Continuing Professional Development

Professional development experiences are most effective when there is follow-up support. Follow-up builds on staff's motivation and interest and helps them transfer new skills to the workplace. It can extend the learning that takes place in workshops or coaching sessions.

Research and practice indicate that follow-up is most effective when it is:

A survey is a simple method to assess the needs and interests of staff in your program. A sample survey appears at the end of this section.

Follow-up Strategies
Once participants have selected their priorities, help them design the content and approach of follow-up. Below are several follow-up strategies that can be adapted to meet the needs of your staff. These strategies can be used alone or together to help participants bring all they have learned to their day-to-day practice in your Head Start program.

Personal Learning Plans
Personal Learning Plans are an extension of the "Back Home Plans" described in Next Steps: Ideas to Extend Practice. Staff create written plans for themselves, and then commit to action. Learning Plans help staff specify what they would like to learn (communication skills, benefits of inclusion) and how they would like to learn it (read, discuss, watch a video, observe others). As a supervisor, you can support participants by helping them create their plans. Once developed, meet with participants regularly to discuss their progress, and help them find resources or plan steps to complete their plans.

Peer Support Groups
In this strategy, a small group of staff members (either a mixed group or staff in similar roles) meet regularly for information and support. They share successes, discuss concerns and problems, and try to find solutions together. Peer support groups can also help staff support each other with their Back Home Plans or Personal Learning Plans. Support groups have evolving agendas, based on the needs of the members and the tasks they select to work on together. Most frequently, support groups deal with practical issues and concerns that arise in the program. Depending on the needs and interests of the members, you may be a member of the group, a facilitator for the group, or an outside resource.

Study Groups
Study groups can be used to refine, and expand staff skills. In study groups, staff read journal articles and books, watch videos, or listen to speakers. They then meet to discuss how the content applies to their own roles in the program and to their lives. Study group members meet regularly to learn more about research and practice, current thinking and controversy about inclusion, and new topics and issues. The Resources section includes an annotated list of videos, books, organizations, and professional journals that can be used for study group exploration. As with the Peer Support Group strategy above, you may be a member of the group, a facilitator for the group, or an outside resource who recommends readings or activities and is available for consultation.

Observation, Practice, and Feedback
Ideally, observation, practice, and feedback should be ongoing and routine. Observers can use a simple form to make notes for giving feedback. Forms can focus on specific skills (communicating with a particular child), or more general issues (strategies used to foster belonging in the classroom). As the supervisor, you might be the observer or have staff observe you. Other possibilities include having new staff observe more experienced staff or having peers take turns observing each other.

This strategy is time-consuming and a bit difficult to arrange, but it is very effective and worth the effort. By observing others, staff will see different methods actually being used and will learn new skills along the way. Observation also promotes greater self-reflection, an essential skill for working effectively with others. By being observed in a non threatening way, participants receive feedback about what works well and what alternatives to explore. It also gives them a chance to practice new skills in their actual roles.

Follow-up Materials
Perhaps the least time-consuming follow-up strategy involves sending written materials and resources to staff after the training activities are finished. These materials might include a reminder of the results of a session, questions to encourage journal writing and self-reflection, a letter that discusses the participant's involvement in the training activities and her success in applying new skills on the job, or an interesting article to read. Such follow-up materials can match the needs and interests of staff to the specific content or skill being learned.

Taking Action
With your support and assistance, staff might work to educate others in the program or the community about inclusion. Or they might want to investigate resources in the community and start a resource directory for staff and families. Staff might also want to set up a resource library with materials for parents, staff, and children (in the classroom). These activities will help staff take a more active role in advocating for children and adults with disabilities in their programs and communities.


Professional Development Survey
Now that you have successfully completed Setting the Stage: Including Children with Disabilities in Head start, what else would you like to learn or do as a result? Below is a list of topics related to the learning the outcomes of this guide. Place a (check mark) next to the topics that interest you. Then, in the first column, rank your top three choices. We will be designing follow-up activities based on your responses. Thank you!
Top Three Choices (1,2,or3)
All that Apply		  
    I would like to learn more ab out...
῀ ῀ How my perceptions and experiences influence how I interact with children with disabilities and their families and how I can strengthen my ability to welcome all children and families.
῀ ῀ The principles and practices necessary for meaningfully including children, and how I can advocate for them in the program and in the community.
῀ ῀ How inclusion benefits all of us, and how I can help others become more aware of this.
῀ ῀ How I can better communicate with others in ways that will promote inclusion.
῀ ῀ How I can strengthen my ability to talk about disabilities (or speak with persons with disabilities) in a way that promotes inclusion.
῀ ῀ The laws and regulations that protect the rights of persons~with disabilities, and how they apply to my job.
῀ ῀ Ways to identify and remove existing barriers in the program or the community.
῀ ῀ The special supports needed by children with disabilities and how I can advocate for these supports.
῀ ῀ How staff in roles similar to mine create a welcoming and inclusive environment.
῀ ῀ When and how I create an inclusive environment and when I inadvertently create barriers.
῀
῀
 ῀
῀
 How to identify and advocate for the supports we need in order to successfully include children with disabilities.
Other (please specify):

Professional Development Survey, page 2
All that
Apply		 How do you think you can best learn what you want to learn? Check all that apply.
῀ Reading and writing on my own, with occasional sessions with my supervisor.
῀ Meeting with peers for an ongoing support group in which we discuss successes
and concerns, and create solutions.
῀ Meeting with peers for an ongoing study group in which we read articles, watch
videos, etc. and have discussions.
῀ Observing experienced staff members and peers and having them observe me as I
practice new skills.
῀ Attending other training sessions or taking a course at a nearby college.
῀ Receiving written notes and materials from my supervisor on topics that interest
me.
῀ Other (please specify): ____________________________________________________




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