Unlocking Growth: Job-Embedded Professional Learning Develops Effectiveness in Teachers
In the world of education, the interest for continuous improvement is an ever-evolving journey. Teachers, on the frontline of learning, constantly seek ways to improve and refine their techniques, and ultimately, elevate student learning outcomes. One powerful approach that has been around as long as I can remember is job-embedded professional development. However, to take the job-embedded professional learning to the next level, Learning Forward believes that coaching teachers not only creates an environment for true learning to occur but increases teacher effectiveness. Let’s discuss what the marriage of the two and how it fosters growth and effectiveness in teaching.
What is Job-Embedded Professional Development?
Job-embedded professional development (JEPD) is a dynamic approach to teacher learning that is deeply integrated into the daily fabric of the classroom. Unlike traditional professional development workshops or seminars, which often occur outside the classroom, is isolated to one event, and can feel disconnected from the realities of practice, JEPD takes place within the context of teachers’ day-to-day work.
This form of professional development recognizes that the most effective learning experiences for educators occur when they are directly relevant to their teaching responsibilities and are immediately applicable in their classrooms. Studies show that educators learn best when they are in a community of individuals that value professional growth.
When I completed my doctorate, a portion of my work was dedicated to what allows for professional growth among teachers with the number one answer being, “I learn from my peers”. That embodies JEPD as it encompasses a spectrum of activities, including collaborative planning sessions, peer observation and feedback, action research projects, and coaching interactions.
Instructional Coaching Cycle- Learning Forward Style
According to an article written by Learning Forward in 2015, instructional coaching, “done poorly can be, and often is, ineffective, wasteful, and sometimes even destructive.” However one coach, Jackie Jewell from Othello School District in Washington, uses instructional coaching effectively to engage teachers in learning to positively effect student achievement. Her coaching cycle consisted of 3 components, identify, learn, and improve. For the full article, click here: https://learningforward.org/journal/february-2015-issue/3-steps-to-great-coaching/
1 Identify: When educators have access to quality professional development, they are better equipped to meet the needs of their students. The Learning Forward Professional Learning Standards provide a framework for designing and delivering professional learning that is effective and efficient.
2 Learn: The experience brings together professional learning leaders from across the district to learn and collaborate. This will help to foster a more cohesive and effective professional learning system.
3 Improve: The Academy will provide participants with the knowledge and skills they need to be effective professional learning leaders. This includes skills such as designing and delivering professional learning, coaching and mentoring other educators, and evaluating the effectiveness of professional learning.
Learning Forward engages in the thought that central to the concept of job-embedded professional development is the practice of coaching. Coaching cycles involve a structured process whereby teachers work closely with a coach to set goals, identify areas for growth, implement new strategies, and reflect on their practice. These cycles typically unfold over a defined period, often several weeks or months, allowing for sustained support and progress monitoring.
Coaching cycles vary in frequency, style, steps, and cycles. However, one thing they have in common is that they represent a shift towards a more personalized, contextualized, and sustainable model of teacher learning. By embedding professional development within the fabric of daily practice and providing targeted support through coaching, educators can cultivate a culture of continuous growth and innovation, ultimately enriching the teaching profession and enhancing student learning outcomes. I am here for it.