RSA#2  Raising Student Achievement Through Professional Development

http://www.generationready.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/PD-White-Paper.pdf

Good schools come from good teaching, which is reflected in student achievement. We all know this basic concept as teachers, but what drives and continues that learning process for us?  Professional development is the key.  In the article, Teaching Teachers: Professional Development to Improve Student Achievement, Holland (2005) maintains that professional development needs to be focused on teaching skills, subject matter, and student learning.  When using these three focuses, teachers must apply this directly to their teaching to see growth in student achievement.  Even though professional development is the key to better instruction, and student learning, it is the intensity of which it is delivered and not the amount of time allotted. 

The most powerful statement in the article Raising Student Achievement Through Professional Development (Generation Ready 2013), is “that more than ever than before students need effective teaching if they are to develop higher order thinking skills they will need to be career and college ready in the 21^st century”.  The way this can be accomplished is through professional development for teachers in a sustained, rigorous practice using data and collaboration.  In addition, the new methods/ideas presented to teachers should be embedded into daily teachings to see an improvement in student achievement.  Research has shown when collaboration and shared responsibility for student achievement narrowed the achievement gap in schools with students from low-income homes.

These two articles are in agreement with the need for professional development to raise student achievement.  The same resounding facts keep presenting themselves that teachers need to have focused, sustained practice in teaching skills, making sure activities focus on high quality subject matter, and using data of student learning.   It seems that most articles and authors even beyond the two articles presented here are in agreement that the most effective way to raise student achievement is through effective professional development.

Reference

Raising Student Achievement Through Professional Development. (2013, October). Retrieved March 27, 2013, from Generation Ready website: http://www.generationready.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ PD-White-Paper.pdf

Holland, H. (2005)  Teaching Teachers: Professional Development To Improve Student Achievement. (2005, Summer). Retrieved March 25, 2014, from http://blackboard.cuchicago.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1025303-dt-content-rid-4423434_2/courses/8967.201430/AERA_Teaching_Teachers.pdf