Great PD Needs To Be Embedded
Great PD is not an event, it’s a journey. Along this journey we visit many places in search of knowledge, expose ourselves to new perspectives, share with others what we have learned, and demonstrate how this journey has contributed to our growth. Stages 1-3 of the Change Management process is meant to provide guidance on how we need people within our organization to grow. Stages 4-5 are necessary to help our community understand and align with the vision for change. Stages 6-7 are when we begin to engage and shape the learning journey for everyone within our organization. But, change can still fail if we stop short of ensuring the dispositions and skills are embedded in the day-to-day work of every staff member. This latter stage will consume the greatest amount of energy and attention of senior leadership, but will also be the most rewarding.
A well-documented and thoroughly researched professional development strategy is the 70-20-10 model of leadership development, where research has shown that 70% of leadership development comes from on-the-job work experience. 20% is support provided by superiors or coaches, and 10% is formal structured learning. However, for on-the-job experience to be an effective form of PD, senior leaders need to understand the requisite capacity that must be developed so that they can monitor and provide support as needed, which is largely what the 20% entails. This model, although less researched in other areas of development, anecdotally is the most effective model for job-embedded PD.
An important consideration to understand to ensure the 70-20-10 model is effectively executed is that of time. Proportionally, structured learning would appear to have a very small role, such as external workshops, conferences, and diploma programs. However, they play a significant role in the beginning, as this is where the seeds for development are planted and if professional learning is to flourish, then senior leaders need to create an environment ripe for growth, that is regularly tended to. Opportunities to apply content require a large amount of support from senior leaders. It will take time for staff to process all the new information. During this period senior leaders are reaffirming the learning objectives and helping staff to understand the new content within their school context. In the beginning, senior leaders have a larger role. Over time though, as staff becomes more effective at seeking out learning opportunities, reflecting on what they are learning, and honing their new knowledge and skills through application, the pro- portions take their proper shape.
Developing staff capacity, in parallel with attending to regular work responsibilities, is a long process. In fact, it is a life-long process. The 70-20-10 model for developing capacity is the most effective process. There is tremendous front loading that must take place before teachers can act agentically in terms of their own PD. This model utilizes the positive attributes of all four professional learning strategies, emphasizes application, and makes the role of all relevant stakeholders clear. The key to this model that not only makes it effective but also sustainable, is the regular engagement with peers and senior leadership. Truly great PD not only ensures access to the resources we need to grow but has us regularly interacting with peers and leadership along the way.
