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PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The mission of professional development is to prepare and support educators to help all students achieve to high standards of learning and development. When professional development is effective, a number of principles can be identified. In particular, it

  • Focuses on teachers as central to student learning, yet includes all other members of the school community;
  • Focuses on individual, collegial, and organizational improvement;
  • Respects and nurtures the intellectual and leadership capacity of teachers, principals, and others in the school community;
  • Reflects best available research and practice in teaching, learning, and leadership;
 
  • Enables teachers to develop further expertise in subject content, teaching strategies, uses of technologies, and other essential elements in teaching to high standards;
  • Promotes continuous inquiry and improvement embedded in the daily life of schools;
  • Is planned collaboratively by those who will participate in and facilitate that development;
  • Requires substantial time and other resources;
  • Is driven by a coherent long-term plan;
  • Is evaluated ultimately on the basis of its impact on teacher effectiveness and student learning; and this assessment guides subsequent professional development efforts.

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