As part of our mission to ensure that “all students can thrive” in their neighborhood, public school, Unconditional Education works to build the knowledge, skills, and mindset of all adults on campus to meet the holistic needs of students. One way to do this is by offering professional development (PD) opportunities to our school partners. So far this school year, UE staff have provided nearly 50 trainings at school sites in counties across the state, including Santa Clara, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alameda, and LA.
Getting time on the PD calendar can be a challenge in and of itself. How do we make this precious time count? How do we know if we’re hitting the mark? Panorama Education recently asked current and former educators for their take on what makes good professional development and shared their findings in this article: 6 Qualities of Effective Professional Development - According to Educators . Let’s walk through these 6 qualities and see how the feedback from our own trainings so far this year lines up!
RELEVANT
“Know your audience! Professional learning is most beneficial if it is applicable to the attendee’s role, current needs, and challenges. Educators should be able to draw connections between what they are learning with what they are doing every day.”
Getting time on the PD calendar can be a challenge in and of itself. How do we make this precious time count? How do we know if we’re hitting the mark? Panorama Education recently asked current and former educators for their take on what makes good professional development and shared their findings in this article: 6 Qualities of Effective Professional Development - According to Educators . Let’s walk through these 6 qualities and see how the feedback from our own trainings so far this year lines up!
RELEVANT
“Know your audience! Professional learning is most beneficial if it is applicable to the attendee’s role, current needs, and challenges. Educators should be able to draw connections between what they are learning with what they are doing every day.”
Feedback from UE Trainings:
Very important subject matter. I liked the opportunity at the end to reflect on one of our own students.
Relevant to my day to day work and in addressing some of the most challenging aspects of my job
Video was awesome! I have been trained in trauma informed practices before and feel good about it. I am really looking forward to learning more about healing-centered engagement. It reframes the work in a positive and holistic manner that I dig.
PURPOSE DRIVEN
“What is the “why”? Make sure your PD session includes clear learning objectives so attendees know 1) why they’re there, and 2) what they should get out of it. Connect the objectives back to your district’s mission and vision for student success.”
“What is the “why”? Make sure your PD session includes clear learning objectives so attendees know 1) why they’re there, and 2) what they should get out of it. Connect the objectives back to your district’s mission and vision for student success.”
Feedback from UE Trainings:
This helps me take a deeper look at myself and the way I think of my students
[The training helped me] remember that our work translates to our students and they observe our conversations, how we present ourselves, etc.
[Strengths of the training were] the organization of the presentation, engaging presenters, and activities completed!
Clear and concise information
ENGAGING
“Whether your PD is online or in-person, it must be engaging enough to keep educators’ attention. When educators are actively engaged, they are more likely to absorb and retain information, making it easier to apply what they've learned in their classrooms."
“Whether your PD is online or in-person, it must be engaging enough to keep educators’ attention. When educators are actively engaged, they are more likely to absorb and retain information, making it easier to apply what they've learned in their classrooms."
Feedback from UE Trainings:
[The trainer] has great energy and was a really open and honest trainer
It was really helpful to have break out rooms to collaborate with others and get different points of views.
Engaging presentation, good mix of talking and time for activities, concrete tool to use right away, strong knowledge of teachers experience and things that happen in the classroom
DIGESTIBLE
“TMI! Educators can shut down with information overload if you don’t keep the “new” to a minimum. Ambitious trainers should avoid trying to fit as much learning as possible into the available time. This approach can be a case of diminishing returns.”
“TMI! Educators can shut down with information overload if you don’t keep the “new” to a minimum. Ambitious trainers should avoid trying to fit as much learning as possible into the available time. This approach can be a case of diminishing returns.”
Feedback from UE Trainings:
Going through the behavior map step by step and hearing examples of interventions was helpful
Excellent supportive videos, great framing of [the internal working model] and disconfirming stance
The behavior map was helping in realizing there are more tools I know than sometimes I think when it comes to helping a student manage their behaviors. These will also be helpful to relay to teachers and other staff members!
ADAPTABLE AND ACCESSIBLE
“Just as educators strive to meet the diverse needs of their students, so too should PD. Educators have varying levels of experience, so customize your offerings to the learner’s familiarity with the subject. ... Additionally, professional development should provide a range of options to be inclusive of educators with diverse learning needs.”
“Just as educators strive to meet the diverse needs of their students, so too should PD. Educators have varying levels of experience, so customize your offerings to the learner’s familiarity with the subject. ... Additionally, professional development should provide a range of options to be inclusive of educators with diverse learning needs.”
Feedback from UE Trainings:
The training was accessible to a variety of roles
It allowed for great conversations and self exploration
ACTIONABLE AND ONGOING
“Professional learning doesn’t end once the session is over! One-time workshops or brief training sessions can provide valuable insights, but PD must be ongoing for long-term growth. ... Effective programs provide opportunities for educators to engage in continuous learning and reflection. This can be achieved through follow-up sessions, mentoring relationships, online communities, or access to additional resources.”
“Professional learning doesn’t end once the session is over! One-time workshops or brief training sessions can provide valuable insights, but PD must be ongoing for long-term growth. ... Effective programs provide opportunities for educators to engage in continuous learning and reflection. This can be achieved through follow-up sessions, mentoring relationships, online communities, or access to additional resources.”
Feedback from UE Trainings:
[I] gained more knowledge on what goes on with students who experience trauma and some ways to go about approaching
I feel more ready to support not only the students with Autism in my class, but all of my students
This training provided me with a much better sense for best practices and supports at my school for PBIS and more. I am confident that I will be using these resources, services, and skills extensively this year to build community and strong learning environments at my school!
Blog Post Written By: Jenny Ventura, Senior Director of Education Innovation
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