Professional Development Literature Review

Professional Development Literature Review

Andrew Lopez
National University

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for

TED 690- Capstone Course
Professor Clifton Johnson
May 2016

Professional Development Literature Review

Abstract
In this paper I will review the Edutopia article, Why Is Teacher Development
Important?: Because Students Deserve the Best. I will explain the importance of
professional development for teachers and how it affects students. This paper will review
the different types of professional development teachers candidates go through when
earning their teacher credentials and during their time teaching.

Professional Development Literature Review

After reading this article, I learned that its important that teachers are life long
learners. This article helped me understand that teacher candidates go through ongoing
professional development through their careers. In order for a teacher candidate to earn
his or her teaching credentials, the candidate must complete a teacher preparation
programs. Teacher Preparation programs are a teachers first professional development.
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 (Staff, 2008). Teacher
candidates complete a specific amount of time of students teaching which gives students
of good practices to use in their own classroom by observing and learning from a veteran
teacher. During this time, candidates learn how to teach a classroom with the support of a
master teacher. Once the teacher candidates complete all of their student teaching and
teacher assessments they are awarded their teaching credentials.
The next type of professional development that teachers experience is TeacherInduction Programs. An example of a teacher- induction program is the Beginning
Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA). Many new teachers, no matter how well
prepared, are placed at some of the most challenging schools and classes with very little
support and supervision. This causes almost half of all new teachers to leave the
profession within the first five years of their careers. The BTSA was designed to offer
new teachers support and make sure that they continue to develop as educators.
According to btsa.ca.gov, the program engages preliminary credentialed teachers in a
job-embedded formative assessment system of support and professional growth to fulfill

Professional Development Literature Review

the requirements for the California Clear Multiple Subjects, Single Subject, and
Education Specialist credentials (California Induction BTSA, 2015). Teacher in
California complete this formative assessment in order to clear their preliminary
credentials.
Once teachers have cleared their credential and have spent a few years in the
classroom, they start to get complacent. Some veteran teachers stop developing their
skills as professionals. It is imperative that teacher continue to learn and improve their
craft. Teachers are given the opportunities to participate in ongoing Professional
Developments to learn effective strategies from other teacher and experts. An example of
this type of professional development would be the CUE National Conference. At this
conference teachers are able to learn how to implement technology into all subject areas.
They are given the opportunity to learn how to use the latest technology with their
students. Another example of this type of professional development is the advanced
courses that certain districts and universities offer teachers to learn how help English
Learners.
Ultimately, this article taught me that effective teachers are the most important
school-related factor influencing student success. Just as teachers expect their student to
continue to learn, teachers need to continue to grow as professional in their field.
Teachers need to have self-awareness and understand their strengths and weakness.
Teachers have to want to improve in the areas they are weak and be willing to learn from
other teachers. Having been to a few conferences myself, I learned that the more effective
strategies teachers learn and equip themselves with, the better chance their students have
to be successful. This goal as a teacher is to provide students with the best education

Professional Development Literature Review

possible, and that is only possible if teachers continue to grow and improve their craft in
this ever-changing world.

Professional Development Literature Review

References
California Induction BTSA. (2015, January 22). Beginning Teacher Support and
Assessment (BTSA) Induction. Retrieved May 14, 2016, from
http://www.btsa.ca.gov/
Staff, E. (2008, March 16). Why Is Teacher Development Important?: Because Students
Deserve the Best. Retrieved May 14, 2016, from http://www.edutopia.org/teacherdevelopment-introduction