Personalize professional development by differentiating it and assigning educators by strengths and student needs¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

In the four case study schools, professional learning mirrors student learning in that professional development is personalized: it is differentiated so teachers can choose areas where they want to improve, and adults are assigned based on known strengths and the needs of the kids. Leaders put the most highly trained person with the most needy learner, and schools use instructional specialists to help new and experienced teachers refine teaching and personalize their professional development. Leadership and support systems sustain this ongoing, customized professional learning.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• A leadership culture supporting ongoing, customized professional learning
• Knowledge of individual educators' strengths and student needs

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• K-12 teachers, new and experienced
• school leaders

Target Learning Goals¶

• continuous improvement of teaching skill and capacity to personalize student learning

Related Strategies¶

• Know every student well through many adults, multi-year teacher loops, and flexible small-group instruction
• Leveraging Strengths to Address Learning Differences

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Equity-focused Schools Carry All Students to High Levels. (2014). WestEd R&D Alert, Vol. 15, No. 1. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED559627