Continuing Professional Development
Contents | Preface | Introduction | Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 | Resources | Training Guides | Appendix A | Appendix B | Appendix C | Appendix D |
Professional development experiences are most effective when there is follow-up support. Follow-up builds on the team'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 has the following characteristics:
- planned as a key component of professional development activities
- supported by colleagues and supervisors
- designed together with the participant(s)
- based on the needs, interests, and learning styles of the participant(s)
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, work together to design the content and approach of follow-up strategies. Below are several strategies that can be adapted to meet the needs of your staff; they can be used alone or together to help staff integrate what they have learned in their day-to-day practice.
Personal Learning Plans
Personal Learning Plans are an extension of the "Back Home Plans" (see p. 22). Staff members create written plans for themselves, and then commit to specific action. Learning Plans help staff specify what they would like to learn (working with consultants, advocacy skills), and how they would like to learn it (attend a course, observe others). As a supervisor, you can support participants by helping them create their plans. Once plans are developed, meet with participants regularly to discuss their progress, identify needed resources, or plan next steps.
Peer Support Groups
In this strategy, a small group of staff (either a mixed group or staff in similar roles) meets 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 group, you may choose to be a member of the group, a facilitator, 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. Study group members meet regularly to learn more about research and practice, current thinking about inclusion, and new topics and issues. The Resources section offers suggestions for sources that can be used for study group exploration.
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.
Observation, On-the-Job 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 (adapting classroom activities to include children with disabilities), or more general issues (strategies used to foster inclusion in the program). As a supervisor, you might be the observer, or you might ask staff to observe you. Other possibilities include having new staff members 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 nonthreatening way, participants can receive feedback about what works well, and what alternatives to explore. It also gives them a chance to practice new skills in their current roles.
Continued Training
Participants can extend their learning by taking courses at a local college, university, or adult learning center, or by attending other training sessions. Many institutions of higher learning offer courses in psychology, special education, and child and family development. Staff from the regional Head Start Tralning and Technical Assistance (T/TA) network may help teams identify and negotiate with colleges and universities for credited formal training that is responsive to members' needs.
Participants can also build on their skills by using the services of the T/TA network, by attending seminars sponsored by outside agencies, and by continuing to organize training sessions. When organizing training, consider joining forces with early intervention programs, preschools, the local education agency (LEA), and other professional organizations. Cosponsored training enables personnel to form networks, sets the stage for other cooperative ventures, and provides face-to-face contact between agencies. In addition, cosponsored training can multiply resources; when responsibility is shared, so are the costs.
Taking Action
With collegial support and assistance, staff can also work to educate others in the program or in the community about inclusion. They might want to investigate resources in the community and start a resource directory for staff and families, or set up a resource library with materials for parents, staff, and children (in the classroom). Such activities will enable staff to take a more active role in advocating for children and adults with disabilities in their programs and in their communities.
Professional Development Survey
Now that you have successfully complete this guide, what else would you like to learn or do? Below is a list of topcs related to the learning outcomes of this guide. PLace a check next to the topics that interest you. Then, in the first column, rank your top 3 choices. Follow-up activities will be designed based on your responses.
| Top Three Choices | Check All that Apply |
| Check All that Apply |
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