Transforming Professional Development into Student Results

by Douglas B. Reeves

How can we create and sustain professional learning programs that actually lead to improved student achievement? In this thoughtful and informative guide for teachers, administrators, and policymakers, Douglas B. Reeves provides answers. First he casts a critical eye on professional learning that is inconsistent, unfocused, and ultimately ineffective, and explains why elaborate planning documents and "brand-name" programs are not enough to achieve desired outcomes. Then he outlines how educators at all levels can improve this situation by
* Taking specific steps to move from vision to implementation;

* Focusing on four teaching, curriculum, assessment, and leadership;

* Making action research work;

* Moving beyond the "train the trainer" model; and

* Using performance assessment systems for teachers and administrators.
If you're tired of professional development that takes up too much time and delivers too little, read Transforming Professional Development into Student Results and discover how to move toward a system that gives educators the learning experiences they need to make a measurable difference for their schools and their students.

Genres: Education, Reference

156 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2010

Reviews

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides educators with ideas regarding how to put research results into practice. The new teacher evaluation process that is being adopted by many districts is also addressed. Problems with current professional development and how to improve professional development are addressed. I found this book very informative.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read, practical book. Guess what we need to focus on for great professional development? People! I know, crazy? Guess what else will create mayhem to professional development? Too many initiatives. Another crazy idea. We have all been there but this book has the data to back it up.

You need people to have fidelity to an ‘idea’ they believe. Revolve professional development around this idea.

[Alabama Best Practices Center · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the ASCD members books. It arrived about 3 weeks ago and is well-worth the read. This short book is 143 pages long, including the appendix and is packed full of easy-to-read research and recommendations about how to design, deliver, and sustain the type of professional development that improves student learning.

Here's an excerpt: "The time required for focused professional learning is extraordinary, at least in the context of most current scheduled [Linda:] Darling-Hammond and Richardson (2009) synthesized professional learning research and note:

'Teachers who had 80 or more hours of professional development in inquiry-based science during the previous year were significantly more likely to use this type of science instruction than teachers who had experienced fewer hours … Studies of professional development lasting 14 or fewer hours showed no effects on student learning … The largest effects were found for programs offering between 30 and 100 hours spread out over 6-12 months.' (p. 49)

"Although his sort of commitment may sound overwhelming in a time of tight budgets and crammed schedules, trade-offs are possible. What would be the effect on professional learning if you combined the traditional opening-of-school inspirational speech, four district-level staff development days, and 18 biweekly staff meetings – perhaps 48 hours of professional learning – and focused all of them on improved literacy instruction? While your immediate thoughts might migrate to all of the content that teachers would miss by forgoing those workshops and meetings, weigh that against the power of focus on a single area of improve teaching. To make the comparison more dramatic, stop for a moment and evaluate the effect on learning of the school opening, the one-day workshops, and the staff meetings of last year. What aspects of that content are you applying? What would you have missed by being absent those days? If you were to decide in the months ahead to substitute high-impact learning for meetings, assemblies, and workshops, you may decide that you are not giving up much at all." p. 67

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be entirely forthright, I didn't actually read the whole book. Having said that, the parts I did read for grad school were awesome! I feel very validated that there's a reason (or reasonS) that professional development hasn't always/usually felt successful. I also feel inspired to be a person who can illicit change in terms of providing quality professional development to teachers. Great book!

[Jennifer Brokofsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book- a professional development book that puts teachers first A must read for anyone in staff development.