Today, however, and as I was leafing through my Twitter feeds I came across this great read posted in remixteaching. This is basically a short 2 pages PDF created by Laura R. Thomas (lthomas@antioch.edu) who is actually the director of the Antioch Center for School Renewal in Keene, N.H. In this article, Laura provides 10 bad things your professional development plans should not include. Here is a brief round-up of these elements but I recommend that you check the original PDF to read explanations of each one of them.
- Worry more about the time than outcomes.
- Bring in a bevy of consultants.
- Start something new every year without considering progress on or commitment to the previous years’ goals.
- Assume the professional learning specialists you hire are out to get you.
- Judge quality by the price tag.
- Never listen to your teachers when they tell you what they need.
- Don’t participate in the activities you require teachers to attend.
- Get the most for your money and time.
- Take an all-or nothing approach to conferences and workshops.
- Keep an eye open for the next big thing.