LessonCast helps learning communities design professional development that targets specific needs and changes instructional practice. We support a continuum of professional learning that spans support for teachers new to the classroom, experienced teachers with expertise to share, and leaders guiding a community in improving instruction. The Common Core Conundrum – Why We Can Set the How or the What but not Both
2013-05-02 12:17:50
Once upon a time, I learned that in leading a school initiative I could specify the how or I could s...
Posts Tagged 'PD'
The Common Core Conundrum – Why We Can Set the How or the What but not Both
Once upon a time, I learned that in leading a school initiative I could specify the how or I could specify the what, but if the initiative was to be successful I couldn’t specify both. As a school and district leader, one of my key roles was to facilitate a collective vision – establish the what that we were working towards. I could also set specific procedures or require a process to be followed. If I tried to mandate both – the what and the how – for a single …
The Adult Learner (Applying Malcolm Knowles)
Adult learners have different needs than our students, so we need to design professional development differently. (Think andragogy vs. pedagogy. This piece, focusing on Malcolm Knowles, will be the first of several that examine different theoretical lenses about teaching the adult learner while keeping them practical. ) When designing professional learning, I try to consider the following five adapted from Malcolm Knowles’ assumptions (in italics) about the adult learner because they still feel relevant today: 1. Adults need to know the reason for learning something (relevance). Teachers and administrators need …
Can Technology Solve Education’s Woes?
About 26 minutes into his weekly podcast with Audrey Watters, Steve Hargadon asks the astute question: Are there times when we’re tricked into thinking that technology is going to solve problems that are not easy to solve? As much as we want to believe, the perfect tech tool is not going to be developed that will solve all of our education problems. Why not? Because changing teacher practice is hard work; changing practice on a school level is even more difficult. Education companies that promise to solve all student achievement problems without …
6 Takeaways for Successful Professional Learning
Last week I had the opportunity to participate in multiple sessions at the annual Common Ground conference (formerly known as MSET) where professional learning was the featured topic. Though approached in different ways, several themes around successful implementation of professional learning consistently arose: 1. Communicate clear vision and expectations. When Joshua Starr, Superintendent of Montgomery Schools, and Rebecca Thessin, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at George Washington, shared insights they learned from implementing professional learning communities (PLCs), they focused on the importance of leadership communicating clear expectations and vision. Initial …
