As many of us know, the compilation of data is only as effective as the results it produces. Although our leadership team gathered and disaggregated plenty of data from walkthrough evaluations, we didn't have the follow-through in place to help teachers improve upon their instructional strategies. So last year, our administrators put together a list of the top five deficits observed in instruction: the use of student-led technology, higher-level questioning (Bloom's Taxonomy), intentional grouping, 21st century learning, and digital resource integration in the classroom. Then we brainstormed ways to engage teachers in meaningful professional development that would strengthen their pedagogy in the identified areas—and "Speed PD" was born!
In every school, there are educators who exemplify best practices. We have no shortage of them at Delsea Regional High School, so why not have them lead professional development for their colleagues? On a half day of in-service, we created a schedule of mini-workshops facilitated by five of our own outstanding teachers (chosen in a roundtable discussion with formal observation results). They were each given preparation time to create a 10-minute lesson that would highlight strategies to improve instructional practices in the identified topic. Staff members were intentionally grouped into teams that followed a different schedule (each team featured a diverse mix of department members). The entire staff circulated through all five workshops. We chose a fun Seinfeld theme and kicked off the day's events with a quick meeting to share the bell schedule, offer a short introduction of each session, and assemble the groups. Members of the administration served as captains who guided their teams through the workshops and proudly participated with the staff.
The result? They loved it! Participants willingly engaged in activities that modeled interesting ways students could gain 21st century skills using technology. The staff learned the importance of including intentional grouping, higher-level questioning, and individual learning styles in lesson plans. Everyone walked away with new strategies and ideas on how to improve instructional practices—at absolutely no cost to the district! Beyond the pedagogical experience, it was a great way to incorporate team building and collaboration.
At the end of the day, our teachers provided honest feedback through an anonymous survey. Their responses were overwhelmingly positive, and many staff members offered to facilitate future Speed PD sessions. They appreciated the takeaway of new ideas that they could implement immediately. They also indicated that the brevity of the sessions was perfect to inspire, engage, and inform without being boring or distracting. More important, the staff was united in the strategic goal of improving instructional practices to benefit student achievement.
Since introducing Speed PD last year, we continue to strengthen the five deficit areas through our professional learning communities. We have also used Speed PD twice this fall. We kept the same format for one PD session, with an adjusted time frame of 15 minutes to allow for deeper exploration. The second PD session served as a follow-up where staff could choose a single topic to explore in-depth. Subsequent Speed PD sessions have also been conducted districtwide.
