7 tips for choosing professional development programs

1. Alignment to school goals. What are you looking to accomplish, and how does professional development align with that? 

2. Focus on communication. A very robust communication plan goes hand-in-hand with alignment. Along with new directions in the curriculum, it’s important to communicate how a new initiative meets learning goals because this will make professional development more effective for educators. How does the professional learning you’re using align with goals?

3. Emphasise competency. Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all professional development. Professional development should empower teachers to identify where they are, what their target is, and what steps they should take to progress to the target.