How Professional Development for Teachers Enhances Classroom Management Skills
For any educator, professional development is an effective way to stay on top of the current trends impacting the educational landscape. Most importantly, it helps teachers learn how to enhance their classroom management skills through new and improved techniques.
Educators in schools and early education programs should provide regular and quality teacher professional development opportunities to their staff to ensure that children are getting the best chance at a high-quality educational experience.
At Sunrise Children’s Foundation, we’re proud to offer quality educational experiences to the children and families we serve. Our teachers undergo regular training sessions to stay on top of the latest sciences and methodologies of teaching best practices in the Early Childhood education space.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at why professional development for teachers is essential not just in helping educators become the best versions of themselves but because of how it will influence the children teachers work with.
What Is Professional Development for Teachers?
Professional development is essentially any activity that allows a teacher to improve their knowledge and skill set. The goal of any professional development is to help a teacher become the best version of themself by staying up to date with ever-evolving classroom management techniques and teaching strategies.
Professional development will look different for every teacher, and it is generally driven by the age of the children they work with, the type of school or educational facility they work in, and even the content they teach.
For example, teachers who work with children with disabilities might undergo professional development designed to serve that population specifically. This training might cover the latest techniques on how to help children regulate their emotions, manage stressors, and be engaged and fulfilled members of the classroom community.
Professional development can include a range of activities, such as:
- Attending a conference
- Working collaboratively with other educators
- Listening to experts in the field
- Shadowing experts in the field
- Engaging in hands-on learning activities, like working in a classroom that you might not be accustomed to
- Any other activity where skills development is built
Why Is Professional Development for Teachers Important?
It’s essential for teachers to engage in regular teacher professional development to stay on top of their classroom management skills and overall teaching abilities. In fact, many educators throughout the nation who have teaching licenses are required to regularly attend professional development activities to renew or keep teacher licenses active.
There are a range of other beneficial aspects behind professional development. Below are some of the most common benefits teachers can expect from professional development sessions.
Stay Current on Best Teaching Practices
The best way to stay ahead of current teaching best practices is through regular educator professional development. The science behind student learning and child development is always evolving. Educators stay on top of this evolution through regular professional development. Experts in the field and teachers come together to learn about the latest methodologies for student success in the classroom. Topics covered might include:
- How to foster a positive classroom environment
- How to manage student behavior
- Strategies to improve student engagement
Other sessions, including those geared toward Early Childhood educators, might focus on child development knowledge, including the latest in how professionals approach child motor and cognitive developmental milestones.
Stay Current on Changing Student Needs
Any teacher who has been in the field long enough will tell you that student needs are always changing and evolving. It’s important for teachers to keep their finger on the pulse of this change, and professional development that tackles changing student needs is a good way to do this.
This type of professional development will look different based on where a teacher works and the age of the children they serve. Teachers might go on field trips throughout the community to learn more about their students and their economic backgrounds. Other approaches might include engaging in community activities where educators can connect with families to understand other socioeconomic needs that are impacting the children they serve.
Collaborate With Other Educators
Any educator will tell you that they are always crunched for time, especially when it comes to collaborating with other educators or specialists in the field. Professional development activities allow teachers to have quality time with their colleagues to reflect, plan, and design innovative, relevant lessons.
This collaboration time is invaluable and helps to strengthen the overall team a teacher works with. Through this partnership, children reap the benefits of this communal commitment to success.
Learn From Experts In the Field
Professional development is a great opportunity for educators to learn from experts in the field. This is also a time for them to network, connect with stakeholders, and get a fresh perspective on how they want to approach working with children in their classrooms.
Often, some of the best professional development activities involve educators attending conferences in which they can hear from authors, curriculum specialists, state leaders, and other professionals who influence the overall educational system.
Refresh Safety Skills
Professional development opportunities also bring with them the chance for educators to brush up on their classroom safety skills. Whether it’s renewing their CPR/AED certification or getting a download on the latest techniques to manage disruptive children in the classroom, many school districts use professional development time slots as a way to improve overall teacher safety skills.
Gain New Insight Into Best Practices
Overall, the goal of teacher professional development is to help educators become the best version of themselves. Through this, they learn a variety of strategies and techniques, including classroom management skills.
Should All Teachers Undergo Professional Development?
Renowned educational researcher John Hattie defines it best through this career studying education, educators, students, and learning outcomes.
Hattie’s 2018 research looked at a list of factors that were related to overall student achievement. The research indicates that the leading factor among 253 influences for student achievement was collective teacher efficacy. Essentially, effective teachers have the biggest influence on the overall outcome of student achievement.
Effective teachers can mean a lot of things, but generally, an effective teacher is an educator who is highly trained and stays on top of the changing trends, science, and methodologies in the classroom. The best way for teachers to keep on top of these ever-evolving advancements in education is through regular, high-quality professional development opportunities.
Does Teacher Professional Development Make a Difference?
Yes. High-quality teacher development can have a significant impact on children, families, and the overall school community. According to IMSE Journal, students who have teachers who regularly participate in effective teacher training programs see upward of a 21% increase in their academic performance.
At Sunshine Children’s Foundation, we take pride in providing high-quality educational experiences for the children we serve. Our educators bring years of experience, talent, and passion into their classrooms, helping to shape and inspire the lives of their students.
Get in touch with our team to learn more about how we support children and families. Ready to be a part of that change? Discover what a rewarding career in Early Childhood education can look like at Sunrise Children’s Foundation.
