Results-Oriented
Professional Development:
By Thomas R. Guskey. University of Kentucky. Retrieved July 7, 2000 from the World Wide Web: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/rpl_esys/pdlitrev.htm
In this article, Guskey states that the importance of professional development in education has never had greater recognition. Professional development is seen as the primary vehicle to bring about change that is badly needed. Guskey offers guidelines for successful professional development that are derived from research on professional development and the change process. The guidelines represent a framework from which to construct a program and recognize that each school will need to arrive at their own “optimal mix of professional development processes” that work best in their own context.
Of all of the guidelines offered, Guskey recognizes the fifth guideline, “provide follow-up, support, and pressure” as the most neglected aspect of professional development. He recommends that professional development must be seen as a process and not an event. In other words, effective change is slow and requires extra attention. Therefore, improvement should be viewed as an endeavor that is continuous and ongoing.
There are very few people who can leave a professional development opportunity and proceed to successfully implement new practices. There must also be a readiness for change, guidance, direction, and support with pressure. More problems are encountered at the early stages of implementation. Teachers at this stage have the highest degree of doubt and uncertainty. Having the capacity to deal with these problems is the biggest reason programs fail. Guskey states that support coupled with pressure is vital at this stage. Support helps people deal with anxiety from occasional failure. Pressure is needed to initiate change when tasks seem too challenging. It also provides encouragement and motivation. In order for improvement to occur, new practices and techniques introduced in professional development efforts must become habitual. This will require continued support and encouragement, as well as pressure to persist.
The implication of providing follow-up, support, and pressure will mean schools will need to allow teachers more time to adopt new practices. Rather than providing just a professional development opportunity, a plan to follow-up the new practices must also be devised. A plan for follow-up requires people to implement it. Teachers will need to be given opportunity and time to share and support one another. Expert support will also be needed. In addition, schools will need to construct a method of accountability to hold teachers responsible for change, requiring a greater involvement from administrators in the change process.
It is surprising to me that it has taken so long to arrive at the concept of follow-up and support when it seems so obvious. In dealing with young people, whether my own or my students, it would be merciless for me to present them with new ideas and then immediately expect them to implement those ideas successfully. Why should teachers be held to that type of standard? We need support and encouragement in everything we do, teaching is no different. It’s about time that schools recognize that teachers must be learners, too. They should provide the framework for learning that is provided for our students.