The 3 elements that make Professional Development impactful

Learning doesn’t stop once we graduate from higher education and enter the workforce, if anything this is where learning really takes place. At any organisation there should be on-the-job training, mentoring and ongoing professional development opportunities to create a team of highly trained and confident experts. 

This is especially true at schools where students rely heavily on their teachers to use  best practice in the classroom and equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed outside of school. 

Professional Development provides teachers with the most  effective teaching techniques, resources, and the chance to advance their careers. It also keeps the school community up to date with the newest education research so the most relevant strategies can be considered for implementation. These benefits all lead to increased motivation levels as participants feel empowered and prepared to take on their future in teaching. As a result, we can see enhanced teacher quality, which research suggests improves learning outcomes for students. 

Teachers in Australia are expected to complete around 20 hours of PD each year but it can be hard to know which sessions will yield the greatest results and offer proven practices that will support student growth. 

The elements to look for in Professional Development

1. Research shows that active learning is an essential part of PD and indicates that there is a greater impact on learning when it is utilised. This kind of learning incorporates active engagement, open discussion, problem-solving, and activities that include reflection. This allows participants to get hands-on with their learning and establishes a deeper understanding of the topic, making it easier to implement learnings in the classroom.
   
   
2. Workshops that assist in understanding how students learn can open up new pathways to address learning needs. This kind of PD should enable teachers to confidently analyse the data behind learning patterns, establish a clear understanding of metacognition, and conclude on the best learning environments so that students feel safe, empowered and celebrated. 
   
   
3. Research suggests that PD is far more effective when aligned to clear and relevant goals, whether individual or school-wide and that are supported by leadership. Goals need to be considered relevant and achievable by the teachers striving towards them so their impact can be sustained long term.  

So which Professional Development is worth our time?

Finding the right PD opportunity that aligns with every need a teacher has can be challenging. There are so many courses available online and in-person that promise results, but it’s not until the session is complete that you realise you have only scratched the surface of what you want to achieve. 

That’s why it’s important to look for PD that delivers all the essential elements plus offers networking with like minded teachers, a range of workshops so your experience can be personalised, counts for multiple PD hours, and enables teachers to confidently walk away with strategies and classwork to implement with students. 

This year’s Path Teacher Conference has all of this on offer. We are bringing together teachers from all around Australia to take part in meaningful PD to support the success of students using the Maths Pathway Model. We believe the best way to improve growth in students is to provide teachers with every resource and piece of knowledge they need to be successful in the classroom. 

We are excited to announce Dr. Bill Rogers will be presenting our 2023 Masterclass

Bill works closely with education professionals on discipline and behaviour management, stress and teaching, and colleague support. He specialises in Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary levels and is well known for delivering workshops that empower teachers with a skills-based approach to classroom management.

We are thrilled to have Bill joining us at Path23 to give our community an insight into his work and take away some proven strategies to apply to the classroom.

In addition to our Behaviour Management Masterclass we have over 10 workshops where teachers can discover best practice pedagogy, refine their skills on rich learning and access tangible resources to take back to the classroom.

Tickets for Path23 are selling fast. Grab your ticket today!