Professional Development and Teacher Education for Reading Instruction

Professional Development to Promote Teacher Adaptability

“…Here, PD providers collaboratively support inquiry and coconstruct knowledge with teacher participants (Hoffman & Pearson, 2000). Aligned with previously described characteristics of effective PD (Anders et al, 2000;Bean & Morewood, 2011;Dillon et al, 2011;Duffy, 2004;Garet, Porter, Desimone, Birman, & Yoon, 2001;Morewood et al, 2010;Taylor et al, 2005;Taylor et al, 2011), educative models are long-term and embedded in classrooms, providing authentic contexts for in-the-moment problem solving. Teachers reflect on their existing practices and experiment with techniques discussed in PD sessions, often while being coached through their attempts.…”

“…Common characteristics associated with effective PD include ongoing and sustained opportunities, alignment with students' learning goals, strong leadership presence, implementation of practices supporting student learning, focus on teachers' learning needs, collaborative environment, and student assessment data to inform instruction (Anders et al, 2000;Bean & Morewood, 2011;Darling-Hammond, Wei, Andree, Richardson, & Orphanos, 2009;Desimone, 2009;Dillon, O'Brien, Sato, & Kelly, 2011;Morewood, Ankrum, & Bean 2010;Taylor et al, 2005;Taylor et al, 2011). Within each of the characteristics, teachers need to feel both pressure to change and support for their learning (Fullan, 1991).…”

Literacy Course Priorities and Signature Aspects of Nine Elementary Initial Licensure Programs

“…The second study examined course syllabi and surveyed faculty members from each site . Results from the two studies suggest that teacher preparation programs positively influence beginning teachers as evidenced by teacher candidates' comments about what they had learned in their programs, their teaching in schools, and researchers' observations of their teaching (Dillon et al, 2011).…”

Professional Development and Educational Policy: A Comparison of Two Fields in Education

“…The literature in these two fields indicated school reform is a complicated process that takes time and effort (Guskey & Yoon, 2009;Rose, 2010;Wilkinson & Son, 2011). The focus of both is on the improvement of daily classroom instruction which would lead to increased student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2010;Dillon et al, 2011;Guskey, 2003;Hill, 2009;Rose, 2010). The needs of individual teachers are the heart of any teacher professional development, whereas educational policy tends to focus on the school as whole rather than individual teachers.…”