Professional Development Plans

Planning and Implementing

Multidimensional Professional Development

My thoughts and reflections

Planning and Leading Professional Development Workshops and Presentations

Preparing the "Package"

Examining the Structure of the Professional Development Workshop

Components of the Professional Development Plan (PDP)

Transmission Model

vs.

Constructivist Model

As I have read through this particular chapter (chapter 11 in Vogt & Shear, 2011), I found myself putting together some of the plans for my workshop. It helped me to organize and consider many different aspects of what I need to be planning for my presentation as well as what types of materials do I need to prepare and have available for participants.

On another note, I have attending many workshops over the years through different schools and whatnot. At one school I worked at, we had many workshops we were required to attend over the course of our employment. The workshops were chosen for us. Some were of interest, but most of the workshops we attended because we were required to. The same school sent several of us to a national conference one time. We were not told the types of workshops we needed to attend, and there was such a variety to choose from. I am certain that I gained more from attending workshops I chose rather than the vast majority of required workshops.

I do not want to neglect to touch upon the importance of how the presenter planned and presented the workshop. I cannot recall any workshops I have attended that did not seem well planned out (e.g., good amount of content, handouts). But I have attended workshops in which the presenter was less than engaging for a variety of reasons (e.g., lack of humor, lack of considering the participants and needs). Reflecting on these considerations gives me much to consider as I move forward in planning my upcoming presentation.

• Be sure to keep participants engaged. There tends to be four types of people in most groups. It is critical to consider the audience and what they need. They include the following:
• the professors (want mastery and competence, facts, evidence, and detail)
• the scientists (want to examine and process data, explore possibilities and hypotheses)
• the inventors (creative, want to rearrange, adapt, and reorganize information in new ways, explore and generate new solutions)
• the friends (love engaging with others, working in groups, hands-on learning, sharing time, emotional hooks, personal stories, and metaphors) (Vogt & Shearer, 2011).

As you plan and organize a workshop, there are several important things to consider.

• How will you begin your workshop? Openings should include the name of the school. Your opening should be personal. This is also a good time to thank whoever invited you and recognize anyone who provided you with special assistance for this workshop.
• Clearly state your goals and objectives.
• Include a flexible agenda.
• Include appropriate and light-hearted humor.
• Plan the main content of your workshop. Be prepared to add or omit as you go. It is better to over plan then not have enough content. To establish the evidence base for what you do, always provide a brief research background for what you are presenting.
• What activities are you planning? Participants need to be participating and doing different activities in order to stay engaged and learn from your workshop.
• End your workshop with a strong conclusion, wrap-up, and evaluation. Allow time for questions. End on a positive note. Allow participants time to fill out an evaluation to help you become a better presenter and plan for future workshops (Vogt & Shearer, 2011).

Transmission Model

Constructivist Model

• Goals
• Materials and Approaches
• Professional Resources
• Study Groups
• Professional Development Presentations or Workshop Sessions
• Supporting Teachers as Coach, Mentor, and Classroom Guide
• Self Assessment
• Student Outcomes
• Evaluation
• Budget
• Timeline (Vogt & Shearer, 2011).

• training teachers
• little benefit to teachers
• can set a tone for change but has limited ability to reconstruct beliefs and practice
• not chosen by attendees
• often ineffective (Vogt & Shearer, 2011).

• educating teachers
• allows for experiencing, creating, and solving real problems, using own experiences and working collaboratively
• teachers make their own meaning (instead of being given the meaning)
• what teachers are expected to use with students in their classroom (Vogt & Shearer, 2011).

Hints for Success

References

• Keep an eye on your time; speak at a normal rate, and make quick but careful decisions about omitting.
• If possible, thank those who were thoroughly engaged and interested in your workshop.
• "Be gentle with yourself" (Vogt & Shearer, 2011).

Vogt, M., & Shearer, B. (2011). Reading specialists and

reading coaches in the real world.

Boston, MA: Pearson.