Yesterday I had the pleasure of releasing the newly revised Standards for Professional Learning. It was a thrill to share the document in person with more than 1,000 educators attending our 2011 Summer Conference. Due to the generous support of MetLife Foundation, each person in attendance was handed a complimentary copy of the standards.
This is the third iteration of standards outlining the characteristics of professional learning that lead to effective teaching practices, supportive leadership, and improved student results. The standards were developed with the contribution of 40 professional associations and education organizations. These standards make explicit that the purpose of professional learning is for educators to develop the knowledge, skills, practices, and dispositions they need to help students perform at higher levels.
These standards call for a new form of educator learning. The decision to call these Standards for Professional Learning rather than Standards for Professional Development signals the importance of educators taking an active role in their continuous development and places emphasis on their learning. The professional learning that occurs when these standards are fully implemented enrolls educators as active partners in determining the content of their learning, how their learning occurs, and how they evaluate its effectiveness. The standards give educators the information they need to take leadership roles as advocates for and facilitators of effective professional learning and the conditions required for its success. Widespread attention to the standards increases equity of access to a high-quality education for every student, not just for those lucky enough to attend schools in more advantaged communities.
Increasing the effectiveness of professional learning is the leverage point with the greatest potential for strengthening and refining the day-to-day performance of educators. For most educators working in schools, professional learning is the single most accessible means they have to develop the new knowledge, skills, and practices necessary to better meet students’ learning needs. The use of Standards for Professional Learning by school systems and educators indicates commitment to effective professional learning. Further, use of the standards to plan, facilitate, and evaluate professional learning promises to heighten the quality of educator learning, performance of all educators, and student learning. Increased educator effectiveness makes possible a shift from current reality to the preferred outcomes of enhanced student learning results -- a goal to which all educators subscribe.
At the conclusion of my presentation, everyone in attendance was presented a commitment card with the question: How will you advance Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning in your school, district, organization, state or province? We asked everyone to make their commitment and share it with us. I am confident that working together, using the same language, and ensuring consistency and coherence of action -- we will accelerate our efforts to ensure great leadership in every school and great teaching for every student.
Stephanie Hirsh
Executive Director, Learning Forward