prinsip 10 Effective professional development is evaluated ultimately on the basis of its impact

on teacher effectiveness and student learning, and this assessment guides subsequent
professional development efforts. According to Kelleher (2003):
Current research on pofessional development, which has shown that professional
development must be embedded in teachers' daily work to improve student learning, has led
school boards and administrators across the country to evaluate the results of their investment
in adult learning. The standards movement, along with the push to increase the use of data in
educational decision making, has intensified the pressure on school administrators to prove
that professional development is showing positive results. (p.751)
Evaluating the professional development session through a survey at the end of the session is
not sufficient. The issue is not how much the teachers liked the session; rather, the issue is what
effect the professional development will have on student learning (Richardson, 2000).
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) (US Department of Education, 2002) requires
states to have challenging academic standards; to test students annually in grades 38 and once
in high school; and to increase student achievement so that all students reach proficient levels by
the 20132014 school year. Some believe there is no link between professional development
and Student improvements in achievement; and perhaps there are no links in the one-time, shot-
in-the-arm professional development strategies. However, when we look across the country and
find entire school districts with students in every subgroup (Black, Hispanic, White, and
economically disadvantaged) achieving at or above state or district standards in reading and
math, we find that it is in those districts where the professional development is on going,
sustained, and connected to the standards the teachers are trying to accomplish. According to the
Iowa Association of School Boards (2003), a growing body of evidence indicates that teacher
effectiveness is not fixed, and that when teachers of all experience levels learn powerful skills
and methods to use with students in the classroom, student achievement increases. The
association stiggests that to accomplish this end result, professional development must be (a)
grounded in student need in an academic content area; (b) research based; (c) collaborative and
on going; (d) embedded in the system; (e) built on effective training processes; (f) structured to
involve all administrative levels in support and planning; (g) connected to school improvement
and aligned with the curriculum standards and assessed needs of the students, as well as the self-
assessed needs of the teachers; and (h) monitored (effective professional development is
monitored for implementation and results).

The Principal's Mission for Personal Professional Development

The second mission that principals have regarding professional development relates to
their own professional growth. This mission is for principals to work with their supervisors to
develop a personal, professional development plan including the resources, money, and time
required. They should establish time for meetings with the supervisor and other principals that
will allow for reflection on their leadership practice. Principals can engage in their own long-
term, on going professional development and become role models for their teaching staff.
According to Brown and Irby (2002), one way that principals can effectively engage in their own
improvement and serve as a model for their teachers is by producing a Professional Development
Portfolio. The authors indicated that such a portfolio provides an excellent vehicle for organizing
and documenting professional development experiences and subsequent improvement.

The Professional Development

Brown and Irby (2000) defined the Professional Development Portfolio as a collection of
thoughtfully selected exhibits or artifacts and reflections indicative of an individual's progress
toward and/or attainment of established goals or criteria. In the process of developing a
Professional Development Portfolio, principals can focus on

the documentation, through concrete examples (artifacts and reflections), of progress toward
goals related to assessment results and their growth as leaders. The portfolio not only offers an
effective system for organizing evidence of progress but also promotes self-assessment skills. As
principals learn these skills, they can also assist their teachers in doing the same. When principals
choose artifacts and write reflections for the portfolio, they become more reflective, more
critical, and more able to determine their own strengths and weaknesses.
Brown and Irby (2002) offered a model for implementing the Professional Development
Portfolio process over a five-year period. Figure 5.1 depicts the model that principals can use to
improve their practice by considering multiple leadership assessment data, including self-
assessment; by planning specific activities to enhance growth in targeted areas; and by reflecting
on professional growth associated with those activities (Brown & Irby, 2000). This same model
could be adapted by principals for use with teachers on their campuses.

Using the Professional Development Portfolio

Brown nd Irby (2002) indicated that the Professional Development Portfolio Model facilitates
continuous learning. Although assessment results reflect the performance of the individual at a
specific point in time, the Professional Development Portfolio Model depicts assessment as
occurring not only at certain points in time, but as continuous. The authors said that although
portfolios are highly individualized, with specific contents usually determined by the individual
or the district, the Professional Development Portfolio typically includes a table of contents, an
introduction, assessment data, a current resume, a Leadership Framework, a professional
development plan based on assessment data, and artifacts and reflections related to professional
development activities (organized by goals or standards).
See Figure 5.2. .

Table of Contents, Introduction, and Resume

The table of content should indicate clearly how the portfolio is organized, so that review of the
portfolio is easily accomplished. The introduction briefly needs to (a) explain the purpose of the
portfolio and (b) outline the results of the assessment. Including an updated resume provides an
opportunity for the principal to add recent accomplishments and the latest professional
development experiences to the resume. The resume should also include a listing of certifications
or endorsements, education, experience, areas of concentration, and strengths.

Leadership Framework
All actions are predicated on personal beliefs and values; therefore, it is important to express
those clearly and concisely in writing. The Leadership Framework (Brown &Irby, 2001), a
written statement of primary beliefs and attitudes regarding leadership, assists principals in
analyzing why they do what they do as leaders; it also helps clarify who they are as leaders
toothers, including faculty, colleagues, community, and board. Because it compels principals to
reflecton their philosophies of leadership, learning, and teaching, this self-analysis offers
opportunities for personal and professional growth. Principals address seven important
components as they develop their Leadership Framework: Philosophy of Education, Philosophy
of Leadership, Vision for Learners, Vision for Teachers, Vision for the Organization, Vision for
Professional Development, and Method of Vision Attainment.

The Professional Development Plan

The professional development plan, viewed in Figure 5.3, provides direction for specific
professional development goals based on assessment results. The principal then can align those
goals with the state's principal standards and can select professional development activities
accordingly. Although professional development experiences should be planned in advance,
modifications should be made as new experiences become available. Next, timelines should be
developed as well as brief notes related to securing appropriate artifacts from the experiences.
Finally, feedback from colleagues, mentors, peer coaches, or supervisors regarding improvement
in targeted areas may be included as further evidence of growth.

Related Professional Development Activity Artifact and Reflection

The artifacts and reflections are the heart of the Professional Development Portfolio. Principals
who have developed portfolios report that the processes of selecting viable samples of their
experiences and writing accompanying reflections are beneficial in maintaining focus on goals,
in providing new perspectives and creative insights, and in developing satisfaction that specific
goals related to improved leadership are being accomplished.
The artifacts and their accompanying reflections may be organized in the portfolio either
by standard or by professional development goal. Figure 5.4 provides examples of artifacts
related professional development experiences.
Much of the current literature on successful leadership emphasizes the importance of self-
assessment for growth. The greatest benefit of portfolio development is realized through the
process of reflection, as the leader assesses the effectiveness and impact of his leadership beliefs,
style, and practices. The reflection inherent in the portfolio development process (a) provides
insights into strengths and weaknesses, (b) encourages planning for professional growth, (c)
leads to improved practice by the principal, and (d) ultimately, enhances school and teacher
effectiveness and improves student earning.
Our research and our work with administrators has indicated the need for a structure for
writing reflections. The Reflection Cycle (referred to here as the Cycle) (Brown & Irby, 2001)
provides such a structure. The five steps of the Cycle offer critical prompts. Steps 1 and 2 of the
Cycle focus on selecting the artifact and describing the circumstances surrounding it. (It is the
selected artifact in the Professional Development Portfolio that serves as concrete evidence of
the principal's

professional development experiences.) Step 3 asks the principal to analyze the experience
illustrated by the artifact and the relation of it to issues, expectations, goals, and practice. Step 4
is appraisal of the experience. Here the principal interprets events surrounding the experience;
determines her impact or the impact the experiences had on her leadership; deter-mines
effectiveness of decisions made; and/or as certains relationships toher philosophy, values, and/or
goals. Step 5 requires the principal to use the interpreted data and develop projections for further
improvement and future goals. The Reflection Cycle should also be taught to teachers; however,
it is best if the principal is using the Cycle to reflect on her practice and can share how she has
used it to improve.

Ethics of Professional Development

The National Staff Development Council (2000) adopted a Code of Ethics and divided the
responsibilities into two categories: staff development leader and staff development provider.
The Council considers professional development leaders as the individuals within a school,
school district, university, state education agency, or other educational organization who plan,
implement, coordinate, and/or evaluate staff development efforts. They include but are not
limited to directors of staff development, superintendents, school board members, principals,
curriculum coordinators, and teacher leaders. Staff or professional development providers use
their knowledge and skills to promote adult learning or to assist groups and organizations to
perform more effectively. They include trainers, facilitators, consultants, mentors, and
instructional and leadership specialists or coaches. The most critical person related to
professional development on a campus is the principal. It is the principal who has a vantage point
of the whole school's needs and who can facilitate, collaboratively with teachers, the professional
development that addresses those needs.
Based on the Council's ethical code, the principal should have the following
responsibilities: (a) be committed to achieving school goals, particularly those addressing high
levels of learning and performance for all students and teachers; (b) select professional
development content and processes that are research based and proven in practice after
examining various types of information about student and educator learning needs; (c) improve
his work through the on going evaluation of professional development's effectiveness in
achieving school system and school goals for student learning; (d) improve his own knowledge
and skills; (e) ensure an equitable distribution of resources to accomplish school goals for student
learning; (f) advocate for policies and practices that ensure the continuous learning of all students
and teachers; and (g) conduct himself in a manner that avoids conflict of interest or the
appearance of such conflict.

Summary
1. Th
e principal's mission related to her teachers'professional development is two fold. First, the
mission is to plan, with teachers, a comprehensive professional development program
targeted at identified individual and collective needs; and second, the mission is to provide
resources, including time and money, and to include time for teachers to reflect upon and
participate in dialogue about their practice.
2. Th
ere is a positive connection between professional development and student learning;
therefore, it is important to include in the budget funds for sustained professional
development.
3. Th
e best professional development is connected to the needs of the students and the teachers'
related instructional concerns.
 4. Pri
ncipals who promote successful professional development experiences for their teachers will,
in turn, increase the teachers' interest in and commitment to the profession.
5. Pro
fessional development should consider the data gathered related to student achievement and
the types of professional development conducted throughout the school year. With these data,
a principal and the teachers can plan more effective and sustained professional development
programs.
6. Eff
ective professional development is logically embedded in the reality of schools and
teachers'work.
7. Pri
ncipals can engage in their own long-term, on going professional development and become
role models for their teaching staff.
8. Por
tfolios provide a means for self-assessment and evaluation. The reflection inherent in the
portfolio development process (a) provides insights into strengths and weaknesses, (b)
encourages planning for professional growth, c) leads to improved practice by the principal,
and (d) ultimately, enhances school and teacher effectiveness and improves student learning.
9. Th
e principal has ethical responsibilities toward professional development.

Field Based Activities

1. Det
ermine, with your principal, the percentage of the school budget that is spent on professional
development of administrators, faculty, and staff. Determine, with your business manager in
the district, what percentage of the budget is spent on professional development throughout
the district.
2. Bas
ed on the 10 principles of effective professional development, assess the professional
development activities on your campus. Do they meet these standards?
3. De
velop a professional development portfolio. Use the components to build your portfolio as
suggested in the text.