Allison Gulamhussein’s 5 Key Principles of Effective Professional Development (2013)

In designing a "go and show" type of professional learning course, I applied Allison Gulamhussein’s 5 Key Principles of Effective Professional Development. The course specifically addresses the needs of Spanish teachers working the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The problem as I see it, is that Spanish teachers across the diocese teach varying curricula, which impedes collaboration and the creation of unified lesson plans. This lack of consistency is a significant barrier, particularly because many of us teach multiple grade levels, each with different goals. The need to develop lesson plans independently for each grade further complicates the workload. However, if all Spanish teachers within the diocese followed a standardized curriculum, we could collaborate more effectively. Regular coordination—through weekly or monthly meetings—would enable us to share the planning load, divide grade-specific responsibilities, and collectively design lessons aligned to a shared curriculum.

Reference:

Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers Effective Professional

Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdfQTalk