2. Allow time for reflection
The end of each session provides time to reflect. Was the session effective? That’s the first question I always ask. As teachers, we ask our students to be authentic, so we need to model that when designing and developing PD. I use Google Forms and a “What Stuck with You?” board to gauge others’ thoughts. This allows for authentic, unfiltered, quality feedback. There’s no point in doing sessions the same over and over if others have ideas for improvement. The Google Forms are anonymous, and the board allows teachers to read what others thought and expand on issues or ideas stemming from the session.
3. Follow up with on-demand training materials
I like to email teachers certain posts, videos, or other materials that they can absorb on their own time. I find that videos and multimedia content are easy to digest—making it the perfect follow up to in-person trainings. Blog posts, webinars, and videos can address concerns or lingering questions long after PD has taken place. Since we have Renaissance assessment and practice solutions at our district, we use their online PD platform, Renaissance-U®, to facilitate on-demand learning. We also subscribe to Teaching Channel® and share videos through their platform.
Together, all these resources provide another source of reliable content to help new and veteran teachers alike improve. In-person sessions are great, but questions always come later. The nice thing about all this content is that it provides a follow up and a check-in with others. I can see how they’re doing, find out whether they have questions, and stay connected throughout the year.
Effective PD sessions and multimedia content are helping us better engage and retain our new teachers at Marshall. We’ve learned a lot about how best to work together throughout the school year to ensure everyone feels supported and has the resources they need to positively impact student learning outcomes. I’m excited about the direction we’re heading.
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