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Professional Development as it Relates to Academic Achievement
Submitted by: West Royalty Home and School Association
Resolution Content
WHEREAS although P.E.I. provincial assessments are showing increased results in recent years, the 2013 PISA results indicate that the results of P.E.I. students have been on a decreasing trend, and are the lowest in Canada in all three areas tested, and
WHEREAS there has been a recent increase in Professional Development (PD) days for Island teachers, and there is an additional proposed increase in the number of PD days, and
WHEREAS all stakeholders need to work together to ensure that all P.E.I. students are receiving the education they deserve; and
WHEREAS waiting for the early years interventions to work through the system is not good enough; and
WHEREAS parents and concerned citizens of this province expect accountability is required at all levels of the education system; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the P.E.I. Home and School Federation request the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to ensure that teachers are receiving relevant professional development that can be effectively, and immediately introduced in the classroom to increase academic achievement.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
| Destination: | Department of Education and Early Childhood Development English Language School Board French Language School Board |
Responses Received
English Language School Board: Although this resolution is directed to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the English Language School Board is responsible for the professional development of teachers in its employ and is aware of the importance of teacher professional development being aligned with its strategic plan for student achievement, operational work plans, and school effectiveness goals, as determined by individual schools. The school district considers teacher professional development to be paramount to the improvement of student achievement.
Education and Early Childhood Development: Instructional time has to be of high quality in order to really benefit our students. One way to improve the quality of instructional time is to provide professional learning opportunities to teachers, so they can use the most effective instructional straqtegies with their students. We know high quality teaching is a key factor in supporting student achievement.
The additional embedded professional learning days will support high quality teaching. These professional learning days will provide opportunities for teachers to learn new concepts, meet with other teachers in their school or grade level, try out new concepts in their own classrooms, and evaluate hos those concepts are working with their students.
Teachers build on their education and experience through professional learning, so that newly learned skills can take hold, impact classroom practice and positively affect student learning. Professional learning is not an event. It is an ongoing process. Effective professional learning is an intentional focus on our curriculum, assessment, and instructional strategies in order to improve student learning.
Effective professinoal learning is embedded in practice; that means that it ensures that there is a direct connection between the teachers' daily work and will have positive outcomes for student learning in classrooms.
Professional learning will help students achieve in the classroom, enable classroom climates to thrive, and prepare all Island children for success in life and in the global workforce.