Professional Growth—Middle Grades

By Corrina Knight

6th grade language arts/social studies teacher

Salem Middle School

Apex, North Carolina

Have you ever tried on a “one size fits all” garment and thought to yourself, “Who does this fit?” Have you ever noticed the same problem with staff-development strategy? How would professional development look if it were custom-tailored?

In my school, teachers work on learning teams within subject areas to set their own professional direction. We tailor our learning experiences to students’ needs and our professional interests. This has heightened our interest...