Professional Development

We caught up with regular edCircuit contributor, Howard Pitler, at the ASCD annual conference to discuss what is and is not formative assessment in education.

Check out this interview with ASCD author and educator Pete Hall as the season begins to shift to Friday night football and school dances. Hall and Dr. Berger met up at this year’s ASCD conference. Hall shares insights into his new book The Principal Influence.

The word sabbatical brings to mind connotations of higher education. It’s unheard of for K-12 teachers to take time a one-year leave and dedicate themselves to research. Why is this not widely accepted? If teachers plan on remaining in their profession for an extended period, how will they build relevant knowledge and be better educators for their students?
Should teachers still learn? Scientific American understands the challenges of doing so. Teaching is a labor-intensive profession. It’s challenging to find access to innovative and informative workshops, and a new standard of professional development should be put into place.

This post, COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION: The Working Definition, was originally published in SEEN Magazine and reprinted with Permission. 
The advocacy for competency-based education (CBE) has grown considerably in mainstream education over the last few years. Out from the shadows of alternative education, the idea that skills based mastery leads to achievement has come of age. Universities, colleges, and K12 education now consider competency-based education a viable option for improving the quality and effectiveness of teaching.
Competency-based education has at its core an emphasis on achievement.

This post, MARCHING TOWARDS COMPETENCY: Competency Based Learning: Instruction that Matches the Needs of Each Student, was originally published in SEEN Magazine and reprinted with permission. 
In theory, the choice is simple. Continue to implement a time-bound; age-based; one-size-fits-all curriculum-driven instructional model that has not served us well for many decades.

Dr. Celine Coggins, CEO of Teach Plus, spent time with Dr. Berger discussing the role education plays in helping educators build their own understanding for how policy impacts practice and overall enjoyment of practice. Coggins pulls back the proverbial curtain to share her own initial experiences exploring teaching as an option for her own career. The response her parents provided, though less than inspiring, provides context to the underground image so many Americans have about education and the decision to work in the sector. 

Mike Anderson, frequent contributor to edCircuit and known as The Well Balanced Teacher, spent time with Dr. Berger at the ASCD conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Anderson discussed what occurs when students have more choices about their learning, stating that they find ways of learning that matches their personal needs. The result, says Anderson, is that students are more engaged in their work, building skills and work habits that will serve them well in school and beyond. 

Jeremy Rogoff, CEO of kickup, spent time with Dr. Berger at 2016 ASCD Annual Conference discussing how his own teaching experiences inspired him to launch kickup. Rogoff began his teaching career in Clarendon, Arkansas before moving to KIPP D.C.: College Preparatory where he was inspired to start his own venture. 

Fred Ende is the assistant director of curriculum and instructional services for Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, one of New York’s 37 regional education service agencies. Ende joined Dr. Berger at ASCD’s Annual Conference to discuss the evolution of professional development and his ASCD book, Professional Development That Sticks: How do I create meaningful learning experiences for educators?