Alternate Professional Learning

What does Professional Development (PD) look like now?

Why Does PD Need to Change?

According to a study quoted by Allison Gulamhussein, “districts should recognize the problem isn’t that teachers don’t participate in professional development. It’s that, on the whole, the majority of the professional development they do participate in is ineffective.” Another study found that some districts are spending upwards of $18,000 per year on professional development per teacher (Hill pg. 2). Districts need to make sure that the money that they are spending is being put to use effectively. What follows is a PD / PL plan that is focused around the idea of active learning and collaborative inquiry. Active learning, collaboration and collaborative inquiry is showcased in my Alternate PL plan chart.

Big Hairy Audacious Goal

We will get at least 80% of our Economics students to complete at least 1 Project Based Learning (PBL) module by the end of the 2021/2022 school year.

Professional Learning Plan Outline

Our district provides a collaboration day every Wednesday. The catch is that these Wednesday collaborations are divided up into district collaboration, school site/ admin collaboration, department/PLC collaboration. As you look at the calendar, please be mindful that I will be required to share some of my dates with others.

The 5 Principles of Effective PD

I.  Duration 1/05/22-6/1/22

    A.  The Economics class is 18 weeks long. 

    B.  The PBL project PL will be for 18 weeks. 

    C.  There will be hourly sessions as laid out in our contract during PLC days.

    D.  There will be informal sessions in between the four formal sessions.

II.  Teacher support during implementation

     A.  Four formal meetings

     B.  18 weeks of informal meetings

III.  Active Learning (Teachers will learn by doing)

      A.  No lectures 

      B.  Scarcity Project

      C.  Inquiry model of learning

IV.  Modeling (teachers will learn by doing)

      A.  Scarcity project

      B.  Reverse engineering a project

V.  Content Specific

     A.  Econ teachers only

VI.  Facilitators

      A.  Wayne Wilson

      B.  Team leads

VII.  Audience Needs

     A.  Chromebooks

     B.  Scarcity project

VIII. Resources

      A.  PBL Scarcity project

      B.  Chromebooks

      C.  Shared folder for projects

      D. PBL Questions Shared Document

      E.  1 Presentation

I will be using the Alternate PL plan to teach other teachers how to implement PBL in their classrooms. To find out more about this, click >>>here<<< to go to my innovation plan.

Aligning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes	Learning Activities	Assessment
Foundational: Learners will distinguish between active and passive learning.	1 How to do a rear naked choke2 what is the differnce between active learning and passive learning?3 Introduction to PBL (Scarcity Project)	1 Completing at least one module in their classes2 Building one module as a team3 Discussion
Application: Students will be able to justify and apply the principles of active learning.	1 Compare how you teach Scarcity with the PBL module.  What are the similarities?  What are the differences?	1 Completing at least one module in their classes2 Building one module as a team3 Discussion/Journal
Integration: Learners will be able to explain how they will put PBL into practice in their classrooms	1 How can you use PBL in your classroom?2 What barriers keep you from using PBL in your classroom?	1 Completing at least one module in their classes2 Building one module as a team3 Discussion
Human/Caring: Students will be able to identify how PBL modules will help our specific clientele. Students will be able to explain how collaborative and active learning will help our clientele.	How does PBL act asa preventative measure for discipline issues?	1 Completing at least one module in their classes2 Building one module as a team3 Discussion
Learning How to Learn: Students will complete a premade PBL assignment. Students will be able to understand the basics of putting a PBL module together.	1 Complete Scarcity project 2 Present finished PBL modules for review and critique.	1 Completing at least one module in their classes2 Building one module as a team3 Discussion

What the Alternate PL Plan might look like

Date	Length	Why	PD Lead	Where	Goals	Activities	Audience	Resources	Collaboration	5 Key Principles	Barriers
1/5/2022	1 hr	1 Distinguish between Active learning and passive learning. 2Why PBL?	Wayne	Room E112	Have teachers do the last portion of the Scarcity Project	1 Practice the rear naked choke with notes. 2 practice rear naked choke against the air after watching the video. 3 1 person practice the choke on another with me as a facilitator. 4 Have teachers complete the last half of the Scarcity Project	ECON Teachers  only	Rear Naked choke notes. Rear naked choke video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LppnEfRoFIM Chromebooks State Econ Framework	The rear naked choke progression	Principle 3:Teachers engaged with multiple approaches (active learning) Principle 4:Modeling Principle 5: Content Specific	The rear naked choke demonstration might be a problem.
1/19/2022	1hr	1 Distinguish between Active learning and passive learning. 2 How do we build a project	Wayne	E112	Start Econ teachers building a project Teachers: 1 Find a topic in the framework 2 what is its real world application? 3 Why do kids need to know this? 4 How can we build a PBL project with this? 5 Teaching that We Reverse engineer PBL projects backwards (start withthe end in mind)	4 divide the group into 2 teams, each starting to build a PBL project.	Econ Teachers only	Chromebooks State Econ Framework	1. 2 Teams working together to build PBL project The team	3:Teachers engaged with multiple approaches (active learning) Principle 4:Modeling Principle 5: Content Specific	There may be resistance from some of the more traditional teachers.
2/9/2022	1 hr	What issues do you think will be present with the projects?How does the PBL classroom look different from the passive learning classroom	Wayne / collaborative effort	E112	Most common issues with PBL: Focus on the unimportant small parts. Classroom timing.Gaps in learning?	Checking progress on proposed PBL team projects	Econ teacher	Everyone brings 2 problems that they can foresee	Teams working together to solve issues  that are present within PBL	1: Duration of professional development must be significant and ongoing to allow time for teachers to learn.Principle 3:Teachers engaged with multiple approaches (active learning) Principle 4:Modeling Principle 5: Content Specific	If the teachers aren’t willing to participate this will be a barrier
2/23/2022	1 hr	Teams presenting their PBL Project. 20 minute presentation with 10 min. Critique.  We will do this for both groups.	Teams present	E112	Looking for errors or issues that will be problematic within the Project?  This will be done using the inquiry method	Presenting PBL team projects	Econ teachers only	Chromebooks and projector	Teamwork will bring collaboration	1 Duration of professional development must be significant and ongoing to allow time for teachers to learn.Principle2. There must be support for a teacher during the implementation stage that addresses the specific challenges of changing classroom practice.Principle 3:Teachers engaged with multiple approaches (active learning) Principle 4:Modeling Principle 5: Content Specific	If teachers are not in a growth mindset, this will be a barrier to learning.
OngoingSupport throughout the rest of the year	As needed TBA	Provide support for	Collaborative effort	E112	This is learner centered. At this stage of the PD process, the teachers are the driving force	Collaborative discussion and analysis	Econ teachers only	Resources will be based on what teachers need	Ongoing support is collaboration	1 Duration of professional development must be significant and ongoing to allow time for teachers to learn. Principle 2. There must be support for a teacher during the implementation stage that addresses the specific challenges of changing classroom practice. Principle 3:Teachers engaged with multiple approaches (active learning) Principle 4: Modeling Principle 5: Content Specific	If the teachers will not be honest about needing help, this will be a barrier.  If teachers are not in a growth mindset, this will be a barrier to learning.

Sessions:

Resources

Scarcity project

Rear Naked Choke video

Presentation/ google docs

References:

For over 25 years, I have been working with incredible teachers. Many of these teachers mentored me, shared ideas, and inspired me to create. I spent along time working in a department where we would actually compete to see who could make the best lesson. I am currently in a group that shares lessons. What they don’t know, is I am silently competing with them trying to make my lessons better than theirs. The the most important teachers are the thousands of students that I have learned from. These are the true references.

and then…..

Experiential Learning: How We All Learn Naturally. (2015, October 12). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF63HHVbpQ8

Goodwin, B. (2015). Research Says/Does Teacher Collaboration Promote Teacher Growth? Educational Leadership, 73(4), 82–83. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec15/vol73/num04/Does-Teacher-Collaboration-Promote-Teacher-Growth%C2%A2.aspx

Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevlopment.pdf

Heather Hill. (2015). Review of The Mirage: Confronting the Hard Truth about Our Quest for Teacher Development. Harvard Graduate School of Education. Retrieved from http://www.greatlakescenter.org/docs/Think_Twice/TT-Hill-TNTP.pdf

Reuell, Peter. “Study Shows That Students Learn More When Taking Part in Classrooms That Employ Active-Learning Strategies.” Harvard Gazette, Harvard Gazette, 5 Sept. 2019, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/09/study-shows-that-students-learn-more-when-taking-part-in-classrooms-that-employ-active-learning-strategies/.

Videojugsport. (2011, April 06). How To Perform Bas Rutten’s Rear Naked Choke. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LppnEfRoFIM&t=89s