ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the opportunity for teacher professional development as one valuing and accounting for a teacher’s professional journey. It offers concrete steps to establishing professional learning communities as teacher-driven and, ideally, system-supported. Professional Development refers to any of the learning opportunities pedagogically focused and aimed at elevating the knowledge and skill of the educators. Effective Professional Learning Communities are content- and context-specific, teacher-driven, and focus on using a collaborative method aimed at elevating the quality of teaching and learning. The best professional development allows teachers enough time to dig deeply into the content and engage in experiential learning cycles supported by reflective supervision. Successful professional development dedicates time to understanding relevant content rather than sharing new procedures and policies. Professional learning communities would be a part of the school district or agency culture and supported by paid, protected time for professional learning.
