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Benchmark: Reflection of Professional Development Session

Toni Crawford

Grand Canyon University

EAD 523: Developing Professional Capacity

Dr. Koza

February 1, 2023
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Summary of PD Session

The focus of the professional development (PD) session I created was to maximize

classroom instruction by focusing on routines and procedures and identifying time management

strategies to minimize distractions while keeping students engaged in learning. Due to the

number of new teachers at my school, this has been a struggle as students become more

disruptive when they do not know what to do, are bored, or do not have any structures put in

place. Taking the time to present some effective routines and procedures allows staff to establish

and maintain relationships and expectations with students. Along with that lack of time

management has also assisted with some of the behaviors, so showing teachers how to over-plan

instruction will help decrease the interruptions and increase student engagement because they

always have something to do.

Based on the feedback, I was able to make some adjustments to the presentation to make

certain that it is beneficial for the staff. Some changes that were made were adding graphics,

games, and motivational quotes, and adjusting time for collaboration, so every minute of the PD

would be useful and staff can gain new information and have time to grapple with the strategies

and methods before going back to their classrooms and having to implement them immediately.

Hence, the importance of feedback in any aspect because it helps modify the mindset for the

benefit of self-development, peer collaboration, and student achievement.

School-based Data

Feedback should be the driving force in determining PD topics because the goal is to

meet the needs of teachers and staff. The two topics that were chosen were based on the needs of

what teachers shared they need help with, but also what has been observed in the classroom.
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Based on the needs of the staff and current research, the PD was developed to target the

overarching theme of classroom and time management. Within topics, we took a deeper dive into

routines/procedures and engagement as this can be addressed immediately and ongoing

adjustments can be made. PD opportunities should be teacher-driven as they should have a voice

in their learning (Matherson & Windle, 2017) and ultimately they know what they need to be

successful often they just need the opportunity to have a voice and be encouraged to use it.

School Vision and Mission

The mission and vision of the school are to provide students with rigorous instruction in a

positive climate to prepare them for the global community and presenting a PD on maximizing

instruction and increasing student engagement is an example of how that can be done. Providing

adults with the necessary support to build relationships and manage classrooms, so then they can

focus on instruction. If teachers do not know how to properly plan for their classes, then students

will become disruptive because they are either bored from finishing early or are not being

challenged. Therefore, focusing on these two topics will ensure that students’ and teachers’

needs are being met while also meeting the expectations of the vision and mission of the school.

Technology

Technology is a necessary tool for educators and students to learn because it is the

present and future. To demonstrate the use of technology, I incorporated a Kahoot game for

feedback, in which staff can use these same platforms to create learning games for students to

play based on the skills they are learning. Another use of technology was the presentation, it

included graphics and visuals, and videos can also be included. Teachers can use slides to

maximize instruction by adding popular gifs or memes that connect the kids to the lesson. To
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ensure students are equipped for the global community, we must be prepared to teach and

demonstrate the proper use of technology.

Next Steps

To ensure the skills are being used in the classroom, I would be intentional about being

present in classrooms and collaborating with teachers to see what is working and what needs to

be adjusted. Teachers want professional development that will make them better over time, not a

quick fix that will only address the issues or the current reform for a short while (Matherson &

Windle, 2017). Data meetings will also be arranged to check the effectiveness of methods and

work together to make changes. It can be difficult to receive feedback from staff, but here are

ways this can be done outside of the traditional way. For example, I added a Kahoot at the end of

the PD session for staff to play and the questions are based on how the PD went and if it was

purposeful or not with that feedback, I can make future sessions to meet the needs of staff and

students as we continue to implement new strategies, methods, and resources. The most useful

professional development focus on active teaching, assessment, observation, and reflection

(Darling-Hammond & McLaughlin, 1995) hence the reason for my next steps.

Emerging Trends and Initiatives

Education is always evolving, and we must stay up to date with emerging trends to

connect students to real-world learning. One of the topics was collaborating to determine ways to

increase student engagement and the overall trend was to include more technology, personalized

learning, and game-based learning as it connects to students in their daily lives. Students have

varying needs and this generation’s initiatives and trends are based on technology, therefore
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educators need to ensure that students have strong foundations for incorporating technology into

their daily practices (Gonzales, 2016).

Preparation and Confidence

Due to me being the grade-level team leader and academic planning facilitator (APF), I

did not need any preparation for as presenting and being confident because I am always taking

the lead with questions, feedback, and discussions in the role that I have at my school. So, I was

confident in speaking and presenting information to staff because as the APF, this is my primary

role as we receive information from the district, I must then present it to staff. However, creating

the presentation and doing the research were the more difficult aspects because it was time-

consuming and challenging to meet the needs of all learners through a variety of activities for

staff to be engaged in learning while finding the PD purposefully. Overall, I enjoyed getting

feedback from the staff on my presentation and methods because it helped me grow as a teacher

by shifting my mindset around PD and finding ways to keep all my student and adult learners

engaged with small effective adjustments to ensure everyone is learning taking place.
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References

Darling-Hammond, L., & McLaughlin, M. W. (1995). Policies that support professional

development in an era of reform. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(8), 597-604.

Gonzales, L. (2016). Four Tips for Effective Digital Leadership. Tech & Learning. 4,32.

Matherson, L., & Windle, T. M. (2017). What Do Teachers Want from Their Professional

Development? Four Emerging Themes. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 83(3), 28–32.