A Thank You Speech, then Staff Development Incentives Question
R. W. B.
throughout this past year. I "discovered" this list during the beginning of
last school year when I was serving as an administrative intern here in
Southcentral Pennsylvania. I have come to regard this list as one of the
most compelling reasons why educators and administrators need to be using
the internet. The wealth of collected experience and wisdom here is an
invaluable resource and a most effective way to seek ideas and feedback on
issues pertaining to school administration and education. I am a "pup" in
the field, and I am in awe of many of you veteran warriors who have assisted
me in so many ways. As of this post, I am being considered for a position as
an elementary principal within my district (I have taught at the secondary
level for 10 1/2 years...interesting, huh?). The position will be open in
March, and I have much to learn beyond the "textbook" knowledge I have
gained from coursework. Please be patient if I ask innumerable questions to
which answers appear blatantly obvious to you. Again, thanks for your help
in getting me through my internship and in helping me prepare for a future
position. Many of you have assisted in ways which have had a far greater
impact than you'll ever know.
Here is my question "du jour":
One concern I have is with a lack of opportunities for staff development
within the district. We have "Act 80" days which free time for teachers to
inservice about 4 times a year. But I think there is a need for more
opportunities for workshops, skill-building, research, exploration, etc.
Teachers do have almost 50 minutes after school of time for meetings with
parents, IEP conferences, and so on. I would like to develop a plan whereby
teachers can select from a menu of workshop options based on their needs and
wants. What kinds of incentives, apart from financial, can I offer teachers
for attending 'so many' workshops per year? Do any of you have plans along
the lines of what I am describing? Opinions? Ideas?
Rick Burkett
PA
Nancy Sulla
I'm the chief cook and bottle washer of an educational consulting firm.
We're in the business of bringing about lasting, substantive change. I'd
like to suggest a couple of things from my experience ...
* Consider job-embedded training. Workshops alone do little to bring about
the kind of change schools need. We do a combination of workshops (for
which teachers are remunerated) and in-class mentoring (which is just part
of the day.) For example, if we do workshops on problem-based learning, we
are then in the classroom with the teacher once a month to participate,
assist, and offer feedback. If we do workshops on cooperative learning,
we're in there to sit with the groups and help the teacher get over the
hurdles. Many great ideas at workshops hit a wall when implemented in the
classroom because of the impact of contextual issues and the inability of
any participant to "get it all" from a workshop, that is, to truly
internalize the learning. Job-embedded training costs nothing outside of
whatever you must pay the person going into the classroom -- got any
on-site staff developers???
* Consider spending money in the classroom in return for the training. For
example, attend a workshop in portfolio assessment and digital portfolios,
agree to pilot digital portfolios with your class, and you'll receive 2
computers, necessary software, and a CD-ROM press. Now if you take this
approach from ground zero, it costs money. But if you have a budget to
purchase equipment and instructional materials anyway, you can use it to
sweeten the pot for those willing to partake. But again, I'd suggest the
workshop, follow-up, and a "product" from the participant.
* Some of our districts offer teachers money to spend in their classrooms
in return for attendance at workshops, but that REALLY depends on the local
teacher's union and past practices.
* Some of our districts charge the teachers tuition for the course
(something minimal to cover the cost of the outside consultant) and then
give them credits on the salary guide. (They figure that teachers pay for
graduate credits, so why not in-service credits.)
Hope this helps!
Nancy
----------------------------------------------------------
Nancy Sulla, Ed.D.
President
IDE Corp. -- Innovative Designs for Education
www.idecorp.com
Sue Kovacs
back door is through grants and stipends which most teachers will go for. For
instance we rec'd a large Goals 2000 for Tech. and Reading and then workshopped
and inserviced teachers in both areas by sending them out and paying them to do
the work.
good luck. sue kovacs, K-8
sko...@pdnt.com
Bonnie Bracey
writes:
<< I would like to develop a plan whereby
teachers can select from a menu of workshop options based on their needs and
wants. What kinds of incentives, apart from financial, can I offer teachers
for attending 'so many' workshops per year? Do any of you have plans along
the lines of what I am describing? Opinions? Ideas?
>>
There are resource opportunities that come to teachers, via a principal that
they may never see.
workshops are ok, but real professional development can be obtained through
what I call the ABC's the NCGE, the National Geographic Alliances, Earthwatch,
NASA, and there are professional development resources that are on line that
most teachers may never actually have the time to read, review and think
about.
Despite the technology changes in society, being a teacher in American schools
too often consists of helping children and youth acquire information from
textbooks and acting as an additional source of expertise. Teachers are
provided role models of this approach to teaching from kindergarten through
graduate school; their teacher education courses provide hints for making
textbook-oriented instruction interesting and productive, and as teaching
interns, they both observe and practice instruction based upon mastering
information found in books.
Teachers may be forgiven if they cling to old models of teaching that have
served them well in the past. All of their formal instruction and role models
were driven by traditional teaching practices. Breaking away from traditional
approaches to instruction means taking risks and venturing into the unknown.
But this is precisely what is needed at the present time.
<A HREF="http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/pathways/web_design/"> </A>
Technology has the power to change learning itself. Because when a learning
experience becomes a voyage of discovery, the learner himself takes charge.
The teacher -- traditionally a facilitator, a collaborator, a fellow
adventurer and counselor -- can now be partially, or even totally replaced as
the learner, young or old, interacts with a technology, a machine, or a
repository of facts and ideas that almost miraculously opens new ideas, new
approaches, new avenues to the world. Technology also lets us simulate new
learning situations which in reality would be too dangerous, too expensive, or
just outright impossible.
Yet this transformation will not just happen by itself
<A HREF="http://www.ncrel.org/">NCREL</A> this one is very special....
<A HREF="http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/edu/CyberEd">CyberEd ( some basic teacher
resources
</A><A HREF="http://www.ed.gov/pubs/PrisonersOfTime/Prisoners.html">Prisoners
Of Time</A> for administrators to ponder and share
how can you help teachers make time to be professional?
Teachers, principals and administrators need time for reform. They need time
to come up to speed as academic standards are overhauled, time to come to
grips with new assessment systems, and time to make productive and effective
use of greater professional autonomy, one hallmark of reform in the 1990s.
Adding school reform to the list of things schools must accomplish, without
recognizing that time in the current calendar is a limited resource,
trivializes the effort. It sends a powerful message to teachers: don't take
this reform business too seriously. Squeeze it in on your own time.
<A HREF="http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/pathways/web_design/">
</A> <A HREF="http://www.ed.gov/">Dept of Ed</A>
<A HREF="http://www.gsh.org/wce/">The Well Connected Educator</A>
<A HREF="http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/edu/CyberEd">
</A> <A HREF="http://www.ets.org/research/pic/compclass.html">Computers and
Classrooms</A> this is good to know and to think about
<A HREF="http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/techgap/welcome.html">Welcome to
Reinventing Schools: The Technology Is Now!</A> this is great
<A HREF="http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/pathways/web_design/">Pathways </A>
these are helpful for those who are already working on technology
Dean Cascadden
tachers who are educators insist on so much training? I believe that
the pinnacle of education is self directed, self motivativated, self
directed learning. Yet our educational culture states that we need so
much training. We need to get subs and the like so that people can go
get trained.
My wife is in the medical field. She keeps up on her journals and own
professional development with very little incentive from her employers.
Why do we have to give teachers such incentives to go to staff
development?
Perhaps we have to modify our concenption of staff development and
training. I have begun to encourage my staff to do their "hours" by
doing professional reading or by doing curriculum projects germaine to
their classes. We may need to give incentives to get people to go to
workshops that may not be relevant, but if people are really learning
relevant stuff, then they tend to get self motivated. Perhaps the key
is to let the professionals have more autonomy in thier own professional
development and to get them to become self directed. Then thinking of
incentives for staff developoment may become moot.
Dean,
NMMS
Art Wolinsky
Listen to Nancy Sulla when she suggests job-embedded education.
1) Teachers ARE anxious to learn that which will help them in their work.
2) Training in businness almost always has direct application to the trainees job. They can use it when they get back because:
a) They have a computer to work on
b) They are trained for something they are doing now, not 6 months or a year from now.
In support of item number one I offer two small portions of my October report to our board of education. Last year Nancy did a study and recommendation in our district . Her study and recommendations were in total sync with what we in the Online Innovation Institute are practicing.
In our district I'm the one charged with staff support for technology infusion. I'm implementing OII's Four Directions for Lifelong Learning which support Nancy's observations and recommendations.
Here are the two excerpts...
Up until the last week in October, most of my efforts have been aimed at helping individuals and small groups of teachers. A spreadsheet highlighting the substance of those efforts is attached. What is not reflected in that report is the numerous short sessions, conversations, emails, and phone calls both here and at home that deal with small problems or questions that are resolved in a matter of a few minutes. Handling this type of problem is important in that if left unresolved, teachers would either be spending time unproductively trying to resolve them, or would give up and not move forward along that path of professional development.
......................
As you look over the spreadsheet it is important to note that virtually all of the assistance and instruction, with the exception of Tier Training and EIRC training, took place during teacher prep periods, lunch periods, or after school. This translates into savings that would otherwise have to be spent on release time.
In addition, the individual teachers being served were getting assistance with things that had direct relationships to their professional duties and translated into direct impact on their students. With formal instruction, neither of these things happens anywhere near as frequently or with as much retention and direct application as with one-on-one training. Giving one-on-one instruction when it is needed and wanted, has far more impact than giving large group instruction that doesn’t have immediate impact on professional duties or student achievement.
Combining formal instruction with one-on-one follow up and online community interaction adds additional dimensions to the staff development program. Combined with administrative support and a receptive staff, this provides all of the ingredients for success.
......................
(OII's Four Directions for Lifelong Learning are being included as center pull-outs in the next four issues of Multimedia Schools Magazine. http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/)
Art
==========================================
Art Wolinsky 609 698-8223
awol...@adelphia.net
Online Innovation Institute 21st Century Teacher Network
Technology Director New Jersey Chapter Director
http://oii.org http://www.21ct.org
===========================================
I am perfectly capable of learning from my mistakes
I will surely learn a great deal today.
===========================================
Bonnie Bracey
awol...@ADELPHIA.NET writes:
<< ART
This is so right, you failed however to say that you actually have been a
teacher and understand how to teach, you are not just a tech person with a
time schedule.
In addition, the individual teachers being served were getting assistance
with things that had direct relationships to their professional duties and
translated into direct impact on their students. With formal instruction,
neither of these things happens anywhere near as frequently or with as muc=
h
retention and direct application as with one-on-one training. Giving one-=
on-
one instruction when it is needed and wanted, has far more impact than giv=
ing
large group instruction that doesn=92t have immediate impact on profession=
al
duties or student achievement. >>
Amen. Bonnie
Billy Bob
writes:
<< One concern I have is with a lack of opportunities for staff development
within the district. We have "Act 80" days which free time for teachers to
inservice about 4 times a year. But I think there is a need for more
opportunities for workshops, skill-building, research, exploration, etc.
Teachers do have almost 50 minutes after school of time for meetings with
parents, IEP conferences, and so on. I would like to develop a plan whereby
teachers can select from a menu of workshop options based on their needs and
wants. What kinds of incentives, apart from financial, can I offer teachers
for attending 'so many' workshops per year? Do any of you have plans along
the lines of what I am describing? Opinions? Ideas?
>>
Good luck. Unfortunately many educators are not motivated to attend workshops
for intrinsic reasons and administrators have to find "incentives" to compel
participation.
Bottom line? If I'm not mistaken the minimum Act 80 days in Pa are governed by
state mandates. Any additional inservice days are a matter of a collective
bargaining agreement (CBA). On a practical level your district may have to
bargain with the union to obtain more days for the perceived lack of time.
As a parent I feel that this is an important bargaining issue and that the
administration should try extra hard to obtain as many "Act 80" days as the
administration feels is necessary to properly inservice their teachers.
Because so many teachers feel that they are increasingly being asked to do
more and more, this is a difficult issue.
I feel that this is the very reason teachers need more inservice
time......they are indeed being asked to do more in their job (special ed, IEP
development come to mind) and they need training beyond that required by most
antiquated state mandates.
If they aren't motivated intrinsically......put it in their contract. Just
remember, taking a teacher out of the classroom for more inservice causes them
a lot of additional work. Just planning and preparing for a sub is time
consuming. This can be a source of further resistance. I kind of like the
idea of dismissing the students at noon every other Friday and using this time
for professional development.
Good luck with the new job!
Dither
Dithe...@aol.com
Duane Wright
Welcome aboard! I am late coming to this note, so forgive me if I am
redundant. First off, we are very fortunate to have a budget with money
available for staff training. Depending on the building and personal goals
for the year, I allow staff to pick and choose as things are offered and
cross my desk. They must, upon return, present what they picked up at a
staff meeting. Doesn't have to be elaborate, but just to allow the rest of
the staff to get the benefit of the trip. This year with reading
comprehension a major goal of school improvement, we focus on those
workshops that deal with this area. If it doesn't fit, they don't go. I
don't force anyone to go, but do highly praise and encourage those who do.
You might check to see how your district's professional leave budget can
help you. Another words, sub time. Can you send teachers using professional
leave to workshops? Many times teachers have relatives or friends near so
they can save you money on motels, mileage and meals. I even sub in
classrooms for a day when we get short on sub funds. Gets be back with the
kids, once in a while.
I have always believed if you set yourself of fire, others will flock to
watch you burn. If you can get two teachers fired up over new ideas, it
will spread to others. New ideas, in my experience, take about four years
to sustain/prove themselves and become an accepted part of the school. Take
your time, set goals(long and short term) with the teachers/staff, support
and defend the risk takers, encourage positive change that is supported by
research, bring your parents, super and board along with you, remember the
change curve and understand its highs and lows, what is best for your
students is what you should do best. You can tie workshops into their
personal goals for the year if you really need to get someone out of the
stagnant pond.
I might remind you of the difference in philosophy between secondary and
elementary, as I have observed. Elementary teachers tend to be kid oriented
and secondary tends to be subject oriented. It is the nature of the beast;
elementary teachers are generalists and secondary teachers are specialists.
I can only relate what I have experienced here in this community, so take
this with a couple of grains of salt. I am not very worldly; just a common
farm boy who just observes what happens around me! Where I come from if you
weren't observant you just might step in something.
Best of luck! Boomer
At 08:39 PM 1/4/99 -0500, you wrote:
> I would like to thank many of you who have replied to my queries
>throughout this past year. I "discovered" this list during the beginning of
>last school year when I was serving as an administrative intern here in
>Southcentral Pennsylvania. I have come to regard this list as one of the
>most compelling reasons why educators and administrators need to be using
>the internet. The wealth of collected experience and wisdom here is an
>invaluable resource and a most effective way to seek ideas and feedback on
>issues pertaining to school administration and education. I am a "pup" in
>the field, and I am in awe of many of you veteran warriors who have assisted
>me in so many ways. As of this post, I am being considered for a position as
>an elementary principal within my district (I have taught at the secondary
>level for 10 1/2 years...interesting, huh?). The position will be open in
>March, and I have much to learn beyond the "textbook" knowledge I have
>gained from coursework. Please be patient if I ask innumerable questions to
>which answers appear blatantly obvious to you. Again, thanks for your help
>in getting me through my internship and in helping me prepare for a future
>position. Many of you have assisted in ways which have had a far greater
>impact than you'll ever know.
> Here is my question "du jour":
>
> One concern I have is with a lack of opportunities for staff development
>within the district. We have "Act 80" days which free time for teachers to
>inservice about 4 times a year. But I think there is a need for more
>opportunities for workshops, skill-building, research, exploration, etc.
>Teachers do have almost 50 minutes after school of time for meetings with
>parents, IEP conferences, and so on. I would like to develop a plan whereby
>teachers can select from a menu of workshop options based on their needs and
>wants. What kinds of incentives, apart from financial, can I offer teachers
>for attending 'so many' workshops per year? Do any of you have plans along
>the lines of what I am describing? Opinions? Ideas?
>
>Rick Burkett
>PA
>
>
"You believe you have loved and are loved; then your grandchildren are
born." Boomer
"If I had known grandchildren were so wonderful, I would have had them
first." Unknown
Duane "Boomer" Wright, Principal
Rhododendron Primary School(k-2)
2221 Oak St.
Florence, OR. 97439
541-997-2514
Fax 541-997-4163
dwr...@lane.k12.or.us