An ASCD Study Guide for Teacher-Centered Professional Development

1. Think about your best and worst professional development experiences. What characteristics did they have?
2. Which of the stumbling blocks explained in Chapter 1 do you most frequently encounter in your professional development?
3. What other factors impinge on your teaching style the most?
4. What career stage are you in? How do you know?
5. In which quadrants of the Teacher's Choice Framework do you think you fit, and why?

Chapter 2

1. Have you participated in professional development, supervision, or teacher evaluation so far in your career?
2. How collegial and collaborative is the culture in your learning community? How can it be improved?
3. Think about your recent participation in a team at work. What stage of development is the team at? What tells you so?
4. Think again of your team at work. Which of Belbin's member roles are evident in your team? Which member roles are still needed?
5. Complete the Needs Assessment Survey (see Figure 2.3) and the Professional Development Profile (see Figure 2.5). Discuss them with a colleague you trust. Were there any surprises?
6. Draft an Individual Development Plan (see Figure 2.6) for your current needs. Which strategies from the Teacher's Choice Framework would be most suitable?

Chapter 3

1. Think about a mentor you have had. Describe the qualities of that mentor.
2. Who have you formally or informally mentored recently? Describe your qualities as a mentor in that situation.
3. Which of Whitmore's "essential mental qualities of mentors" do you focus on when mentoring others?
4. Answer the questions in Figure 3.1 and discuss them with a colleague you are mentoring. What do you need to work on in order to mentor more successfully?

Chapter 4

1. What kinds of maintenance, recovery, or development needs does your learning community have?
2. Use Figure 4.1 to pose a research question.
3. Using the example in Figure 4.2, make a graphic representation of your intended research. If possible, do this with others.
4. What data can help you clarify your research plan?
5. Use guiding questions to refine your plan.

Chapter 5

1. How can you personally profit from involvement in peer coaching?
2. Establish a focus of observation for one of your classes and design a suitable observation instrument.
3. Have a colleague conduct mirroring coaching with you. Use the figures in this chapter to guide the pre- and post-coaching conversations.
4. Arrange to observe a colleague's class. Use Heron's six categories to provide feedback.
5. Evaluate the effect of coaching on you and your colleague.

Chapter 6

1. Duplicate Figure 6.2 and practice writing field notes. How useful do you find this strategy?
2. Keep a dialogue journal with a colleague for at least three weeks. How useful do you find this strategy?
3. Develop a personal statement of your educational philosophy and share it with colleagues.
4. Plan and develop a product portfolio on an area you feel you need to improve.
5. Design a rubric for your portfolio presentation.

Chapter 7

1. Which of the modalities of team interaction described in this chapter do you find most suitable in your particular learning community? Why?
2. Using Figure 7.1 to focus your work, arrange to start a short-term critical development team or critical review development team.
3. Would a protocol such as the one presented in Figure 7.2 work in your community? Adapt it so that it best serves your needs.

Chapter 8

1. Use the Sample Conference or Seminar Plan in Figure 8.1 to guide your participation in a professional conference, course, or seminar.
2. Compare your participation and involvement in this event to your participation in previous similar events.

Chapter 9

1. How does your participation in workshops compare to the criteria for effective workshops presented in this chapter?
2. Use the 5-E approach to plan a workshop for your colleagues on a topic about which you are knowledgeable. Ask your colleagues to assess this workshop. What conclusions can you draw from this process?
3. Use Jarvis' hierarchy of learning experiences to self-assess your workshop.

Chapter 10

1. Reflect on the role of administrators in your school. How can they support your development better? If you are an administrator, how can you best support the faculty in your school?
2. Plan an evaluation cycle for the professional development program in your school. Select suitable evidence and communicate your planning to your colleagues. What can they add?

Teacher-Centered Professional Development was written by Gabriel Diaz-Maggioli. This 186-page, 6" x 9" book (Stock #104021; ISBN 0-87120-859-8) is available from ASCD for $20.95 (ASCD member) and $25.95 (nonmember). Copyright 2004 by ASCD. To order a copy, call ASCD at 1-800-933-2723 (in Virginia 1-703-578-9600) and press 2 for the Service Center. Or buy the book from ASCD's Online Store.