Let Me Tell You How it Works! A Professional Development Model Explained

Abstract

This model, built on the teachers’ voices gathered during my fieldwork in Pakistan and analysed using a Miles and Huberman (1994) style grid, presents the results of my study in a new way. It acknowledges school-based provision of professional development and expresses recognition of social learning as the pedagogy. This model of professional development is more dynamic, systematic, focused, and engaging. It promotes the process of acculturation within teachers’ own workplaces and facilitates teachers in thus-formed communities to do what is best for themselves and for the whole group. Through this approach, teachers, individually and socially, foster the growth of continuing development by reflecting and holding dialogue, analysing problems, identifying solutions and applying them in their classrooms for better student learning. This model attains its sustainability in a number of ways – organic rather than sudden growth nurtured by teachers’ increased sense of ownership and the administrators’ supportive roles; practice-focused teacher learning and development through reflection in and on practice, peer reviews, and with the assistance of in-school and cross-school mentors; and, a system of evaluation for transparent, efficient and need-based functioning.