Professional Development By: Dr. Joseph J. Corabi

What does an aspiring professional basketball player who relishes the accolades being placed upon him by his teammates, his coaches, his fans, and the local media have in common with an aspiring college senior wishing to pursue a teaching career? After all, she too has her own set of exemplary credentials. She is about to graduate with outstanding grades, stellar recommendations, and a hunger to make a difference in the profession. She is a “can’t miss”. Both are ready to step into the “big time” but, they do not really know how good they are until they stack themselves up to the competition. They both have a great skill set. However, in order to compete for a job in their chosen profession, they not only have to excel at the entry point, but they must also continue to improve their skills as they gain experience to remain effective at what they do. The pressure to improve is on schools, and that means it is on teachers as well. And, as the educational leader of your school, the process of determining the most effective course of action to help teachers grow professionally and foster the mission of your school lies heavily on your shoulders.
 
As Charter School CEOs and administrators, hiring teachers is one of the most critical variables in creating a positive school environment. However, bringing new teachers on board is only one step in this process. Once you have committed to bringing them onto your team, how do you help them improve their effectiveness in the classroom and help them implement the curriculum, implement the programs, and implement the activities specific to your school?
 
Gaining a teaching certificate from a college or university does one thing; it gives young women and men the opportunity to learn how to teach. It gives them the chance to get a job, and hence, learn on the job. Those first few years in the classroom are often a blur as teachers focus on determining which class management strategies work and how to effectively communicate with parents, while concurrently trying to be as effective as they can be in the hope that students will learn.
 
We know through many examples in military campaigns, government initiatives, and business operations that “hope is not a course of action.” Hope is what it is…a virtue, but to reiterate…”it is not a course of action.” This phrase is so compelling to the United States Marine Corps that it has imbedded this phrase in its training manual. As the educational leader of your school, you must plan for the ongoing professional development of your faculty and staff, and not “hope” that growth will occur.

If you pick up any educational journal, if you attend an educational conference, or if you discuss the status of the educational system with any colleague, it becomes quickly apparent that the number of possible choices for in-service programs is staggering. However, there a few guidelines I would suggest you consider. One size does not fit all, so my recommending one staff development activity for every charter school throughout the country is ludicrous. However, I do have a few suggestions.
 
Since teachers are at various levels of experience and expertise, and they have numerous and varied strengths and deficiencies, where does one get started? A great place to start is self-reflection. What are the strengths and deficiencies of your teachers from your perspective? What types of staff development programs will enhance the mission of your school? What have your teachers been asking for that will help them grow professionally? The keys to successful professional growth programs are meaning and purpose. If teachers do not see a connection to their needs, expectations for a successful in-service workshop are low. When teachers place a value on their own learning and perceive that they have some influence in controlling their ability to grow and improve at what they do, good things can happen. However, this will not happen overnight, improvement will not happen at the same time for each member of your faculty, and growth certainly will not happen without a plan.
 
Sometimes, providing professional growth opportunities for your teachers requires a movement away from the status quo. Your mission statement is probably very different from other charter schools throughout the country. Give purpose and meaning to your professional growth programs by referencing your mission statement and by “fine-tuning” them to meet the needs of your school and your teachers.
 
During my thirty-eight years of experience as a teacher, a coach, a principal, and a university professor, I have used a simple premise when trying to decide on the correct course of action. I simply remind myself that “you can’t do what you want to do, until you do what you have to do.” What are the needs of your school? What must you do first so you can then provide professional growth opportunities in areas that you and your teachers want to do?
 
At the present time, schools have been very influenced by programs such as Differentiated Instruction. You very likely ask your teachers to employ teaching strategies in their classrooms to better meet the various learning needs of students. If you expect differentiated instruction from your teachers, is it not reasonable to institute differentiated professional growth workshops for your teachers based upon their needs? For your next in-service day, would it be reasonable for you to have a large group session for your entire faculty that might address a topic that you have to address, and then follow that with break-out sessions that would address a number of options that best meet the specific needs of your faculty?
 
Are your teachers expressing an inordinate amount of concern about class management? If so, try implementing an in-service program with the focus being on gaining and keeping students’ attention during the course of a lesson. There are three words that I use in classroom management workshops and also in my classes populated with aspiring teachers. The key to class management lies not within punishment (although a school must have rules and regulations in place), but in three magic words…ENGAGEMENT, ENGAGEMENT, ENGAGEMENT. Expecting students to learn when they are not engaged is unrealistic. If you have students’ attention, it is unlikely that they will be distracted or, distracting. A glance at the work of the late Madeline Hunter will quickly yield her suggestion that all lessons should begin with an anticipatory set, sometimes referred to as a hook or readiness activity. Help your teachers engage students in learning from the very first moment that the lesson begins. It is THE most effective class management strategy.
 
However, my experience tells me that there are topics that have to be universally addressed because they will eventually affect or are presently affecting your entire school. It is, in essence, something that you HAVE to do. If you are like many schools throughout the country, the effect that inclusion and the placement of students with special needs are having on you is of paramount concern. Factoring in the Summary Agreement in Gaskins vs. The Pennsylvania Department of Education, the need to recognize the legal implications of placement for students with special needs in the least restrictive environment becomes an even more critical decision than in previous years. Your school and your faculty must be prepared to effectively teach students with special needs who are placed in a regular education classroom with specific strategies including co-teaching and differentiated instruction. Workshops on differentiated instruction, co-teaching, and making adaptations to facilitate learning for students with I.E.Ps should presently be at the top of your list.
 
In this fast-paced, ever-changing educational environment, the need for professional growth opportunities for teachers has never been greater. The Charter School Movement has made significant strides in providing educational opportunities for students in the recent past. To maintain this momentum and to further enhance the effectiveness of its teachers, Charter School CEOs must maintain their position as educational leaders. They must continue to provide learning opportunities for students and help their schools grow as a viable entity in the educational community. Since the most significant variable in a student’s learning is the effectiveness of the teacher, Charter School CEOs can best enhance the teaching and learning process through effective, meaningful, and purposeful staff development opportunities for teachers.
 
Dr. Joseph J. Corabi is presently a Professor of Education at Immaculata University in Pennsylvania and is the President of The Association for Curriculum and Educational Excellence (ACEE, Inc.): a consulting firm specializing in curriculum development and implementation, professional development workshops, and college planning. Visit his website at www.acee.wikispaces.com.