey. Gifted Child Quarterly. 39(2), 77-87.
Tomlinson, C. A. (1999b). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Tomlinson, C. A. (2003). Deciding to teach them all. Educational Leadership. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Tomlinson, C. A., et al. (2000). Leadership for differentiating schools and classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Tomlinson, C. A., & Imbeau, M. B. (2010).Leading and managing a differentiated classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Any educational institution should be focused precisely on the professional and personal growth of the student and the staff. Psychologists state that the primary core of a person is his uniqueness, essence, and integrity. Therefore, it is necessary to create appropriate conditions for revealing all qualities. The social environment creates firm motives for cognition and gaining professional skills critical for sufficient life in society (Didion et al., 2019). Instructors and peers have a great influence on the student’s motivation and the development of their potential. The teaching staff is obliged to identify effective initiatives for the professional growth and discover an effective system for assessing their achievements.
Incentives for Learning
An engaged person strives for the ongoing acquisition of knowledge, which is constantly enriched and leads to changes in various areas of the personality. The curriculum should encourage this initiative and create essential conditions for flexible personal development and gaining experience (Kalinowski et al., 2017). The professional growth of a student will be effective if the central role in the learning process belongs to the students themselves. He must be aware of himself as an independent, self-organized person with supportive and emphatic backing from the teaching staff. Educational institutions should stimulate and encourage the desire of the student to be a free thinker more than any formally acquired knowledge, skills, and abilities (Zhaohui & Anning, 2020). The best approach, in this case, is the teacher reference example.
The Importance of Teacher Evaluation
Adequate pedagogical assessment plays a principal role in the development and growth of students. Instructors take part in an objective explanation to the learner of the realities of the world and its rules, which is critical for proficient (Yangambi et al., 2021). Parents cannot always give a matter-of-fact assessment, but teachers should become impartial but fair mentors with an exclusively sober view of reality. To provide adequate support on this matter, the teacher should be emotionally stable, well-motivated, and involved in the learning process.
Conclusion
Being in an active educational environment determines the teacher’s and student’s professional growth and stimulates their transition to higher levels of development. The principal contradiction that encourages the students’ scholarly activity (if there is proper motivation) is the contradiction between their abilities and the inner necessities for personal development and professional activity (Gore et al., 2017). In some cases, this state of affairs can cause negative feelings and dissonance in the student. However, the correct approach to learning will only serve as an additional incentive to overcome the barrier. Such an approach may be achievable only due to the high professionalism and sincere willingness to help on the teacher’s behalf.
References
Didion, L., Toste, J., & Filderman, M. (2019). Teacher professional development and student reading achievement: A meta-analytic review of the effects. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 13(1), pp. 1–38.
Gore, J., Lloyd, A., Smith, M., Bowe, J., Ellis, H., & Lubans, D. (2017). Effects of professional development on the quality of teaching: Results from a randomised controlled trial of quality teaching rounds. Teaching and Teacher Education, 68, pp. 99–113.
Yangambi, M. (2021) Teacher professional development and student achievement in a developing country. Creative Education, 12, pp. 22–23.
Zhaohui, C., & Anning, A. (2020). Impact of teachers’ professional development on students’ academic performance in higher education. International Journal of Advanced Education and Research, (5)2, pp. 50–57. Web.
