Gifted Academy 5: Professional Learning in

Gifted Programs

2014Mary Schmidt

Gifted Education ConsultantHeartland AEA

mschmidt@aea11.k12.ia.us800.255.0405 ext. 14375

http://pdingt.pbworks.com

Essential Questions

What is Professional Learning?

What Professional Learning do we need?

How do I develop/deliver Professional Learning?

How do I know Professional Learning is making a difference?

Learning TargetsI can…

Assess staff needs for professional learning that will enhance comprehensive gifted programming

Align professional learning with other components required by Iowa Code (Ch. 12, IAC) and national standards

Identify and choose models and types of professional learning most appropriate in a given situation

Identify effective professional learning practices for adult learners

Evaluate g/t staff development

AGENDAWelcome; ready-set-recall

Using standards to drive professional learning

Professional development standards

Issues that drive professional learning

Characteristics of adult learners

NORMS

Support each other in the learning process

Monitor progress (individual/group)

Ask questions

Respect others’ viewpoints

Take time to reflect

Ready, Set, RecallW

hat

do y

ou

rem

em

ber?

What professional learning do

we need?

Using Standards to Define the

Target

The Gifted PD plan should

Be aligned with other district staff development efforts

Be an integral part of a deliberately developed continuous improvement effort

Be designed and implemented collaboratively by classroom teachers, g/t specialists, and administrators

Include long-term and short term goals

The Gifted PD plan should

Contain content that is viewed by participants as necessary to achieve the desired end

Be consistent with recommended strategies of experts in gifted education and staff development

Differentiate PD to address critical differences among participants

Include a plan for assessing the effectiveness of the staff development goals

Right PD, Right Time

Rig

ht

PD

, R

igh

t Tim

e

NAGC–CEC Teacher Preparation

Standards in Gifted and Talented

Education1.Learner Development and Individual Differences

2. Learning Environments

3. Curricular Content Knowledge

4. Assessment

5. Instructional Planning and Strategies

6. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice

7. Collaboration

http://www.nagc.org/uploadedFiles/Information_and_Resources/NCATE_standards/NAGC-%20CEC%20CAEP%20standards%20%282013%20final%29.pdf

Advanced Standards

1. Assessment

2. Curricular Content Knowledge

3. Programs, Services, & Outcomes

4. Research and Inquiry

5. Leadership and Policy

6. Professional and Ethical Practice

7. Collaborationhttp://www.nagc.org/uploadedFiles/Information_and_Resources/Advanced_standards/Advanced%20Standards%20in%20GT%20%282013%29.pdf

NAGC Programming Standards

Gifted Ed Programming Criterion 6

Professional Development Description: Professional development is

essential for all educators involved in the development and implementation of gifted program services. PD is the intentional development of professional expertise as outlined by the NAGC-CEC teacher preparation standards. PD may take many forms ranging from…

⏎

Attitudes, Beliefs, and Assumptions

Examine Program Goals and Student

OutcomesLook at your own plan’s program goals

How well are doing at meeting those goals? How do you know?

What professional learning would assist you in hitting the target? For… teachers of gifted? classroom teachers? administrators? school board? parents and community?

Making Connections

What professional learning is already going on in your building/district?

Where does gifted fit?

What are the connections you can make to existing knowledge, skill, and practice?

Law of Initiative Fatigue

When the number of initiatives increases while time, resources, and emotional energy are constant, then each new initiative – no matter how well conceived or well intentioned – will receive fewer minutes, dollars, and ounces of emotional energy than its predecessors.

--Reeves, p. 27

SCENARIOSForm groups of four

Read your chosen scenario

Identify the issues presented which might be impacted or rectified by focused professional learning opportunities. Consider assessing needs, stakeholders/audience, modality (format for learning), and focus/content.

PLANNING PD… What else do you need to know?

How would you get the answers?

Based on current information, where would you start?

What are the major issues to address in your staff development plan?

Who would be best equipped to deliver information and support/coach participants in implementation?

Who would your teachers best hear the message from?

There’s nothing worse than a sharp image of a

fuzzy concept.

--Ansel

Adams

WRITE YOUR OWN SCENARIO

Find a partner

Consider the context in which you work.

Identify the major aspects of your work. Administrative support Building-specific issues Personal expertise Gen. Ed. attitudes and knowledge level

Describe

Write Your Own Scenario

Identify the building by level

Think about a situation that is troublesome to/for you.

Capture the general tenor of the setting in terms of attitudes about gifted

Describe roadblocks and barriers along with anything you’ve tried that has/n’t been successful.

Model your scenario after the examples if that is helpful.

SHARE THE SCENARIO

Find a partner

Share your scenario

Identify the issues and what you still need to know

Prioritize for audience(s) to be impacted

Determine formal and informal aspects of PD (use Inservice Design template to determine format)

Use this information to formulate your plan.

ASSESSING NEEDS

What information do you need?

Who could/would best supply that information?

What questions will most effectively provide that information?

What format would be most effective in gathering the information?

TEACHER ATTITUDES

What’s Your Mindset?

http://www.mindsetonline.com

Explore the Web site.

What surprises you?

What validates you?

What can you do with these results?

How can you use this information with others?

Teacher Growth States

Gourmet Omnivore

Active Consumer

Passive Consumer

Reticent

Joyce & Showers

JIGSAW

Form two groups

Group 1: research characteristics of adult learners. Identify at least 10 and prepare to share them with the class.

Group 2: research what motivates adult learners. Identify at least 10 things and share with the class

Adult Learners……possess a variety of background experiences and prior learning

…need to participate voluntarily in the learning experience

…learn best if they have control over the learning environment

…desire practical applications

…require a respectful environment

…enjoy collaboration

…need to integrate new learning with prior experience

…believe in lifelong learning

… act as change agents

Adult Learners Need…

…to be involved in the design of learning

…to be encouraged to be self-directed

…a facilitator rather than a didactic instructor

…to have learning styles respected

…a climate conducive to learning

…to use past experience in the learning process

…to see relevance to their own lives in the learning experience

Brookfield