THE PRACTICE OF PROFESSIONAL GROWTH PART 2
"Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still." - Chinese Proverb
In Part 1 of my blog post on professional growth, I share why growing personally and professionally is necessary. It is important to remember that developing and reflecting on our teaching practices is not something that we rush to complete. I am twenty years into my educational career, and I am still learning and growing. There are often I wish I could turn back the clock to apply my newly developed skills in an early education classroom. Instead of focusing on the past, I take to heart the saying, "when you know better, you do better." I share the gifts of this new knowledge with educators so they can transform their teaching practices.
In the classroom, when I am trying to understand why a child is having a struggle, what direction a project should go in or how I can make connections with a family, I reflect upon guiding questions. This is precisely how you would start your journey into professional growth. Sit down with your favorite beverage, a journal, and some fancy gel pens (teachers love a fancy gel pen!). Next, write down a few guiding questions. I have given you some suggestions to get you started.
What am I passionate about?
Why did I become a teacher?
What do I wonder about?
What struggles am I having in the classroom?
What do I want to know more about?
Once you have your questions, you need to spend some time reflecting, which is the hardest part of this journey. While it is easy for us to give ideas on how others should grow, that is not always true when looking at ourselves. It would be best to dig deep when exploring these guiding questions.
Now that you've spent time reflecting upon your guiding questions, it is time to make a professional development plan. Maybe you want to transform your teaching practices to spend more time being a guide on the side and less time being a sage on the stage. You would set a goal to learn more about child-led learning. With this goal in mind, you would look for articles, podcasts, books, and courses in this area.
Here are some of my go-to favorites for professional (and personal development):
Articles
Professional development does not have to be expensive. Whenever I ask myself a guiding question, I start my research with articles and blog posts. The secret to finding the perfect article is knowing how to perform a search. When looking for an article on a topic, you need to search using keywords. For instance, if I wanted to know more about child-led learning, I would type child + led + learn into my search engine. This would ensure that the first articles shown are on the topic I am interested in learning more about.
When you find articles that speak to your guiding question, saving the article using a bookmarking tool is a good idea. This will allow you to revisit the article to share and discuss it with others. If you are looking for research-based journal articles, you can use the Google Scholar search engine. One of my favorite sites for education-related journal articles is ERIC Institute of Education Science. There are often fees attached to journal articles, but they are essential if you are looking for something that is research-based. You can sometimes avoid these fees if you are a college student and have access to an online journal library.
Blogs
Subscribing to a blog is another fantastic free professional development tool. I love reading blog posts written by educators, mental health professionals, and parents. There is something so personal about someone sharing their reflections and journey. Some of my favorite blogs to read are - Teacher Tom, Fairy Dust Teaching, Happy Families, Interaction Imagination, and Play Counts.
Social Media
To save a post or article on Facebook, you will click on the three dots located in the top right-hand corner of the post. You will see an option to save the post. To find it again, you can click on "saved" under the explore label on the left-hand side of your Facebook newsfeed. You can also organize these saved articles in folders, making it easier for future reference. Some of my favorite pages to follow on Facebook are Bringing the Outside In, The Inspired Child, Life on Purpose Movement, Positive Parenting Solutions, The OT Toolbox, and Roseville Early Years Consultancy.
Videos, Webinars, and Podcasts
I am always looking for great (short) videos to share during my workshop presentations. Videos are an excellent way for educators (and parents) to see a concept in action. They are also a great way to dig deeper into your professional development journey. You can use the same search engine trick when looking for videos. If you want to learn more about child-led learning, you will type child + led+ learning + video into the search engine. You can often find free training videos online to help you continue your journey.
If you find a Youtuber that posts topics that interest you subscribe to the Youtube page. You will be notified each time they upload a new video. I'm also a fan of webinars which are most often free and give you a lot of information that you can unpack when you are ready. I enjoy the webinars presented by Gryphon House. Although they usually promote a new book, I've always found helpful information. It gives me a sneak peek into a book that I may want to look for later. Podcasts are another option and offer you a great way to explore learning on the go! I spend a lot of time traveling, so I am always looking for new podcasts. Check out this list of podcasts for teachers.
Books
I have to confess...I am a huge book nerd. Walking into a bookstore with the scent of new books makes me swoon. The wonderful thing about using books as a tool for professional development is that you don't always have to purchase the book. I love my local library, which is within walking distance from my home. When I find a book that I feel like I can't live without, I head over to my local library's web page to see if they have it in their catalog.
Since I want to curb my spending on books, I will often find the book at the library and read it before I decide to add it to my collection. Some of my current favorites are: Messy Maths, The Zen Teacher, Teach Like Finland, and Bambini: The Italian Approach to Infant/Toddler Care. Asking the administrators at your school to start a lending library is an excellent way to another great way to encourage professional growth.
Training: In-Person and Virtual
My favorite part of my role as an early childhood specialist is my connections with teachers during training workshops. When a program hosts an on-sight workshop, the entire school staff can share a vision for growth and development that continues beyond the professional development day. If your program does not offer on-sight training opportunities, it is in your best interest to research your options. In the US, most states have organizations that provide professional development. In North Carolina, each county has a local Partnership that offers professional development opportunities monthly.
I am personally a big fan of online learning. I completed my master's degree in curriculum and instruction online. The key to online learning is finding a course that is the right fit for you and your needs. As we design our online courses, we are mindful of offering a time for reflection and the ability to apply the knowledge gained during the course. If you aren't able to track down local trainings, then you can search for virtual options. If you are looking for a way to explore your passions and dig deeper into your teaching practices from the comfort of your own home, Coursera offers fantastic courses.
Conferences and Memberships
There is nothing like a national education conference. There are so many people to meet and workshops to attend. The downside is that they are often one of the most expensive options for professional development. Most national conferences occur around the same time each year. If you know that attending a specific conference is on your bucket list, it's good to start saving up in advance. You can also often get a discount on admission if you are a member of the organization hosting the conference. Some organizations' membership allows you to access online educational content.
Another option is to attend local conferences, which are often less expensive but just as informative. Many small educational organizations will host their conferences with local educators presenting the workshops. The national organization NAEYC has branches in each state. These local branches often offer their conferences which are a great way to network with educators in your home state.
To grow, you need to take this newly gained information and apply it to your teaching practices. The accurate measure of learning is not memorizing facts but applying knowledge. Reflect, set a goal, dive in, and transform your teaching practice.
