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Why Is Teacher Development Important?: Because Students Deserve the Best
Teacher preparation programs provide educators-to-be with the tools, mentors, and hands-on experience they'll need once they begin their career.
by Edutopia Staff
Great teachers help create great students. In fact, research shows that an inspiring and informed teacher is the most important school-related factor influencing student achievement, so it is critical to pay close attention to how we train and support both new and experienced educators.
VIDEO: Teacher-Preparation Overview: A Survey of Top Programs
Running Time: 9 min.
Teacher Preparation
The best teacher-preparation programs emphasize subject-matter mastery and provide many opportunities for student teachers to spend time in real classrooms under the supervision of an experienced mentor. Just as professionals in medicine, architecture, and law have opportunities to learn through examining case studies, learning best practices, and participating in internships, exemplary teacher-preparation programs allow teacher candidates the time to apply their learning of theory in the context of teaching in a real classroom.
Many colleges and universities are revamping their education schools to include an emphasis on content knowledge, increased use of educational technologies, creation of professional-development schools, and innovative training programs aimed at career switchers and students who prefer to earn a degree online.
Teacher-Induction Programs
Support for beginning teachers is often uneven and inadequate. Even if well prepared, new teachers often are assigned to the most challenging schools and classes with little supervision and support. Nearly half of all teachers leave the profession in their first five years, so more attention must be paid to providing them with early and adequate support, especially if they are assigned to demanding school environments.
Mentoring and coaching from veteran colleagues is critical to the successful development of a new teacher. Great induction programs create opportunities for novice teachers to learn from best practices and analyze and reflect on their teaching.
Ongoing Professional Development
It is critical for veteran teachers to have ongoing and regular opportunities to learn from each other. Ongoing professional development keeps teachers up-to-date on new research on how children learn, emerging technology tools for the classroom, new curriculum resources, and more. The best professional development is ongoing, experiential, collaborative, and connected to and derived from working with students and understanding their culture. Return to our Teacher Development page to learn more.
Teacher Development
Submitted by Jeannette Simpson (not verified) on July 23, 2008 - 10:33.
When I graduated from college, I was unprepared for the inner city school and students where I would spend my first two years as teacher. My 12 weeks of student teaching did not prepare me for the stories and baggage that came with my students each day. I had little support from my team or principal and was new to the community. I find it interesting that other people mentioned student teaching for a year and had a mentor program set up for their first year teaching. When I read the rate of teachers leaving the profession, I know I could very well have been one but did not quit because I honestly didn't know what else I would do. I always wanted to be a teacher. My son told me the other day that he wanted to be a teacher when he grew up and instead of being proud, I cringed because I know the challenges in teaching. After reading this article about improved preparation, I feel encouraged for him and others who want to become a teacher.
Jeannette Simpson
Kenosha, WI
Truly Preparing the novice educator
Submitted by Shelley Moreland (not verified) on July 22, 2008 - 19:45.
I sadly understand why in the above article, Why is Teacher Development Important, it states, "most teachers leave the profession within five years of teaching." Some of the universities are still behind in properly preparing educators. They are given the background knowledge of education, but not much first-hand experience. Some of the student teachers coming into my school are coming into the classroom for the first time in their junior and senior years of college. These students have spent most of their time and money thinking education is the profession for them. Unfortunately, some enter the actual classroom and realize it is not what they would like to do with their lives for one reason or another. These students have invested so much already, that they stick with the profession thinking it will be alright. No wonder they are leaving education. Being a novice teacher is difficult enough, it is something that takes dedication, inspiration, and hard work. We need to better prepare these upcoming professionals in order to keep great teachers in education and great teaching practices for our students. With proper preparation we can help teachers to become experts in their field of study.
Teacher Development
Submitted by Shane Gasmire (not verified) on July 22, 2008 - 18:04.
Professional development is very improtant for all teachers. One area that many teachers do not develop is the ability to building good relationships. I think that we need to be specialists in building relationships if we want to be effective. Children respond to teachers who they trust. If we want our students to follow us, we must be caring, and attentive to their needs. We must have positive attitudes, and demonstrate characteristics that they can respect.
Importance of Teacher Professional Development
Submitted by Nancy Lomax (not verified) on July 22, 2008 - 16:32.
I agreed that novice teachers should be able to set in a classroom that is conducted by a veteran teacher to see the knowledge that the novice has just learned actively used. I would have loved to have that happen to me when I started, but I was placed in an elementary school that needed an Art Teacher for upper grades, and I had to sink or swim. This past year I was asked to be a mentor teacher for the new lower grade Art Teacher and I was determined that she received all the information I had available to me so that she wouldn't suffer the same self doubt that I experienced. We as colleagues should assist the novice teacher any way we can as many districts aren't as enlighten to provide professional development or they may not have the funds to offer the training. As professionals we are constantly honing our craft and will always need professional development. We can meet formally or informally to gather and discuss different practices, etc. Even the "Expert" teacher will learn something in these type of meetings. This will allow us to remain flexible and will in most cases rejuvenate us.
First Year Of Teaching
Submitted by Jamie Kraayenbrink (not verified) on July 22, 2008 - 13:18.
After finishing my first year of teaching this past May, I found myself wondering where I would be if I hadn’t been properly trained at my university and if I didn’t have the support of my induction coach and fellow colleagues. The college program I graduated from required us to spend one entire year student teaching in a classroom. Although this didn’t fully prepare me to run a classroom, I did gain enough experience to at least begin on the first day of school. Through the year I was coached by master teachers, which helped me to adapt and learn the skills of becoming a professional teacher.
Teacher Development
Submitted by Raymond Dyette (not verified) on July 22, 2008 - 12:47.
The article, ‘Why Is Teacher Development Important?’, provided some interesting and idealistic perspectives. However, in addition to concentrating on knowledge of discipline and being resolved to becoming a “life long learner”, teachers must develop the art of teaching. This only comes with constant practice and regular ‘fine tuning’ of one’s teaching skills. Teachers must blend their knowledge of the subject matter, the theories on child development and culture, to produce a pedagogy that is suitable for learning. This can be a challenge for inexperienced teachers.
Of course, it takes a lot of time, effort and adequate thought and planning. Furthermore, as part of the teacher development is to be cognizant that strategies and the best practices must be flexible, student centered and not teacher oriented.
The article, ‘Why Is
Submitted by Raymond Dyette (not verified) on July 22, 2008 - 11:07.
The article, ‘Why Is Teacher Development Important?’, provided some interesting and idealistic perspectives. However, in addition to concentrating on knowledge of discipline and being resolved to becoming a “life long learner”, teachers must develop the art of teaching. This only comes with constant practice and regular ‘fine tuning’ of one’s teaching skills. Teachers must blend their knowledge of the subject matter, the theories on child development and culture, to produce a pedagogy that is suitable for learning. This can be a challenge for inexperienced teachers.
Of course, it takes a lot of time, effort and adequate thought and planning. Furthermore, as part of the teacher development is to be cognizant that strategies and the best practices must be flexible, student centered and not teacher oriented.
Teacher Development
Submitted by Raymond Dyette (not verified) on July 22, 2008 - 11:03.
The article, ‘Why Is Teacher Development Important?’, provided some interesting and idealistic perspectives. However, in addition to concentrating on knowledge of discipline and being resolved to becoming a “life long learner”, teachers must develop the art of teaching. This only comes with constant practice and regular ‘fine tuning’ of one’s teaching skills. Teachers must blend their knowledge of the subject matter, the theories on child development and culture, to produce a pedagogy that is suitable for learning. This can be a challenge for inexperienced teachers.
Of course, it takes a lot of time, effort and adequate thought and planning. Furthermore, as part of the teacher development is to be cognizant that strategies and the best practices must be flexible, student centered and not teacher oriented.
Teacher Development
Submitted by Raymond Dyette (not verified) on July 22, 2008 - 10:58.
The article, ‘Why Is Teacher Development Important?’, provided some interesting and idealistic perspectives. However, in addition to concentrating on knowledge of discipline and being resolved to becoming a “life long learner”, teachers must develop the art of teaching. This only comes with constant practice and regular ‘fine tuning’ of one’s teaching skills. Teachers must blend their knowledge of the subject matter, the theories on child development and culture, to produce a pedagogy that is suitable for learning. This can be a challenge for inexperienced teachers.
Of course, it takes a lot of time, effort and adequate thought and planning. Furthermore, as part of the teacher development is to be cognizant that strategies and the best practices must be flexible, student centered and not teacher oriented.
Teacher Development
Submitted by Raymond Dyette (not verified) on July 22, 2008 - 10:50.
The article, ‘Why Is Teacher Development Important?’, provided some interesting and idealistic perspectives. However, in addition to concentrating on knowledge of discipline and being resolved to becoming a “life long learner”, teachers must develop the art of teaching. This only comes with constant practice and regular ‘fine tuning’ of one’s teaching skills. Teachers must blend their knowledge of the subject matter, the theories on child development and culture, to produce a pedagogy that is suitable for learning. This can be a challenge for inexperienced teachers.
Of course, it takes a lot of time, effort and adequate thought and planning. Furthermore, as part of the teacher development is to be cognizant that strategies and the best practices must be flexible, student centered and not teacher oriented.
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