Empirical Research Article
Policies for Reforming Teacher Education

Reference:

Hudson, Stewart. (2005). A New Strategy for Advancing Solutions to Learning Disabilities. In Grantmakers in Education, 4.

Introduction/Purpose:

The author describes five important areas that early childhood professional development specialists can provide training to teachers. These areas include recognition, response, parental engagement, transition to kindergarten, and systemic change. The purpose is to identify key principles of an effective professional development system.

Methods Section:

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) developed a conceptual framework that identifies principles of an effective professional development system.

Results/Discussion:

-Professional development is an ongoing process.

-Professional development experiences are most effective when grounded in a sound theoretical and philosophical base and structured as a coherent and systematic program.

-Professional development experiences are most successful when they respond to an individual’s background, experiences, and the current context of their role.

-Effective professional development opportunities are structured to promote clear linkages between theory and practice.

-Providers of effective professional development experiences have an appropriate knowledge and experience base.

-Effective professional development experiences use an active, hands-on approach and stress an interactive approach that encourages students to learn from one another.

-Effective professional development experiences contribute to positive self-esteem by acknowledging the skills and resources brought to the training process as opposed to creating feelings of self-doubt or inadequacy by immediately calling into question an individual’s current practices.

-Effective professional development experiences provide opportunities for application and reflection and allow for individuals to be observed and receive feedback upon what has been learned.

-Students and professionals should be involved in the planning and design of their professional development program.

Conclusion:

According to NAEYC, there are key principles of an effective professional development system. In order to truly be an effective teacher, one must be ever increasing in knowledge.

Implications for Education:

          The principles of an effective professional development system described in the article are useful to any educator. The most important principle to me is the very first one. Every teacher should understand and agree that professional development is an ongoing process. We should be constantly learning new things and keeping up with what’s going on in our country and in the world. By doing so, we will be better able connect our lessons with our students. Not only will they be able to grasp concepts easier, but they will be more interested in learning when the lesson is pertaining to something they are familiar with.

Also, effective professional development opportunities should be structured to promote clear linkages between theory and practice. Students will reject new information if they don’t have a clear link between theory and practice. This is another reason why teachers should always stay abreast to current issues and always aim to tie the lesson being taught into these issues.

Furthermore, effective professional development experiences use an active, hands-on approach and stress an interactive approach that encourages students to learn from one another. Effective teachers understand that students can learn a great deal from each other. Theses teachers act as facilitators as students work together to solve problems and learn from one another.