Beyond Sit-and-Get: The Power of Intentional Professional Learning

I, like most educators, have attended my fair share of “sit and get professional development” that, although it had good intentions from the presenter, left me feeling overwhelmed, tired, and unsure of next steps to translate new ideas into practice. Then, one day I attended a professional learning workshop that shifted the narrative on professional development for me. 

This workshop was intended as a stakeholder group working toward creating the Profile of the SC Graduate Competencies, a set of skills that would help students to truly be prepared for life and work outside of high school. Our presenter made the environment truly learner-centered, beginning our time with a relevant question that challenged us to think differently about student learning and outcomes. We engaged in conversational activities that allowed us to build consensus, share experiences, and gain new insight and information. Rather than feeling drained, I remember leaving each session hopeful and excited about the work ahead and the positive impact it would have on student learning. I could tell that this was due to the thought and intention that went into the experience design.

When I transitioned from the classroom to a state-level coaching role with the South Carolina Department of Education, I always kept that experience in mind, taking a learner-centered approach to designing PD. It is my belief that learning should be engaging and leave people feeling informed and inspired, something that a “sit and get” session rarely does. One of the core pieces of my coaching role was curating learning experiences for adult learners to shift instructional practice and ultimately benefit students. I will never forget a quote that one of my teammates would frequently share with leaders: “What do we want teachers to do with students that we are not doing with teachers at the leader-adult learner level?” Broken down, this question was meant to challenge leaders and coaches to take a learner-centered approach with educators, understanding that modeling this approach can lay the groundwork for classroom practices.

I saw that come together most clearly in a cohort we called Launch.  These were teachers who wanted to bring student-centered learning and durable skills into their classrooms, and some walked in guarded, having sat through enough weak PD to expect another long slideshow. Designing that cohort taught me what intentional professional learning asks of us, and the components below are the ones I came back to again and again.

Within the various cohorts and PDs that I had the opportunity to design and facilitate, there are a few key components rooted in Adult Learning Theory that I believe can make professional learning relevant and impactful:

• Leading design with curiosity and teacher voice: Professional learning experiences curated with curiosity and teacher input in mind are often more impactful than without. Questions to consider could include: “What do teachers need support with? How can this be captured through a needs assessment?”
• Starting PD with connection & intention setting: Another favorite quote of mine is that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Beginning learning time with a moment to reflect, share, or learn what’s going on in others’ worlds can help participants connect beyond work and shift into a space ready to take on the day of learning.
• Varied learning experiences built into the day: We all learn and gain information through more than just sitting and listening to an hour-long presentation. Offering multiple ways to engage with new learning through articles, videos, small-group conversations, and mini-lessons helps ensure everyone’s needs are met. Getting participants up, moving, and talking also helps break up redundancy and spark energy to carry them through the PD timeframe.
• Dedicated work and feedback time: In our day-to-day work lives, there seems to be never enough time to think, plan, and strategize. Making intentional time for this, as well as thought partnership and/or coaching feedback within PD, is crucial, helping participants process and ideate next steps.
• Opportunities to reflect and make next steps: Charting out the “so what, now what” of the PD day helps translate ideas into action. Embedding meaningful coaching check-ins after the PD day provides participants with a touchpoint for the work they begin and helps them stay connected to the iterative process of implementing new practices.

In Launch, these were not ideas on a page; they were the shape of our days together. Teachers left using what they learned, troubleshooting real challenges, and turning to one another as resources long after our sessions ended.

Within my state-level work, I have had the honor of seeing how intentional professional learning transforms student learning. Even small shifts in how we support teachers can have far-reaching impact. When professional learning is relevant, responsive, and engaging, it doesn’t just improve practice; it keeps the joy of teaching and learning alive.