1

Professional Development

School Professional Development Analysis

Anthony Medina
Grand Canyon University
EAD 523 Developing Professional Capacity
May 4, 2022
2
Professional Development

Increasing the Capacity of Staff

Professional development implemented successfully will increase school faculty

knowledge and provide strategies as well as resources to become successful in the classroom.

Rose Lopez Elementary school provides staff with professional development training that will

lead to increasing knowledge in content areas and increasing student achievement. During my

review of the schools professional development plan I learned that professional development is

provided to help students achieve goals in the schools mission, vision, and CIP. The mission of

the Rose Lopez schools is to “foster a learning environment in which the schools community is

fully vested in developing a dual language program which ensures students are bilingual/bi-

literate and enjoy enhanced cognitive skills which advance their academic careers all the while

growing their acceptance of multi-cultural societies as they become global citizens” (Rose

Lopez 2019). For example our school provides professional development that focuses on

bilingual education to align with the school mission of improving student dual language

success. The schools professional development plan is developed based on data received from

needs assessments reviews and recommendations from school staff. Professional development

is also implemented through district wide required training.

The Principals Role

The school principal is responsible for creating and implementing professional

development for school faculty. School principals play a key role in professional development

success. The following are the principals role in professional development training. “1. The
3
Professional Development

principal as an instructional leader and learner; 2. The creation of a learning environment; 3.

Direct involvement in the design, delivery and content of professional development; and 4. The

assessment of professional development outcomes” (Bredeson 2000). At the Rose Lopez

elementary school our Principal is the leader when developing professional development. Our

school principal uses professional development to provide leadership opportunities for staff

members who are able to lead professional development training in areas they are confident in.

The principal implements PD to meet school goals, and provides PD based on teachers

suggestions. My principal increases professional development engagement and participation by

creating a circle layout so that all staff members are facing each other. My principals has

excelled at developing professional development training expectations. Staff members

understand the clear expectations of arriving on time, being respectful of PD presenters, and

participating. Observations are conducted by school administrators to follow up on how

successful PD strategies are being implemented in the classroom.

The Teachers Role

The teachers role in professional development is to be an active participant. Teachers

must demonstrate a dedication to being lifelong learners to improve student academic success.

“Within the framework of professional development, teachers change, improve in the professional

field, as well as change, improve, and complement their pedagogical competences and behavior,

and change as a person” (Makovec 2018). Teachers should have the goal of increasing knowledge

when attending PD. Teachers must implement the strategies learned from PD in the classroom.

Teachers play an important role of requesting PD to assist in areas that students are struggling in.

Teachers play an important role of assisting school administrators in leading professional

4
Professional Development

development presentations. My school provides teachers the opportunity to lead professional

development. My school has established a professional development committee of teachers that

assists in developing and implementing PD. A teachers role in PD is to collaborate with colleagues

to complete presentation activities. Teachers should continue to collaborate with school leaders

post PD to discuss the success of implementing content learned from PD in the classroom.

Aligned to the Schools CIP

The professional development plan is aligned to the schools continuous improvement plan

by implementing PD that will allow students to be successful in accomplishing goals in the CIP. The

CIP is reviewed yearly, and PD is assigned based on the current CIP. My school CIP includes

improving students mathematics scores. This year teachers have had PD that focus on teachers

developing strategies to improve student mathematics success.

Research-based Instructional/Evaluating PD

Rose Lopez Elementary School implements professional development based off of student

data. School faculty work together to analyze student data to determine what areas could be

improved by the implementation of professional development. Our school evaluates professional

development by having teachers complete online surveys. Surveys help school leaders receive

valuable feedback from school faculty. Professional development content is evaluated at my

school by administrators observation and teacher feedback during staff meetings, and PLCs.
5
Professional Development

References:

Bredeson, P. V. (2000). The school principal's role in teacher professional

development. Journal of in-service education, 26(2), 385-401.

Ganser, T. (2000). An ambitious vision of professional development for

teachers. NASSP bulletin, 84(618), 6-12.

Makovec, D. (2018). The teacher’s role and professional development. International

Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education, 6(2), 33.

Rose Lopez Elementary School. (2019). Mission Statement