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Texas Family Literacy Resource Center Text Only Version
 Professional Development
 
 

Innovative Strategies for Professional Development for Family Literacy Educators
Back to Teachers as Learners

There are many innovative alternatives to workshops for family literacy professional development that can meet individual needs more efficiently and provide more satisfactory learning. Many of these alternatives can be undertaken by a single individual or a small group. Some can be used by family literacy educators who work in the same project or by family literacy educators in a group of projects.

In general, teachers indicate that they want professional development alternatives that are:

  • flexible,
  • meaningful, and
  • learner-centered (that is, they meet individual teachers’ needs).

Regardless of what strategies are employed, teachers and their supervisors will want to agree on the procedures that will be used and on the records that need to be kept to document the professional development. Some family literacy supervisors request a “proposal” for the professional development alternative so that everyone involved agrees on what is to happen. Some family literacy educators may choose to write about their results to be able to share with other family literacy colleagues.

Alternative Formats for Professional Development Delivery

The alternatives described below are only a few that are possible. The way to develop professional development alternatives is to talk, brainstorm, then develop a plan. Be open, be flexible, and be creative!

Study Groups/Problem Solving Study Circles – A group of teachers may have a particular interest, problem or need for information. These teachers could form a group that meets (in person or virtually) to gather information, discuss the information, formulate and test possible solutions, and provide recommendations or solutions for implementation. The group should consider documenting the resources they use and summaries of the discussions to share with others. This alternative usually needs a Study Group Leader who will commit to coordinating meetings and circulating information.

Book Study Group – A group of teachers decides to read and discuss a particular book that has caught their attention or to find and discuss a book on a topic of mutual interest. Individuals meet together (in person or virtually) and discuss selections decided upon ahead of time. This alternative frequently needs a Discussion Leader whose responsibility it is to develop thought-provoking questions about the selection to be discussed and who will summarize the discussions.

Mentoring – A more experienced teacher can be paired with a newer or novice teacher for a period of time. The mentor’s role is to answer questions, provide solutions to problems from experience, and model instructional strategies and practices to provide “just in time” learning. However, since a mentor frequently must go “above and beyond,” program administrators should consider providing compensation for mentors in a formal mentoring program.

Curriculum Development Project – Family literacy projects frequently need curricula developed to meet special and/or local needs. Curriculum development requires research, development, trying out and refining lesson plans, activities and materials, and evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum. Teachers who participate in curriculum development are also involved in professional development.

Curriculum Implementation Project – Family literacy projects also want to “try before theybuy” especially in regard to curriculum.Another alternative to professional development is for teachers to research curriculum before a program actually invests in it. Such a project might entail teachers traveling to a site where the curriculum is in use, observing its use, interviewing teachers who use it and reporting their findings to their colleagues at home.

Independent Learning Projects – In an independent learning project, a teacher usually proposes a project to his/her supervisor that defines what is to be studied, what resources will be used and what product will result from the project. Results of the project are shared with others who would find the results useful.