Special Report
Special Report

Teacher PD in the Common-Core Era

September 30, 2015
Teacher professional development today stands at the juncture of two developments: The adoption of the Common Core State Standards, and growing efforts to reconfigure and personalize learning opportunities for teachers. This special report explores that intersection, providing profiles of new ideas and challenges in PD today.
  • Professional Development Common Core and Professional Development: Survey Results
    New data from the RAND Corp. tracks teachers' PD needs, with a focus on topics connected to the common core.
    September 28, 2015
    BRIC ARCHIVE
    Illustration by Ross Brenneman
    Standards Teachers Turn to Twitter for Solutions, Connection
    Educators say the social media platform offers immediacy and practicality often missing from school PD programs.
    Ross Brenneman, September 28, 2015
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    7 min read
    Newly minted teacher leaders from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington go through an exercise during a summer training session on instructional coaching. The summer coaching intensive is a key component of the District of Columbia’s Teacher Leadership Innovation program, designed to provide structural supports for teacher-leader roles in schools.
    Newly minted teacher leaders from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington go through an exercise during a summer training session on instructional coaching. The summer coaching intensive is a key component of the District of Columbia’s Teacher Leadership Innovation program, designed to provide structural supports for teacher-leader roles in schools.
    T.J. Kirkpatrick for Education Week
    Standards To Tailor PD, D.C. Looks to Groom Teacher Leaders
    An initiative in the nation's capital aims to give select teachers more time to work with colleagues.
    Anthony Rebora, September 28, 2015
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    7 min read
    Kathryn Parker Boudett
    Kathryn Parker Boudett
    Teacher Preparation Is Collaborative PD Time Being Wasted in Schools?
    Kathryn Parker Boudett, co-author of Meeting Wise: Making the Most of Collaborative Time for Educators, offers ideas on what makes school-based meetings work well—and why they often don't.
    Anthony Rebora, September 28, 2015
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    7 min read
    Reading & Literacy The Common Core Raises Questions About Teachers' Questioning Skills
    A number of new PD initiatives aim to help teachers elicit more complex responses and interpretations from students.
    Sarah D. Sparks, September 28, 2015
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    6 min read
    Standards Lesson-Sharing Sites Raise Issues of Ownership, Use
    Key sources of common-core related PD, online lesson sites for teachers come with fine-print complexities.
    Stephen Sawchuk, September 28, 2015
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    9 min read
    Leo Ramos and Amy Pendray of the Long Beach district in California look on as educators from Avalon Elementary School, on Santa Catalina Island, review a new course on formative assessment. The course is party of myPD, an online system that tailors professional-development offerings for teachers and tracks progress toward their learning goals.
    Leo Ramos and Amy Pendray of the Long Beach district in California look on as educators from Avalon Elementary School, on Santa Catalina Island, review a new course on formative assessment. The course is party of myPD, an online system that tailors professional-development offerings for teachers and tracks progress toward their learning goals.
    David Walter Banks for Education Week
    Standards Long Beach District Sets Course to Personalize Teacher PD
    The closely watched California district recently launched a "myPD" platform to help teachers select their own training paths.
    Stephen Sawchuk, September 28, 2015
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    7 min read
    Sera Lee, a 5th grade teacher at Freedom Hill Elementary School in Fairfax, Va., works on a problem during a small-group session at a math-modeling training at George Mason University. Experts say that introducing modeling to younger students can improve their critical-thinking and application skills in math.
    Sera Lee, a 5th grade teacher at Freedom Hill Elementary School in Fairfax, Va., works on a problem during a small-group session at a math-modeling training at George Mason University. Experts say that introducing modeling to younger students can improve their critical-thinking and application skills in math.
    Swikar Patel/Education Week
    Standards Math-Modeling PD Takes Teachers Beyond the Common Core
    A pilot professional-development program funded by the National Science Foundation introduces elementary school teachers to a method of advanced problem-solving.
    Liana Loewus, September 28, 2015
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    7 min read
    In a video produced by the Center for the Collaborative Classroom, teacher Nina Morita demonstrates how educators can build community around writing practice and instruction. Experts say that, when used within a structured PD program, classroom-practice videos can help teachers improve their skills and negotiate instructional shifts.
    In a video produced by the Center for the Collaborative Classroom, teacher Nina Morita demonstrates how educators can build community around writing practice and instruction. Experts say that, when used within a structured PD program, classroom-practice videos can help teachers improve their skills and negotiate instructional shifts.
    Standards Video Gaining as Key Tool in Teacher-Learning Plans
    As platforms evolve, more school districts are using video in professional development to boost teacher collaboration and refine classroom practice.
    Michelle R. Davis, September 28, 2015
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    8 min read