Standards+Assignment.+Anamarie

==I participated in the Standards of Quality Professional Development event held here at HRD on Oct. 29. I completed my "Self-Assessment of Implementation of NSDC Standards of Staff Development." According to the results of my self-assessment, our District is weakest in the area of Learning Communities. I feel that we have recently begun to move in that direction, but that we still have a long way to go before we can say that we truly use small learning teams as a primary component of our professional development. Most teachers have just this school year started to participate in on-going, school-based learning teams that meet several times a week to plan instruction, examine student work, and/or solve problems. Although I do believe that there are schools that have been doing this for a while, at this point, it is not the norm across our District. On the other hand, I do believe that school faculties and learning teams do focus on school and district goals.== ==So what do I recommend? Well, as a member of the new Professional Development Support unit, I recommend that the District continue to move in the direction of Learning Comunities. I encourage departments and and schools to invest some of their time and talent into what our unit is producing: different events within the Professional Developer's Program that will assist them with the planning, delivery, follow-up, and evaluation of quality professional development programs within their content aeas. I think that by engaging in Learning Communities, each and every member within that LC will receive the support, knowledge, and skills that will not only increase their job performance, but ultimately impact student achievement. It's a win-win situation if we can work together as a team, and I really feel that 3-5 years from now, the entire District will be impressed with the all-around results!==