Clinical Field Experience A: Professional Development Program

Janice LaCaze

EAD - 523

May 18, 2021

 Introduction

I interviewed my mentor principal who is the assistant principal at my school. She

explained her responsibilities that pertain to professional development. She stated that she is part

of a team of leaders who create professional development for the teachers. Each instructional

leader is responsible for their own part of teacher training. The principal is responsible for

discipline, the instructional leader is responsible for curriculum development, and she is

responsible for technological and virtual training.

How Professional Development is Determined

Professional development topics were developed when data was reviewed from surveys

and a needs assessment taken at the end of the school year last year. This data was reviewed by

the School Improvement Team prior to school starting. The School Improvement Team consists

of a group of educators, leaders, and parents. The School Improvement Team is also responsible

for creating the school’s CIP (Continuous Improvement Plan). They looked at what programs

implemented last school year produced positive results. They also looked at what programs

would be beneficial to our students’ learning. Since teachers started the year with virtual

students, the School Improvement Team decided that technological and virtual programs would

be more beneficial to teachers and students that other programs. Mrs. Carper, my mentor is the

administrator responsible for the types of technology professional development offered to

teachers.

Implementation
 Technology professional development was given to the teachers using Chromebooks. The

instructor provided training on Edgenuity for virtual teachers and Edulastic for all others. This

training was given to the teachers by using power point presentations and step by step directions.

It was presented by the technology teachers who received additional training during the summer.

Teachers were also given training on all Google sites for Education. These sites have already

been used by most teachers voluntarily but, now they will be mandatory. Training was hands-on

and allowed teachers to create resources using of the sites while they were being trained.

Reflection

The Professional Development supports our continuous improvement plan because it uses

test results and survey results to determine what professional development needs to be

implemented. As a result of these results the Continuous Improvement Plan called for the

creation of a Resident Curriculum Technology Team to provide professional development for

teachers on how to use Google Educations Sites.

My mentor knows that the PD goals are achieved because she has observed teachers

using technology to teach. She also has access to everyone’s lesson plans which includes the

technology that they use in their daily lessons.

As a future educational leader, I will make sure that the professional development is a

team effort. All the educational leaders on staff will be responsible for making sure that teachers

are learning something new during the meetings. I will follow the Professional Standards for

Educational Leaders which states, “develop teachers’ and staff members’ professional

knowledge, skills, and practice through differentiated opportunities for learning and growth.”
(PSEL 6). During PD teachers will learn using a variety of resources such as PowerPoint

presentations, Hands-on activities, and Content Level Meetings.

Resources:

Professional standards for educational leaders. (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2021, from

http://www.npbea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-Standards-for-

Educational-Leaders_2015.pdf