EDLD 5389-Developing Effective Professional Leadership
In this course, I’ll look at what’s not working in current professional learning and apply key principles that make it more effective.
I’ll also explore why it’s so valuable for educators to reflect on their thinking and discuss how their learning environments affect student success.
Step 1: The Presentation- "Time to Rethink PD"
Step 2: The Story Behind the Story
Video Reflection
The Why
I am a CTE teacher leader with over 13 years experience who sees first hand how isolation, outdated practices, and lack of alignment with industry hurt student outcomes. Professional learning sessions have become cookie cutter and generic to the profession. I’ve also seen an increase of teacher turnover due to lack of support. However, when teachers start working together, even imperfectly, things changed—students thrived, teachers grew, programs strengthened. Most professional learning (PL) models tend to be passive, 'sit-and-get' formats. However, teachers in CTE courses prefer hands-on, active learning where they can move around and immediately apply what they’ve learned. These traditional models fail to align with their specific needs and individual learning styles.
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During my course work at Lamar University for a Master's in Education in Technology Leadership, I have learned a lot about leadership and what can motivate teachers. I've also been passionate about Career and Technology Leadership, and how I can help strengthen our department and eventually our district-wide CTE program. I want to be a CTE Instructional Coach, where I can help teachers collaborate, plan and take ownership of student success. This project aligns with my passion of helping strengthen CTE teachers and support them inside the classroom.
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The readings for this project, especially Gulamhussein and Duarte's Presentation, Nancy Duarte uncovers common structure of greatest communicators, helped reinforce that a change in professional learning is needed. CTE teachers at the high school level are often asked to sit through PD that is generalized and meant mainly for core subjects—and honestly, it just doesn’t apply to what CTE teachers do. But imagine if our professional learning was actually built around what we need—real-world skills, industry updates, hands-on strategies, and ways to help students earn credentials and get career-ready. If PD was made for CTE, it could actually make a real difference—for us and for our students.
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This presentation is not just suggesting change. It is backed by evidence and shows that targeted, relevant, and ongoing professional development is an investment that pay off in stronger teachers, better instruction and more successful students.
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​“The future isn’t a place we are going to go. It’s a place that you get to create” (Duarte, 2010).
The What
​The presentation calls for a shift from traditional "sit and get" model to the "go and show" model to effective professional learning. The presentation also models Gulamhussein's 5 Principles of Effective PD and demonstrates how moving toward a collaborative model creates teacher buy-in, and ultimately classroom success. This presentation is meant to advocate leadership, administration, instructional coaches and teachers to move towards ongoing, supportive and engaging professional development.
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This is a call to action to rethink professional learning. I created this presentation using google slides. I also included presenter notes, so anyone could facilitate the presentation if needed. Following the advice of Dr. Harapnuik, I kept the presentation simple and direct. I did use a design that was colorful and eye catching, that also involved pictures and testimonials to keep my audience engaged.
The How
I created this presentation using Google Slides as my main design tool. I added colorful text, graphics, and a personal testimonial from a teacher. The presentation piece was created using Loom. I followed Duarte’s storytelling approach that moves from “what is”—traditional, one-size-fits-all PD—to “what could be"—a more relevant, sustainable model of professional learning designed for CTE educators. It’s all about shifting from traditional PD to something more supportive, practical, and engaging for CTE teachers.
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Creating this presentation was more than making a slideshow. It was about telling a story, and building a message that could spark change. I have personally been affected by burn out and frustration due to lack of support. This is what inspired me to continue my education at Lamar in Technology Leadership so I can one day be a CTE instructional coach and support CTE teachers. By building my understanding of leadership and what professional learning should look like through these courses, I believe I can start a change within my district to lead teachers to success.
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References
Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the teachers: Effective professional development in an era of high stakes accountability. Center for Public Education.
http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf
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​Goodwin, B. (2015). Does teacher collaboration promote teacher growth? Educational Leadership, 73(4), 82 to 83. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec15/vol73/num04/Does-Teacher-Collaboration-Promote-Teacher-Growth%C2%A2.aspx
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Duarte, N. (2010). Nancy Duarte uncovers common structure of greatest communicators [Video]. TEDx. https://youtu.be/1nYFpuc2Umk
Master's in Education Educational Technology Leadership
- Stephanie Scaletta E-Portfolio is an eportfolio designed to showcase classwork and specific projects for a Master's course. The focus is on highlighting skills and demonstrating work through the featured projects. The eportfolio will also include links to EDLD 5389 and EDLD 5318.