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What's New - May 2009

Teacher Professional Growth Planning

Introduction

This month’s What’s New item is the sixth in a series of seven COATS’ What’s New items that are being offered to support the attainment of the interim and permanent certification requirements (KSAs) associated with the Teaching Quality Standard (#016/97). The focus for May is Teacher Professional Growth Planning.

A professional growth plan (PGP) describes a teacher’s professional development goals and objectives and is usually prepared by teachers on an annual basis. Research suggests that teacher professional growth planning helps to improve teacher effectiveness and thereby improves student learning. Reported benefits also include greater job satisfaction, a stronger sense of self-affirmation and authenticity, and an increase in collaboration among colleagues.

Alberta Education’s beliefs about the importance of career-long learning are evidenced in the Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy, which requires the development and implementation of PGPs by teachers across the province, and in the Teaching Quality Standard (#016/97), which identifies related knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSAs). For example

  • 2n stresses “the importance of contributing, independently and collegially, to the quality of their school;”
  • 2o emphasizes “the importance career long-learning” and the ability to “select, develop and implement their own professional development activities;”
  • 2p stresses “the importance of guiding their actions with a personal, overall vision of the purpose of teaching;” and
  • 3k describes teachers as “career-long learners”, actively engaged in their own “ongoing professional development”, refining and redefining “their visions in light of the ever-changing context, new knowledge and understandings, and their experiences.”

This newsletter provides information about teacher professional growth planning. Relevant provincial regulations, policies and positions are identified, and resources to support the development and implementation of professional growth plans are provided.

Note: A previous What’s New item provides related information and resources. See Professional Development Opportunities; June 2007;

Regulations, Policies, and Positions

Alberta Education; Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy; Teacher Certification; 2008;

The stated aim of the Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy is “to ensure that each teacher’s actions, judgments and decisions are in the best educational interests of students and support optimum learning.” It holds teachers, principals, superintendents, school authorities, and Early Childhood Services (ECS) operators responsible for facilitating the improvement of education quality through each teacher’s continuous professional growth.

The policy identifies related statutes and regulations, defines key terms, and outlines the procedures associated with teacher growth, supervision and evaluation. Some of these components are summarized below:

  • The policy defines teacher professional growth as “the career-long learning process whereby a teacher annually develops and implements a plan to achieve professional learning objectives or goals that are consistent with the teaching quality standard.”
  • The policy describes several characteristics and components essential to a professional growth plan. For example, PGPs
    • must reflect the goals and objectives pre-determined through an assessment of each teacher’s learning needs;
    • must align with the Teaching Quality Standard;
    • must consider the education plans of the school, the school authority, and the government;
    • may be multi-year or long-term development plans;
    • may involve supervising a student teacher or serving as a mentor;
  • The policy states that PGPs must be submitted for review and approval by a school administrator or designate as well as reviewed at the end of the school year.

Alberta Teachers’ Association; “Professional Development”; Position Paper, Revised 2001, Policy, Revised 2006

The ATA’s stated position and policy related to professional development and professional growth are provided on these web pages and have been summarized as follows:

Position Paper
The ATA states that “to prepare teachers not only to keep pace with changes in technology, curriculum, teaching techniques and social realities, but also to predict future needs of their students and the educational system, a program of professional development must be an integral part of a teacher’s professional life. Initial teacher education is but a beginning; teachers require an ongoing program of professional growth to meet the ever-changing demands. A program of continuous professional development is a key factor in the change process for education and as such is an important part of The Alberta Teachers’ Association’s program of service to its members.”

The ATA defines professional development as any activity or opportunity that allows for growth in knowledge, skills and attributes that better teaching practice and improve student learning. As such, the definition includes a range of activities, ranging from personal activities such as researching literature to group activities such as attending conferences, participating on councils/committees, or helping to implement curriculum. The ATA also strongly supports inservice and staff-development as important compliments or components of professional development. All of these activities serve to improve teaching practice as well as lead to school improvement.

The ATA argues that effective professional development requires trust, support, communication, and commitment. It must occur within a professional framework that encourages improvement of practice. A professional development program, in turn, should focus on the needs of the teachers and the educational contexts. It should be long term in design, and it should allow for measures for monitoring success and propelling adaptation.

“The Association believes that teachers, individually and collectively, have a responsibility for professional development to maintain proficiency in new knowledge, new curriculum and new technologies and methodologies and to prepare for new roles as coaches, facilitators, researchers and problem solvers.”

Policy
The ATA’s stated policy concerning professional development and growth includes its long-range policy and its current directives. The long-range policy includes the following points:

  • School boards must provide adequate funding for individuals to pursue professional development;
  • School administrators must make time available for meaningful professional development on a daily basis;
  • Professional development is essential to any successful education improvement; and
  • Professional development is a responsibility shared by all stakeholders.

The long-range policy also identifies twelve characteristics of a professional development program including a climate of trust, communication, and collaboration as well as an effective balance between the needs and goals of the teacher, school, and jurisdiction.

The current directives include the following:

  • A resolution to urge school boards to provide suitable inservice programs and individual support to teachers who have been transferred from one teaching level and/or subject area to another.
  • A resolution to urge school boards to allocate the resources to sustain adequate, equitable and ongoing professional development for all teachers and to require reporting of the use of these resources.
  • A resolution to encourage each school to establish a professional development committee that will plan school-based professional development activities based on needs identified by the teaching staff.
  • A resolution to urge school boards to offer and fund voluntary programs for professional development specific to substitute teachers to assist them in remaining current with curriculum changes as well as new educational technology and trends in teaching and learning.

College of Alberta School Superintendents; Policies and Practices; 2009;
College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS) officially recognizes the essential importance and professional significance of professional development and professional teacher growth plans. In its “Position Statements: Excellence in the Classroom,” the CASS states “All teachers must be involved in research-based professional development consistent with the expectations of the Teaching Quality Standard as part of their professional growth plan.”

Resources

2learn.ca Education Society; “Planning for Professional Growth”; 2009;

This web page offers resources to support teachers in their development and implementation of professional growth plans. The resources include links to relevant policies and regulations, research articles, and tools. Among the resources are compilations of resources devoted to the following professional growth topics:

  1. Student Assessment
  2. Constructivism
  3. Learning Styles
  4. Multiple Intelligences
  5. Unique Teaching Opportunities
  6. Leadership
  7. Resources for School Support
  8. Ongoing Professional Growth
2learn.ca also provides an online professional growth planning worksheet and a list of associations committed to ongoing professional growth

Alberta School Divisions’ Professional Growth Resources

Examples of resources that have been created to support the development and implementation of PGPs within some of Alberta’s school divisions are provided below.

Calgary Board of Education; Teacher Professional Growth Plan; 2001;
This Calgary Board of Education (CBE) resource is provided to help teachers design, develop and implement professional growth plans. The resource offers guidance in the form of questions and examples to help teachers identify their beliefs, goals, and professional growth strategies. The website also offers advice on implementing and presenting a PGP.

Edmonton Catholic School Division; Teacher Professional Growth; 1999;
This Edmonton Catholic School Division resource is provided to help inform and guide teachers as they develop their professional growth plans. It offers nine guidelines for the construction, content, review, and type of PGP (e.g., individual, group, peer-coaching, or mentoring). It also provides a learning needs self-assessment form and a sample PGP form.

St. Paul Education Regional Division; Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation;
This St. Paul Education Regional Division policy is an example of a divisional policy concerning teacher professional development and growth. It describes the division’s expectations for teacher growth, supervision of teacher growth, evaluation by principals and superintendents, and the rights of teachers to appeal evaluations.

Alberta Teachers’ Association

“Professional Growth Plans”; Professional Development; 2008;

To help teachers develop their professional growth plan, the ATA designed a four part online tutorial. The tutorial is a self-paced learning tool that focuses on the following themes:

  1. Reviewing Provincial Policy Regulations
  2. Reflecting on One’s Own Professional Practice
  3. Developing a Professional Growth Plan
  4. Preparing for a Successful Review of One’s Professional Growth Plan

Section one identifies relevant provincial policies, provides definitions, discusses the context for the policies, and answers frequently asked questions.

Section two offers several self-assessment tools and resources to help teachers reflect on their professional practice (e.g., tools that focus on personal identity, parent communication skills, the classroom learning environment, and using technology for teaching and learning).

Section three identifies the component parts of a PGP and offers guiding questions to help direct the development of a plan. It also describes how to develop learning goals, and offers suggestions for learning goals as well as meaningful measures of success. Sample professional growth plans are provided.

Section four discusses the processes involved in developing, implementing reviewing, and approving PGPs and offers tips for preparing for the final review.

“Take Flight with Professional Development”; The ATA News; Vol. 43, No. 2; 2008;

This ATA Newsletter article emphasizes educators’ responsibilities regarding the modeling of lifelong learning for students and the school community and describes how these responsibilities can be met through meaningful professional development (PD).

The author begins by articulating the requirements for professional growth planning as outlined in the Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy and recommends using the self-paced online “teacher professional growth plan tutorial” provided by the ATA (see information above). The author goes on to describe transformational PD (i.e., learning opportunities that result in personal changes, questioning and changing current practice, and changing beliefs about further learning) as well as the key building blocks for meaningful PD. These building blocks involve linking PD to one’s teaching assignment, collaborating with one’s colleagues, and having the opportunity to decide what is learned and how it is learned (i.e., choosing from various PD opportunities). Several examples of PD opportunities offered through specialist councils, workshops, and conferences are suggested.

The author also describes many potential benefits of PD (e.g., enhances student learning, creates common understanding among educators, keeps educators up-to-date, provides time for critical thought and reflection, facilitates professional exchange, and acts as a vehicle for change).

Council on Alberta Teaching Standards (COATS); Professional Growth Plan Brochure: What I Need to Know to Develop an Annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan;

This COATS brochure is provided to help educators better understand and develop a professional growth plan. It poses and answers five general questions pertaining to growth plans (e.g., questions about sources of additional information, the links between growth plans and school/jurisdiction goals, and the evaluation of growth plans). It also poses and answers three additional questions as follows:

  1. “Why do I need to develop and complete an annual professional teacher growth plan?” The response to this question emphasizes the importance of constantly reviewing one’s own level of professional competence and effectiveness.
  2. “How do I develop an annual professional teacher growth plan?” The response to this question describes a three-step process involving teacher self-assessment, and the identification of priority professional learning goals as well as the strategies for achieving those goals.
  3. “How do I write up my completed plan and what happens to it?” The response to this question identifies a five step process including the writing of the plan, the submission of the plan for review and approval, the implementation and review of the plan, and finally the sharing of learning with colleagues.

Fenwick, Tara J.; “Teacher Learning and Professional Growth Plans: Implementation of a Provincial Policy”; Journal of Curriculum and Supervision; Vol. 19, No. 3; Spring 2004; 259-282;

This qualitative study examined the implementation of Alberta’s professional growth plan policy. Drawing on interviews with teachers, principals, and superintendents, the report noted both benefits and concerns associated with implementing the policy. The benefits included

  • a greater sense of authenticity and commitment to learning;
  • a greater accountability and focus placed on continued learning;
  • an increase in collaboration among teachers;
  • an improved sense of self-affirmation developed through learning;
  • an increased ability for districts to encourage alignment between teachers’ goals and schools’ and districts’ visions for education;
  • an improved ability to target professional development resources and opportunities to meet teacher-identified needs; and
  • an enhanced ability by teachers to adapt to changes in curriculum and technologies.
The concerns identified in the study included the following:
  • The rigid linear design common to professional growth plans can potentially restrict improvement in teaching practice and knowledge development by failing to allow for emergent goals, particularly goals that might be difficult to define or identify at the beginning of the year. Note, ongoing coaching and problem solving were identified as strategies that helped to minimize this concern.
  • A fear of failing to meet stated measures can threaten the trust and risk taking required in a positive learning environment. Again, coaching and encouragement by administrators was noted as helpful in terms of reducing teacher anxiety.
  • Some educators felt an increased burden in terms of time and workload, however most appreciated the opportunities for reflection and for addressing concerns effectively and immediately.
  • Some educators experienced difficulties defining manageable or achievable goals and linking these goals to their teaching practice.
  • Concerns by administrators about their changing roles regarding teacher evaluation were attributed to confusion regarding PGPs and evaluative procedures which are specified in a separate provincial policy.
Finally, the study offered the following suggestions for introducing and supporting professional growth plans:
  • Demonstrate commitment and provide resources in the form of financial, informational, cultural, and relational support.
  • Encourage flexibility and provide room for alternative approaches to professional learning.
  • Create an atmosphere of trust, allowing for increased risk taking over time.
  • Strive to develop an understanding of the relationship between the context and the learning in the specific community, always tying teachers’ learning to the socio-cultural school context.
  • Supplement and support teachers’ self-direction with external guidance from supervisors and colleagues.
  • Set aside sufficient resources and time for teachers’ professional development, including administrative time for reviewing and discussing growth plans with teachers.

For other related information or articles by Tara Fenwick, see “Teacher Supervision through Professional Growth Plans: Balancing Contradictions and Opening Possibilities”; “Fostering Teachers’ Lifelong Learning Through Professional Growth Plans: A Cautious Recommendation for Policy”; or visit her homepage.

Litke, C. Del; Centre for Leadership and Learning, University of Calgary; “Professional Growth in Changing Times: Challenges and Choices; 1996;

Though dated, this article represents the collected views about professional growth programs from over one hundred education stakeholders across Alberta. Litke offered the following suggestions for constructively moving toward an effective professional growth program:

  • Building trusting and respect-based relationships among teachers and between principals and teachers is essential to facilitating the development of effective professional growth programs.
  • Recognizing the complexity and difficulty of educational change is important. Proper reflection, critical analysis, and accounting for diversity and complexity are required before a professional growth program can be effectively implemented. Stakeholders also need to recognize that successful change requires the commitment of time, energy, and resources and a balancing of priorities.
  • School leaders should promote the reading of professional literature. Informed teachers are better prepared to develop their PGPs and more likely to be committed to attaining their learning goals.
  • Professional growth plans should recognize that every school context and every teacher are different , and therefore must PGPs must remain flexible and offer choice. In other words, teachers must be able to tailor their PGPs.
  • The development of a professional growth program should involve input from the larger stakeholder community, including parents and students.

Pon, Terence Franklin; “Professional/Personal Growth and Evaluation Model for Teacher-Librarians”; The University of Alberta; 2005;
Responding to the need for a more productive, more representative model for evaluating teacher-librarians, Terence Franklin Pon conducted research and proposed a conceptual model for a comprehensive teacher-librarian specific growth and evaluation model. The model is designed to measure the very specific foci and needs of the position with the end purpose of encouraging and directing professional development. The proposed model includes checklists, rubrics, and suggestions for portfolio development.

Schwartz, Susan; HighBeam Research; “Pre-service Portfolios: a Base for Professional Growth”; Canadian Journal of Education; 2001;
Based on a recent study of first-year teachers, data suggests that the implementation of professional portfolios, as a means of professional growth, resulted in more teachers feeling committed to their professional development, maintaining a portfolio in later years, and experiencing a boost in both attitude and confidence. The study highlights the pressures on first-year teachers, the influence of colleagues, and “external expectations” as factors affecting the implementation of the portfolio program.

University of Alberta; “Professional Growth Plan”; Student Teacher Resources; 2009;
This University of Alberta web page provides student teachers with background information and guidance related to the preparation of professional growth plans during their field experiences. A five-step guide to developing a PGP with the assistance of a mentor teacher and a university facilitator is articulated. This process is briefly outlined below:

  • Identify needs, interests, and areas for further growth;
  • Select realistic goals;
  • Identify strategies for achieving goals, assessing achievement, and consulting; and collaborating
  • Implement the plan; and
  • Review the plan.

In addition, the University of Alberta provides two PGP templates (see http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/fieldexperiences/pdfs/PGPModel.pdf and http://www.education.ualberta.ca/educ/uss/PGP%20Model.doc respectively) and information about professional portfolios and professional reflections (see http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/fieldexperiences/nav03.cfm?nav03=70987&nav02=63116&nav01=62704 and http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/fieldexperiences/nav03.cfm?nav03=70989&nav02=63116&nav01=62704 respectively).

University of Lethbridge; PS III Professional Goals/Growth Plans;

This resource, provided by the Faculty of Education, University of Lethbridge, is designed to help intern teachers develop their own PGPs. This article briefly outlines the required contents of initial and final PGPs and describes the responsibilities of the intern teacher, the mentor teacher, the school administrator and the faculty mentor. An example professional goal/growth plan is also provided.

More information can be found on the page entitled Professional Semester III. This page provides links to PGP templates and further examples (see www.uleth.ca/edu/undergrad/fe/pdf/
InternTeacherProfessionalGoalsTemplates.pdf, www.uleth.ca/edu/documents/uploads/professionalGrowthPlan.pdf, www.uleth.ca/edu/undergrad/fe/ps3/ps3_resources/growthplantemplate1.cfm, www.uleth.ca/edu/undergrad/fe/ps3/ps3_resources/growthplantemplate2.cfm, www.uleth.ca/edu/undergrad/fe/ps3/ps3_resources/growthplantemplate3.cfm, and www.uleth.ca/edu/undergrad/fe/ps3/ps3_resources/growthplantemplate4.cfm).