THE PRACTICE OF PROFESSIONAL GROWTH PART 1
You might have guessed that the topic of professional growth is near and dear to my heart. My entire business was created to provide continuous opportunities for teachers and parents to reflect upon their practices.
I’ve worked with children and families for the past twenty-five years. I started on this journey working part-time in a childcare center. I was not prepared at all to spend my days with young children. I had no understanding of child development, behavior management, or even how to set up a classroom. I knew even less about the importance of professional development. I often found myself at make & take workshops to earn my required continuing education credits. While I had a lot of fancy file folder games, I gained no skills or knowledge that would help me grow in my teaching practices.
It took several years and landing at a fantastic preschool before all of this changed. This new teaching position opened my eyes to the true potential of young children. It gave me insights into professional growth that I had never experienced in the past. I was given articles to read and books to discuss. There were workshops held onsite that I attended with my fellow teachers that allowed us to grow as a teaching community with a shared understanding of concepts. The information gained during these workshops was applied directly to our teaching practices. It was incorporated into our staff meetings through discussions and reflections.
Although I was often on information overload, I also craved more and a new passion for working with young children. I found myself searching for articles to read on my own time and buying books that were not within my very meager budget. I wanted to discuss everything I was learning with everyone all the time! This love of researching and reading is still a massive part of my life.
I had the privilege of participating in so many meaningful professional development opportunities during my career, which is not the case for many educators. It breaks my heart to hear that schools do not participate in professional development workshops because they are not required to, or teachers don’t know where to find courses that meet their needs.
When we don’t take the time to reflect on our teaching practices, learn new information on best practices, or dive deeper into our passions, are we looking out for the best interest of our students? Imagine going to a surgeon that’s been in practice for twenty years but has not once attended training or conference to update their skillset. Imagine traveling on a plane with a pilot trained to fly a crop duster but not a 747. Would you feel safe with either of these individuals? Would you feel like they have your best interest in mind?
True professional (and personal) growth can only happen if we are open to receiving information and reflecting upon our practices. It is terrific when programs provide these opportunities for their teachers. Suppose your program does not offer these opportunities, or you are seeking a broader range of development. In that case, it is within your power to search for opportunities for growth on your own. You deserve it! Reading a book, downloading an article, listening to a podcast, following a blog, and going to a conference feed your curiosity and desire to grow.
In part 2 of this post, I will share some of my favorite resources for professional development, including articles, online courses, podcasts, books, videos, and more!
