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Benchmark – Reflection of Professional Development Session

Aaron Mckee

Grand Canyon University College of Education

EAD-523: Developing Professional Capacity

Dr. Reid Amones

Due: August 31, 2022

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In reflecting on my presentation and the process I have gone through while developing

my Professional Development (PD) session, I recognize that the main purpose was to help our

teachers create individual plans for professional development (IPPD) for the 2022-2023 school

year. I embedded Gagné’s 9 events of instruction to lay out five major realms of life as well as a

self-assessment tool that has the goal for them to use every day. I received feedback from three

teachers saying that it was immensely helpful to have visuals in the presentation. They cited

specific opportunities like getting to know what our strengths and weaknesses were in team

discussions. They commented on their personal experience of it and my presentation delivery.

I developed a school-based plan with this PD to increase our staff’s professional capacity

ensure that we are making data-driven, student-centered instructional decisions by creating an

evidence based, self‐directed learning opportunity which was facilitated by myself, but flexible

enough to operate as a strategy to enrich our organization effectively (“The Impact of Online

Teaching Videos on Canadian Pre‐Service Teachers | Emerald Insight,” 2013). I used technology

very effectively as we processed the information primarily online. Media and Graphics were well

thought out and utilized on a large screen, Google Drive folders and fillable Google Docs were

used along with viewable PDFs to enhance both the teaching and the learning.

I wanted this year’s PD to align to the school mission and vision to promote professional

preparation for enhanced student-centered learning. We utilized our group time discussing and

ideating about how to embed our mission and vision into the classes and programs of the school

including all areas where the teacher will be the primary influencer.

In my next steps as a principal, I will plan to continue to the next level with ongoing and

differentiated follow up opportunities for continued learning and growth. I also have a broader

understanding of professional and adult learning needed to make it stronger as stated in PSEL
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(Professional Standards for Educational Leaders) Standard 6 (National Policy Board for

Educational Administration, 2015) This could include ongoing follow up support to strengthen

the outcomes. Things like adding more resources, considering perceived barriers, doing

assessments or surveys, and even differing the support over time as the needs of the teachers

change. I also was told that I need to get more specific on the strategies that will ensure that the

objectives are met. So, for example, not only what is the desired outcome, but also how and

when it will be accomplished and who are they responsible to share the information with.

I believe that having a Mastermind group will be beneficial regarding the anticipating and

assessing of emerging trends and initiatives that we can adapt to school-based leadership

strategies in the future. I enjoy having a small group of likeminded people who meet semi-

regularly after mining data and aggregating information from the people around them for the

express purpose of achieving the Mastermind's learning goals. In the short term, they will

enhance each other's outlooks, and in the long term they can benefit other educational leaders

through dissemination of the information.

A simple thing that I will do is "Lunch with the Principal" that Robyn Jackson from the

School Leadership Reimagined Podcast recommends. This is where I will invite various students

into the office during lunchtime for a special lunch or treat and we will have focus group time

together with me asking, what are we doing here at this school that you really like? Or what is

something that your teachers do in their classroom that you really like (Julie, 2021)? This can be

one of the most powerful tools in getting the perspective and trends at a grassroots level at my

school.

Personally, I spent several days preparing the visuals along with the information as I

went. I spent time adding animation, transition, and presenter notes. I have worked with most of
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this group before and while slightly anxious, I was excited to share the PD session because I

knew how relevant and impactful it would be on them personally and therefore the students and

entire school.

References
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Julie. (2021, July 7). How To Conduct Student Focus Groups. School Leadership Reimagined.

https://schoolleadershipreimagined.com/episode112-transcript/

National Policy Board for Educational Administration. (2015). professional standards for

educational leaders' national policy board for educational administration formerly known

as ISLLC standards. http://www.npbea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/professional-

standards-for-educational-leaders_2015.pdf

‌The impact of online teaching videos on Canadian pre‐service teachers | Emerald Insight. (2013).

Campus-Wide Information Systems, 28(3), 195–204. https://doi.org/10.1108\/cwis