Professional development - it's personal #youredustory

Last January I wrote a post answering the question, "What is one significant practice in teaching?"  I wrote about the significance of planning and how it is multidimensional.  You can read that post here!

This January I'd like to answer the question with another significant practice ... professional development!

By professional development, I don't mean a meeting, workshop, or training ... something your administration assigns to you.  Professional development is personal!

Professional development is you assessing your teacher know-how, with-it-ness, effectiveness - and developing a personal learning plan for improvement ...

It's ...
Feeding up ... clarifying your goals as an educator ... your next steps -
    Feeding back ... getting responses to your work from administrators, colleagues, students, parents -
        Feeding forward ... using feedback to adjust teaching style, strategies -

                        To make a difference in students' lives!
                                        That's the BIG purpose of professional development!

Professional development is "life-long" learning!
     It's belonging to a professional organization ...
               Reading journals and books ...
                      Talking the talk with like-minded colleagues ...
                             Questioning policies, procedures, methods for effectiveness ...
                                    Searching out not just new ideas but better ideas ...
                                          Putting research to work, replicating it in your classroom

Professional development is thinking critically ...
    Observing,
          Analyzing,
                 Looking for patterns,
                         Reflecting ...

                              It's introspective ... it's about growth ... it's about change ... it's hard work!

It's teacher as learner ... full circle!