National Staff Development Council Standards Cindy Brown Jill Erickson Vera Weber Jerad Voglewede Crysta Wagner ED635 Personnel, Supervision, and Staff Development Spring 2009 Powerful Forms of Staff Development

Staff Development Defined... Staff development improves the learning of all students. The process of providing ongoing opportunities for employees to improve their knowledge and skills. NSDC’s Standards Text's Standards Achievement & Engagement

Context Standards Staff development that improves the learning of all students: Organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district. Requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement. Requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration .

Organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district.

Requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement.

Requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration .

Learning Communities Staff development that improves the learning of all students organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district.

Staff development that improves the learning of all students organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district.

Learning Communities Commitment to the norms continuous improvement and experimentation Engage members in improving their daily work advances achievement of district and school goals for student learning. Teams vary in size meet almost daily take collective responsiblity for the learning of all students

Commitment to the norms

continuous improvement and experimentation

Engage members in improving their daily work

advances achievement of district and school goals for student learning.

Teams vary in size

meet almost daily

take collective responsiblity for the learning of all students

Learning Communities Ongoing Consistent Scheduled Learning Planning Problem Solving

Ongoing

Consistent

Scheduled

Leadership Staff development that improves the learning of all students requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement.

Leadership Quality teaching in all classrooms necessitates skillfull leadership at the district, school, and classroom levels. Leaders recognize quality professional development as the key strategy for supporting significant improvements. Leaders articulate the critical link between improved student learning and the professional development of teachers. Skillfull leaders establish policies and structures that support ongoing professional learning and continuous improvement.

Quality teaching in all classrooms necessitates skillfull leadership at the district, school, and classroom levels.

Leaders recognize quality professional development as the key strategy for supporting significant improvements.

Leaders articulate the critical link between improved student learning and the professional development of teachers.

Skillfull leaders establish policies and structures that support ongoing professional learning and continuous improvement.

Resources Staff development that improves the learning of all students requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration. Well designed and implemented professional development is an essential long-term investment in successfully teaching all students to high standards. A variety of resources are needed to serve many different purposes of professional development.

Staff development that improves the learning of all students requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration.

Well designed and implemented professional development is an essential long-term investment in successfully teaching all students to high standards.

A variety of resources are needed to serve many different purposes of professional development.

Process Standards Uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement.  Uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact. Prepares educators to apply research to decision making. Uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal. Applies knowledge about human learning and change. Provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate. Staff development that improves the learning of all students:

Uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement. 

Uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact.

Prepares educators to apply research to decision making.

Uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal.

Applies knowledge about human learning and change.

Provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate.

Data Driven Staff development that improves the learning of all students using disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement. Analyzing data and developing goals helps to determine the content of the teacher's professional development for instruction, curriculum, or assessment. The use of data in staff development efforts needs to be measureable in order to see if its effective. In order to sustain momentum, teachers need to see improvement in student learning as a result of staff development. Carefully examining student work is in itself a means of staff development .

Analyzing data and developing goals helps to determine the content of the teacher's professional development for instruction, curriculum, or assessment.

The use of data in staff development efforts needs to be measureable in order to see if its effective.

In order to sustain momentum, teachers need to see improvement in student learning as a result of staff development.

Carefully examining student work is in itself a means of staff development .

Data Driven Staff development that uses data from various sources to drive their decisions helps to provide meaningful guidance to both teachers and administrators.

Evaluation Staff Development that improves the learning of all students uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact. Is staff development money really making an improvement in our schools?

Staff Development that improves the learning of all students uses multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate its impact.

Evaluation The purpose of evaluation is to show evidence or judge whether or not staff development has been worthy of the time, effort, and money spent on it. Different groups require different measureable evidence: Participants need to know if student learning improved due to effective staff development. Staff development planners and administrators need evidence that staff development is making a difference. School boards and legislators want to know if their investment is paying off.

The purpose of evaluation is to show evidence or judge whether or not staff development has been worthy of the time, effort, and money spent on it.

Different groups require different measureable evidence:

Participants need to know if student learning improved due to effective staff development.

Staff development planners and administrators need evidence that staff development is making a difference.

School boards and legislators want to know if their investment is paying off.

Research-Based Staff development that improves the learning of all students: prepares educators to apply research to decision making. Teachers and administrators are informed of the latest educational research when selecting content and professional learning processes.

Staff development that improves the learning of all students: prepares educators to apply research to decision making.

Teachers and administrators are informed of the latest educational research when selecting content and professional learning processes.

Research-Based Due to the fact it can become confusing for educators to select research-based improvements because of varying opinions among researchers, it is important to have teams of teachers and administrators study the research that supports instructional improvement or whole-school reforms through: Reading research reports Talking with researchers on the telephone or inviting them to the school Visiting schools that have adopted this approach Designing a pilot study is another form of research to use in determining the effectiveness of a program before the program is fully implemented. In order for the pilot study to effectively assess the program, it must clearly outline the program's goals, methods, and indicators of success.

Due to the fact it can become confusing for educators to select research-based improvements because of varying opinions among researchers, it is important to have teams of teachers and administrators study the research that supports instructional improvement or whole-school reforms through:

Reading research reports

Talking with researchers on the telephone or inviting them to the school

Visiting schools that have adopted this approach

Designing a pilot study is another form of research to use in determining the effectiveness of a program before the program is fully implemented.

In order for the pilot study to effectively assess the program, it must clearly outline the program's goals, methods, and indicators of success.

Design Standard Staff development that improves the learning of all students uses learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal.

Design Standard It is essential that staff development leaders select learning strategies based on the intended outcomes and their diagnosis of participants' prior knowledge and experience.

Learning Staff development that improves the learning of all students applies knowledge about human learning and change. Human learning is based on a common set of principles. Learning methods used in professional development should mirror the methods we use to teach our students.

Staff development that improves the learning of all students applies knowledge about human learning and change.

Human learning is based on a common set of principles.

Learning methods used in professional development should mirror the methods we use to teach our students.

Learning Educators must go beyond understanding new ideas for their "face value", but instead strive for a more complete understanding of its purpose, critical attributes, meaning, and connections to other approaches. Professional development should provide various learning styles, such as seeing, hearing, doing, or electronic resources that meet the needs of all staff members. Educational leaders need to be understanding of the anxiety and fear staff may feel when going through a change and harbor a respectful and trusting environment where these feelings can be communicated.

Educators must go beyond understanding new ideas for their "face value", but instead strive for a more complete understanding of its purpose, critical attributes, meaning, and connections to other approaches.

Professional development should provide various learning styles, such as seeing, hearing, doing, or electronic resources that meet the needs of all staff members.

Educational leaders need to be understanding of the anxiety and fear staff may feel when going through a change and harbor a respectful and trusting environment where these feelings can be communicated.

Collaboration Skills Staff development that improves the learning of all students: provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate. Organized groups provide social interaction that often deepens learning and the interpersonal support and synergy necessary for creatively solving the complex problems of teaching and learning. While face-to-face professional learning is a preferred method in collaboration, exploring electronic forms of collaborating with teachers from around the world can also be a vital method.

Staff development that improves the learning of all students: provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate.

Organized groups provide social interaction that often deepens learning and the interpersonal support and synergy necessary for creatively solving the complex problems of teaching and learning.

While face-to-face professional learning is a preferred method in collaboration, exploring electronic forms of collaborating with teachers from around the world can also be a vital method.

Collaboration Skills

Content Standards Staff development that improves the learning of all students: Prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly, and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement. Deepens educators' content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately. Provides educators with knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders appropriately.

Prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly, and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement.

Deepens educators' content knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to use various types of classroom assessments appropriately.

Provides educators with knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders appropriately.

Equity Standard Effective educators: Know and demonstrate appreciation for all students Establish classroom learning environments that are emotionally and physically safe Communicate high expectations for academic achievement and quality interpersonal relationships

Effective educators:

Know and demonstrate appreciation for all students

Establish classroom learning environments that are emotionally and physically safe

Communicate high expectations for academic achievement and quality interpersonal relationships

Equity Standard “ Teachers' knowledge of their students is an essential ingredient of successful teaching.” Staff development helps teachers: Understand social/emotional characteristics of students Provide strategies for tapping the unique learning strengths of each student Use knowledge of their students' interests and backgrounds to assist them in planning meaningful, relevant lessons

“ Teachers' knowledge of their students is an essential ingredient

of successful teaching.”

Staff development helps teachers:

Understand social/emotional characteristics of students

Provide strategies for tapping the unique learning strengths of each student

Use knowledge of their students' interests and backgrounds to assist them in planning meaningful, relevant lessons

Quality Teaching Instructional leaders and administrators must make teacher content knowledge and skills related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment high priorities. Ongoing professional learning and collaboration Provide teachers with data to assist with formative classroom assessment Create a culture of innovation and continuous improvement by regular classroom visits to observe instruction Engaging in frequent conversations with teachers individually and collectively about instruction and student learning

Instructional leaders and administrators must make teacher content knowledge and skills related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment high priorities.

Ongoing professional learning and collaboration

Provide teachers with data to assist with formative classroom assessment

Create a culture of innovation and continuous improvement by regular classroom visits to observe instruction

Engaging in frequent conversations with teachers individually and collectively about instruction and student learning

Quality Teaching . Deep understanding of subjects they teach Participate in rigorous professional learning Apply various Classroom Assessment strategies Use appropriate instructional methods Quality Teachers Student Success Student Success Student Success Student Success

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Family Involvement Effective partnerships require leadership, a compelling purpose for their work, and a set of mutually agreed-upon goals. Educators must be knowledgeable about various ways in which families and community members can be involved meaningfully in the affairs of the school for the benefit of students.

Effective partnerships require leadership, a compelling purpose for their work, and a set of mutually agreed-upon goals.

Educators must be knowledgeable about various ways in which families and community members can be involved meaningfully in the affairs of the school for the benefit of students.

Provides teachers and administrators with important tools for family involvement Establish partnerships with the families or caregivers of their students See consensus building with the broader school community Strengthen connections with families and the community by posting school news and homework assignments on school web sites Eases communication with teachers by providing e-mail or voice mail access to families Increases the availability of computers to all students by working with community organizations such as libraries and churches. Understand backgrounds and challenges of their students and their families Communicate clearly and respectfully with family Demonstrate genuine interest in the welfare of the child and family Conduct meetings that create a sense of teamwork between home and school Delineate ways for providing support for a student's learning at home Demonstrate ways caregivers may be involved in schools volunteers or committee members Communicate in clear, direct language (both orally and in writing) Conduct meetings that balance task achievement and relationships Clear about their own values and beliefs and respectful of the values and beliefs of others Convey authentic interest in the perspectives of others Listen deeply and honor others' points of view Identify areas of common interest Technology Teachers Administrators Family Involvement

Strengthen connections with families and the community by posting school news and homework assignments on school web sites

Eases communication with teachers by providing e-mail or voice mail access to families

Increases the availability of computers to all students by working with community organizations such as libraries and churches.

Understand backgrounds and challenges of their students and their families

Communicate clearly and respectfully with family

Demonstrate genuine interest in the welfare of the child and family

Conduct meetings that create a sense of teamwork between home and school

Delineate ways for providing support for a student's learning at home

Demonstrate ways caregivers may be involved in schools volunteers or committee members

Communicate in clear, direct language (both orally and in writing)

Conduct meetings that balance task achievement and relationships

Clear about their own values and beliefs and respectful of the values and beliefs of others

Convey authentic interest in the perspectives of others

Listen deeply and honor others' points of view

Identify areas of common interest