pd from the cc and learning to be learners

7/29/2019 PD From the CC and Learning to Be Learners

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PD#from#the#CC#and#learning#to#be#learners# 1#

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PD#from#the#CC#and#learning#to#be#learners#

William#Rodick#

EDUC#627#

George#Mason#University# #


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!

Introduction!

Over#the#past#six#years,#I#changed#from#a#traveler#who#teaches#to#a#teacher#

who#travels.#My#entry#into#the#education#world#was#nave,#and#with#my#first#class#

of#high#school#students#in#American#Samoa,#armed#with#a#B.A.#in#English,#I#knew#

a#great#deal#about#literature,#but#nothing#about#teaching.#I#exercised#the#practices#

I#had#seen#from#my#teachers#while#a#student,#and#what#I#thought#my#own#

students#would#need#for#success#at#university.#Part#of#that#was#consistent#

challenge.#Part#of#that#was#variety.#Ive#learned#that#to#a#degree,#these#things#

continue#to#influence#my#ideas#about#teaching.#In#those#early#years,#I#had#not#

thought#about#how#a#push#towards#university#isnt#for#everyone;#how#an#inability#

to#perform#isnt#just#from#a#lack#of#effort,#and#that#I#could#do#more#to#reach#their#

needs#and#abilities;#and#how#learning#requires#engagement.#I#was#private#about#

my#practice#for#the#first#several#years,#fearful#that#others#would#discover#my#

inadequaciesinadequacies#every#teacher#has.#It#wasnt#until#recently#that#I#

recognized#that#admitting#doubt#opens#up#room#for#learning,#both#for#students#

and#teachers.#In#George#Walkers#introduction#to#The$Changing$Face$of$

International$Education,#he#directs#us#to#the#power#inherent#in#personal#

reflection#and#consideration#of#ones#impact:#[]#the#IB#mission#statement#[]#

brings#together#knowledge,#concern,#and#actionthree#qualities#that#lie#at#the#

heart#of#the#IB#experience#and#at#the#heart#of#a#solution#to#the#worlds#dangerous#

inequalities#(Walker,#2011)##three#qualities#that#are#to#be#embodied#by#

students#and#teachers#alike.#As#I#began#to#dedicate#myself#to#increasing#my#

knowledge#about#the#International#Baccalaureate,#I#found#I#had#less#to#criticize,#

because#I#had#less#to#hide#about#my#own#ignorance.#Out#of#concern#for#my#own#


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impact#as#an#educator,#I#decided#that#I#needed#to#immerse#myself#in#

understanding#best#practices.#I#applied#for#graduate#school#to#study#curriculum#

and#instruction#in#the#International#Baccalaureate.#That#decision#led#to#my#

efforts#to#earn#an#administrative#role.#If#I#can#see#how#there#is#always#more#to#

learn#for#myself,#then#perhaps#I#can#demonstrate#action#to#help#others#see#this#

for#themselves.##

Educational!Philosophy!and!School!Culture!

# My#educational#philosophy#has#evolved#around#the#IB#philosophy.##In#

those#early#years#of#teaching,#all#I#had#to#rely#on#was#the#value#of#hard#work;#

effort#was#what#I#most#wanted#to#see#from#my#students,#and#the#principle#of#the#

idealized#American#dream#(with#enough#effort#and#determination,#anyone#can#

earn#whatever#he#or#she#wants)#guided#my#instructional#practices.#Once#I#

engrossed#myself#in#learning#the#pedagogy#behind#successful#practice,#I#was#able#

to#do#the#hard#thinking#about#my#experiences#as#a#teacher#that#I#could#not#have#

otherwise#done#on#my#own.#I#have#come#to#believe#that#if#we#are#to#teach#any#

student,#we#must#teach#every#student;#that#if#I#do#not#understand#the#needs#of#

each#student#in#my#classroom,#and#how#he#or#she#will#interact#with#whatever#

learning#I#hope#to#accomplish,#then#I#cannot#expect#that#student#to#learn.#I#have#

come#to#believe#that#more#important#than#the#learning#of#facts#is#the#learning#of#

how#to#think#(which#is#not#to#say#that#the#learning#of#facts#is#unnecessary,#but#

perhaps#not#what#we#primarily#build).#I#have#come#to#believe#that#we#are#

responsible#for#shaping#the#entire#child,#and#in#doing#so,#we#have#to#exhibit#the#

qualities#that#we#espouse#as#the#ideal.#I#have#come#to#believe#that#teachers#who#

do#not#believe#in#themselves#and#their#students#can#never#have#their#faith#or#see#

their#growth.#I#have#come#to#believe#that#we#have#to#make#learning#interesting#


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and#exciting.#I#have#come#to#believe#that#there#is#no#perfect#answer#to#teaching,#

and#because#of#that,#we#must#always#remain#curious#and#reflective#if#we#hope#to#

stay#effective.##

The#culmination#of#those#beliefs#is#that#as#a#teacher#I#must#be#what#I#want#

my#students#to#becurious,#reflective,#and#open]minded.#I#do#believe#that#I#had#a#

great#impact#on#my#students#over#the#years,#but#I#often#think#back#and#wonder#

about#how#much#better#those#experiences#could#have#been#had#I#tried#something#

different.#If#I#ever#stop#thinking#this#way,#then#I#will#cease#to#be#a#teacher#who#is#

considerate#of#his#practice.#Professional#development#exists#to#support#teachers#

of#this#type.#To#share#my#desire#to#remain#thoughtful#of#my#practice,#I#decided#to#

provide#opportunities#for#teachers#to#do#the#same,#and#I#wanted#the#method#to#

be#convenient#and#undemandinginformal#learning#communities#among#

teachers#can#act#as#powerful#mechanisms#for#their#growth#and#development#

(Desimone,#2011,#p.#69).#

The#desire#to#establish#a#culture#of#continuous#self]development#in#line#

with#IB#philosophy#led#to#the#birth#of#my#newsletter,#which#itself#aimed#at#

providing#teachers#with#resources#for#individual#professional#development.#In#

late#January#2012,#I#created#the#first#of#a#series#of#this#newsletterPD$from$the$

CC#(Professional#Development#from#the#Curriculum#Coordinator)to#be#

published#for#my#school#to#give#teachers#opportunities#that#may#not#exist#

otherwise.##

Project!Rationale!

Restricted#access#to#professional#development#is#not#an#issue#isolated#to#

my#school,#but#is#ubiquitous#for#many#educators,#especially#those#in#international#

education#who#have#to#travel#abroad#for#conferences#and#workshops,#incurring#


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great,#and#often#non]reimbursable,#costs#in#the#process.#Also,#as#the#curriculum#

coordinator,#there#are#ideals#that#I#want#practiced#at#our#school,#and#at#all#

schools,#and#this#is#my#attempt#to#allow#my#voice#to#be#heard#and#to#promote#

(my#interpretation#of)#the#type#of#teaching#that#the#education#community#and#the#

IB#have#qualified#as#best#practices.#Although#the#newsletter#derives#from#my#own#

outlook#on#education,#I#also#wish#for#this#to#be#a#conversation,#where#teachers#

from#my#school,#and#from#around#the#world,#have#a#platform#for#discussing#

important#questions#in#our#field.#Hilda#Borko#points#to#studies#that#suggest#that#

the#facilitator#is#crucial#to#the#success#of#the#professional#development#program.#

Facilitators#must#be#able#to#establish#a#community#of#learners#in#which#inquiry#is#

valued,#and#they#must#structure#the#learning#experiences#for#that#community#

(Borko,#2004,#p.#10).#Through#the#use#of#a#non]threatening#platform,#and#

personal,#non]intrusive#conversations#about#the#ideas#expressed#in#the#

newsletter,#my#hope#was,#and#is,#to#facilitate#successful#access#to#and#

consideration#of#professional#development.#

The#first#Teaching#and#Learning#International#Survey#(TALIS)#in#2008#by#

the#Organisation#for#Economic#Co]operation#and#Development#(OECD)#examined#

teacher#opinion#about#professional#development#in#the#third#chapter#of#its#report.#

The#top#reasons#that#teachers#gave#for#not#participating#in#more#professional#

development#than#they#did#were#conflict#with#work#schedule,#no#suitable#

professional#development,##family#responsibilities,#too#expensive,#lack#of#

employer#support,#and#did#not#have#the#pre]requisites,#respectively#(TALIS,#

2010,#p.#72).#The#online#format#of#PD$from$the$CC#can#be#read#whenever#the#

teacher#has#the#time,#varies#in#content#to#suit#many#different#needs,#is#fully#

supported#by#the#employer,#and#many#of#the#conferences#and#professional#


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development#opportunities#within#the#newsletter#that#a#teacher#may#pursue,#at#

leisure,#reflect#the#reader#and#are#of#low#or#no#cost#(including#many#that#are#

online,#saving#the#teacher#from#travel#expenses).#

Project!Description!

The#newsletter#has#had#some#variance#of#content,#but#has#been#consistent#

to#include#current#technology,#videos,#discussion#about#pedagogy#and#practice,#

online#learning,#conferences,#online#professional#development,#and#moreall#to#

engage#the#teacher#in#current#practice#and#to#provide#the#teacher#with#varied#

routes#for#pursuing#his#or#her#own#interest#and#need.#I#create#each#issue#using#

MailChimp,#an#email#campaign#serviceat#least#for#the#technologically#timid#of#

my#staff,#email#is#the#easiest#form#of#electronic#communication#to#use,#and#is#an#

established#format#for#interpersonal#professional#communication.#I#assess#

interest#through#the#programs#interface,#which#tells#me#how#many#people#are#

reading#the#content.##

#

#Figure#1:#Data#informs#me#of#my#impact#compared#to#the#industry#average#

#

#

The#process#I#employ#for#creating#the#newsletter#is#excellent#for#keeping#

my#finger#on#the#pulse#of#current#educational#trends#and#the#needs#of#teachers#at#


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my#school.#During#the#three#to#four#weeks#of#development,#I#search#through#

blogs,#research#educational#journals,#scour#magazines#and#newspapers,#observe#

conversations#in#educational#forums,#and#talk#to#my#faculty.#From#conducting#

this#research,#I#match#the#collective#consciousness#of#the#modern#educational#

community#to#the#needs#of#our#teachers.#As#we#are#a#K]12#school,#I#work#to#

ensure#that#the#content#targets#both#MYP#and#PYP#teachers,#and#since#I#make#the#

newsletter#publicly#available,#I#also#consider#other#teachers#around#the#world#

who#may#have#interest#in#the#newsletter#articles.#I#submit#each#article#of#the#

newsletter#to#Tumblr,#Facebook,#and#Twitter,#because#I#believe#that#everyone#

should#have#the#opportunity#to#access#conversations#and#ideas#about#education,#

and#the#larger#our#communities,#the#more#resources#we#have#to#rely#on.#

MailChimp#makes#the#design#aspect#of#the#process#easy,#and#I#can#structure#the#

newsletter#so#that#articles#are#placed#according#to#my#intention#for#reader#focus.#

I#include#images#and#multiple#links#to#make#accessing#additional#information#and#

resources#simple.#MailChimp#also#allows#me#to#track#the#interaction#that#

subscribers#have#with#the#information#(informing#me#of#the#links#that#are#

clicked),#and#this#in#turn#informs#me#about#topics#of#reader#interest.##

#Figure#2:#16.7%#of#clicks#occurred#on#this#graphic#of#a#flipped#classroom .#

#


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The#suitability#of#this#newsletter#at#my#school#reflects#my#own#early#

experiences.##In#reaction#to#a#frustration#I#felt#from#having#few#chances#for#

professional#development#in#the#area,#I#sought#out#online#opportunities#and#

occasionally#passed#this#information#on#to#interested#colleagues.#Within#one#year,#

I#had#attended#about#20#webinars#and#online#conferences.#Teachers#began#

approaching#me#to#get#information#about#the#varying#technologies#I#incorporated#

into#my#classes#and#the#professional#development#opportunities#I#was#pursuing.#

The#newsletter#became#an#expansion#of#this#sharing#of#access.##

As#issues#were#released,#the#newsletter#evolved.#While#the#first#two#issues#

were#directly#pointed#to#opportunities,#more#recent#issues#have#asked#teachers#

to#reflect#upon#their#practices.#The#third#newsletter#focused#on#open#education#

as#the#Open#Issue,#and#asked#teachers#to#think#about#their#beliefs#concerning#the#

value#and#purpose#of#education.#The#fourth#newsletter#became#the#

differentiation#issue,#to#match#a#recognized#need#at#the#school#and#to#

complement#a#project#I#have#been#conducting#with#the#MYP#(please#refer#to#

Appendix#1#and#Appendix#2#to#compare#the#first#and#fourth#newsletters,#

respectively,#to#note#alterations#in#content#and#format#resulting#from#teacher#

feedback#and#my#reaction#to#perceived#need).##

The#newsletter#directly#provides#teachers#access#to#professional#

development#and#professional#reflection,#although#of#course,#it#still#requires#

effort#on#the#part#of#the#teacher#to#make#the#information#useful.#It#will#take#a#

great#deal#of#time#before#its#overall#impact,#and#the#larger#goal#of#creating#a#

reflective#culture,#can#be#evaluated.#

!!


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Reflection!

The#newsletter#itself#is#something#I#wish#to#pursue#continuously#as#the#

curriculum#coordinator.#The#product#is#a#suitable#method#for#exemplifying#

personal#reflection#and#the#sharing#of#best#practices##two#factors#that#I#

determined#are#crucial#to#my#position.#The#newsletter#becomes#closer#aligned#to#

my#aims#and#the#expectations#of#my#audience#with#each#publication#as#I#reflect#

and#consider#feedback#at#the#beginning#of#each#design#cycle.#The#multiple#

formats#for#my#ideas##sent#to#Tumblr,#Facebook,#and#Twitter##allow#for#the#

extension#of#my#audience.#The#newsletter#has#become#a#vehicle#for#sharing#best#

practices#and#providing#opportunities#for#professional#development,#while#

letting#my#faculty#know#the#importance#and#value#I#place#on#continued#self]

improvement.##

The#design#process#is#all]consuming;#the#time#dedicated#to#finding#out#

information,#considering#how#I#wish#to#present#that#information,#putting#that#

information#together,#and#designing#the#newsletter#is#extensive,#which#is#why#the#

last#two#issues#were#spaced#out#by#four#weeks#instead#of#three.#I#have#recognized#

that#the#effort#of#the#newsletter#can#be#considered#more#valuable#if#I#also#include#

more#time#discussing#the#contents#with#faculty.#Although#I#continue#to#hope#that#

discussion#can#be#electronic#and#continuous,#it#will#take#time#for#people#to#feel#

comfortable#doing#so.#I#will#need#to#keep#records#of#the#conversations#that#I#have#

with#teachers#regarding#their#needs#and#the#possible#applications#of#the#

newsletter#so#that#I#can#more#accurately#measure#impact.#I#also#plan#to#include#a#

biannual,#anonymous#survey#to#add#another#source#of#feedback#concerning#the#

newsletters#effectiveness#and#preferred#content.#


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While#I#wish#for#the#newsletter#to#exemplify#best#practices,#I#have#to#

recognize#that#some#teachers#may#see#the#content#as#a#critique.#The#most#recent#

issue#that#focused#on#differentiation#was#meant#to#provide#teachers#with#

strategies,#but#it#could#also#appear#as#a#form#of#administrative#concern#that#there#

is#not#enough#differentiation#occurring#in#classrooms.#If#I#do#wish#for#teachers#to#

see#the#newsletter#as#a#supportive#tool#to#their#practice,#I#must#be#cautious#about#

content#that#may#seem#diagnostic.##

Although#the#ideal#would#be#that#everyone#at#the#school#reads#my#

newsletter#and#directly#benefits#from#it,#such#expectations#must#be#increased#

gradually.#The#impact#thus#far#has#been#encouraging.#Our#5th#grade#teacher#will#

be#attending#a#conference#this#summer#after#learning#about#it#in#my#newsletter.#

When#demonstrating#his#gratitude,#he#let#me#know#that#my#email#is#one#of#the#

only#ones#he#receives#(among#professional#development#newsletters#like#mine)#

that#he#makes#sure#to#read#thoroughly.#With#each#newsletter,#the#number#of#

openings#and#clicks#of#links#within#the#body#of#the#publication#has#steadily#

increased.#I#have#also#gained#subscribers#outside#of#the#school,#and#additional#

followers#of#my#posts#on#the#other#sites#where#I#publish#the#newsletters#content.#

Also#significant#is#how#the#creation#of#the#newsletter#has#improved#my#own#

practice#as#a#teacher#and#as#an#administrator,#heightening#my#reflection#upon#my#

presence#each#and#every#day.## #


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References#

Borko,#H.#(2004).#Professional#Development#and#Teacher#Learning:#Mapping#the##

Terrain.#Educational$Researcher,#33(8),#3]15.#

Desimone,#L.#(2011).#A#Primer#on#Effective#Professional#Development.#Phi$Delta$$

Kappan,#92(6),#68]71.#

TALIS$2008$technical$report#(pp.#47]86).#(2010).#The#Professional#Development##

of#Teachers.#Paris:#OECD,#Teaching#and#Learning#International#Survey.#

Walker,#G.#R.#(2011).#The$changing$face$of$international$education:$challenges$for$$

the$IB.#Cardiff,#Wales:#International#Baccalaureate.#

#


12/22

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PD from the CC and learning to be learners 12

Appendix 1


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Appendix 2


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