Rethinking Staff PD #SAVMP

EdCampVT, Oct 2012

In another prompt as part of the SAVMP program, George wrote:

I would love some of your thoughts on the following questions: 

1. What are some of the ways that you create meaningful staff professional development? 

2. What have you found to be the most beneficial PD experiences that lead to better learning in the classroom?

These two questions are pretty different, but increasingly linked.

The connection goes right through the center of Drive, by Daniel Pink. I wrote about this book at length here and at Connected Principals. I seek to create staff learning that offers a sense of purpose, a chance for mastery, and a high degree of autonomy. 
I experimented with a Fedex Day. I am a strong supporter of allowing choice at district PD days (we call them Academy Days - teachers choose from a large catalog). I join teams in book studies that they decide upon.

For my own learning, I owe tons to my PLN and EdCamp experiences; they've had a major impact on how I lead and how I teach. At the same time I have been very lucky to have great learning experiences at traditional conferences over the last few years.

At NEASCD in November 2012, I attended a wonderful session from the folks at the Right Question Institute. They taught a great process for learners to get to some real thinking by asking good questions. I used the process in both the classroom and faculty meetings to create better learning. Just last week, I attended the ASCD conference on Leadership in Las Vegas with a colleague from Vermont. We left Vegas with so many ideas to share with the district leadership team.
So, really, my answers to both questions are the same. Meaningful PD can be found in many different venues as long as it the learner has some choice (autonomy), a sense of purpose, and the chance to practice and improve (mastery).

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