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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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 Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 8:59 am Post subject: Certified in professional development? |
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Fire bad!
Last edited by lcanupp1964 on Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:37 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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I'll post the same reply as I did on the other thread.
Nothing personal lcanupp... but the mind boggles. Aaaarrrgghhh... a cert in PD? a degree in PD? What a waste of time, money, and effort. A whole unit devoted to teacher abuse, time-filling, and pompousness...
Hopefully there isn't such a thing...
Where is this so that any future applicants will be warned? 
VS |
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lcanupp1964
Joined: 12 Dec 2009
Posts: 381
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Fire bad!
Last edited by lcanupp1964 on Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:37 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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Ditto my comments on the UAE forum.
MEB  |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:21 am Post subject: |
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| PD is Poopoo. |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:53 am Post subject: |
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Isn't PD just an extension of Life Long learning? Aren't we as professionals supose to be developing and staying current and informed? Although the title of Professional Development conjures up horror stories, and leaves a bad after taste perhaps it gets a bad rap due to the fact there isn't any proper certified training that sets any proper guide lines or developes any common sense standards? People seem to have wide and varied notions of what PD is supose to achieve. Who knows... some "expert" may find a niche in this area? It certainly worth keeping an open mind about.... don't you think?
Rational and sarcastic replies are equally welcome   |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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| cmp45 wrote: |
| It certainly worth keeping an open mind about.... don't you think? |
Based on my forced exposure to it, no.
MEB |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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In my opinion (and experience) "mandatory professional development" is highly unlikely to have many/any positive results.
Teachers obliged to come to such sessions usually attend them with resentment and an attitude of "Try to teach me something, I dare you."
And, in all honesty, this attitude is sometimes/often justified. I can recall one such session in Riyadh where a PhD (flown in by the embassy at taxpayer expense, I presume) was kind enough to drop by the IPA in Riyadh to instruct the assembles staff on the topic of "How to Teach the Use of Articles."
The reaction to this can perhaps be best summed up by one teacher's response (the teacher in question was also a PhD.): "Don't try to teach your grandmother to suck eggs."
I'd say the best solution is to make it optional (as is done where I now teach: Santa Fe Community College.)
Those interested in PD in the subject area will attend, and there's actually at least the possibility that they will "develop professionally."
Forcing PD down teachers' throats is, I'd say, almost always counter-productive.
Regards,
John
Last edited by johnslat on Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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I've co-ordinated and conducted and attended PD workshops for some years, but as Johnslat has pointed out, always on an optional basis. The teachers who attend come because they're interested in most cases; unlikely that they really need that two hours' extra pay........
Anyway, they've been viewed positively by both teachers and management and we generally enjoy them, and occasionally learn and apply something new from them. |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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Well stated, John.
Make PD optional.
Mandatory PD, i.e. PD that is forced down teachers' throats, is not only offensive, but serves as window dressing for the institution--look at the wonderful, professional program we have, and all of our teachers participate [as if they have a choice]. We're so great!
MEB |
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It's Scary!
Joined: 17 Apr 2011
Posts: 823
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:30 pm Post subject: |
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Let me offer another view of this issue...
At the HCT Men's, it was "forced" down our throats as many "teachers" responding to their deeper interest would ditch the PD sessions and ef-off. leaving those of us who were genuinely interested in further perfecting ourselves holding the bag.
PD has it place and merits with dedicated individuals! The problem with HCT is that, it's required, but not taken advantage of...again, because of the human nature to be lazy, by not letting folks that are interested to take advantage of their newly-acquired knowledge by practicing it.
In the end, I got one of Drummond's "General Interest" terminations. Cutting one's throat is corporationally (if I may invent a word!) unhealthy! However, I do give kudos to the HCT for giving me the wherewithal to help kick them to the curb and continue on with my technologically-enhanced career!
It's a cryin' shame! |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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| cmp45 wrote: |
Although the title of Professional Development conjures up horror stories, and leaves a bad after taste perhaps it gets a bad rap due to the fact there isn't any proper certified training that sets any proper guide lines or developes any common sense standards? People seem to have wide and varied notions of what PD is supose to achieve. Who knows... some "expert" may find a niche in this area? It certainly worth keeping an open mind about.... don't you think?
Rational and sarcastic replies are equally welcome |
Yes, but who decides the standards for this cert?
Who decides what constitutes "common sense" in PD?
Those that wish to improve their teaching will do so... on their own. Those that don't will just hate the whole stupid concept and ignore it anyway... merely resenting the hours wasted in these presentations and forced group activities.
After all... everything is on the internet these days. If you think some new theory of ESL/EFL teaching is going to set the world afire, you can check into and perhaps try it in your classroom. But, since I started in the field, many new theories and band wagons have been dragged in front of us in PD or classes or conventions... and still we get the same basic results from our students.
The biggest waste of time in the world are observations. Most of the time you know more about teaching than the person observing you. The lesson presented is always about the observer and has no similarity to your normal classroom. (it freaks out the students) It doesn't matter squat how a teacher presents the day's teaching point(s)... the only thing that matters is how the students eventually perform on the tests.
And, mentioning "tests" brings up a whole other can of worms.
But... I'm a cynic.
VS |
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It's Scary!
Joined: 17 Apr 2011
Posts: 823
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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No...you're a truthful critic...there's a difference!
It's not "kissing up", it's being honest! |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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Very well stated, VS.
I couldn't agree more.
MEB |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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And, regarding "observations," I like to cite Heisenberg's "Uncertainty Principle" (One of the biggest problems with quantum experiments is the seemingly unavoidable tendency of humans to influence a situation) which, in my opinion, has many applications outside of quantum physics - classroom observations being a good example.
I mean, does anyone really think that what the observer sees on his/her visit to the classroom is likely to accurately represent what normally goes on there?
Oh, it's possible, I guess (to be honest, I don't THINK my behavior changes much, if at all, during observations, but heck, I'm probably wrong about that. )
Regards,
John |
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