McREL CEO Bryan Goodwin teams up with ASCD authors Pete Hall and Alisa Simeral in this white paper to tackle a question of urgent interest to teachers at all career stages: Can professional learning be better? It can, they argue, if the profession recognizes that large PD sessions—while an appropriate starting point to share foundational practices—should be followed up with a highly personalized plan of action. Reflection holds the key to identifying and addressing problems of practice as teachers advance in their skills. Also important to bear in mind: Teachers are most effective when they develop an understanding of why certain techniques work, not just what they are.
Goodwin, B., Hall, P., & Simeral, A. (2019) Personalizing professional development: How empowered teachers can take charge of professional learning and growth. Denver, CO: McREL International.
