What Makes Teachers Bad Learners?

Do you remember sitting in a training session and yawning nonstop while the presenter droned on and on? it's a common experience and one that many teachers can relate to. after all, if we're bored by professional development opportunities, how can we expect our students to be engaged?

Have you come across teachers grumbling to attend the boring sessions? You may have asked yourself, "Why are teachers, such bad learners?"

It turns out that there are several reasons why teachers might not be taking advantage of professional development opportunities. First, many teachers feel like they don't have the time to invest in learning new things. With all of the demands of teaching, it can be difficult to find the time to attend a professional development workshop or take an online course.Are

Second, some teachers feel like they already know everything they need to know about teaching. After years of experience in the classroom, they may feel like there's nothing new that they can learn.

And finally, some teachers may simply be resistant to change. They may be comfortable with the way they're doing things and reluctant to try something new.

If you're a teacher who wants to improve your practice, it's important to overcome these challenges and take advantage of professional development opportunities. There are many ways to do this, including attending workshops, taking online courses, and reading professional development books. By investing in your own professional development, you can become a better teacher and help your students succeed.

But are all teachers resistant to learning new things?

Not necessarily. It could simply mean that the way in which professional development is typically delivered is not conducive to engaged learning.

What can schools do to help teachers become better learners?

If we want our teachers to be engaged learners, we need to provide professional development opportunities that are truly engaging. When planning PD, consider using some of the following strategies:

1. Make it interactive- Imagine sitting in a room after class and having to listen to a lecture for an hour. Would you be more likely to pay attention if the speaker asked questions throughout the presentation or if there was some other type of interaction?

Most people would prefer the interactive option because it's more engaging. The same is true for teachers. When planning professional development, look for ways to make it more interactive. For example, you could use group activities, discussion questions, or case studies.

2. Make it relevant- It's hard to pay attention to something that doesn't seem relevant to your life or work. That's why it's important to make sure the professional development you provide is relevant to your teachers.

Before planning any PD, take some time to think about the needs of your teachers and what would be most helpful for them. Then, look for PD opportunities that address those needs.

The worst idea is to make all the teachers attend all the sessions, regardless of whether or not the topics are relevant to them. Not only will this lead to bored and disengaged teachers, but it will also be a waste of time and resources.

3. Make it collaborative- Most teachers are used to working collaboratively with their students. So, why not use the same approach for professional development?

When planning PD, look for opportunities to make it collaborative. For example, you could have teachers work in groups to develop lesson plans or share best practices. Collaborative PD will not only be more engaging for teachers, but it will also provide them with the chance to learn from their peers.

There are things that I remember having learned from my co-teachers that I would have never learned if we had not been collaborative.

4. Make it personalized- We all learn differently, so why not provide professional development that is personalized to each teacher's needs?

One way to do this is to allow teachers to choose which PD sessions they want to attend. This way, they can pick the topics that are most relevant to them and their students.

Another way to personalize PD is to provide individualized coaching or mentoring. This can be done on an as-needed basis or as part of a larger group PD program.

Teachers should have a choice to attend a session or learn front the recordings later.

5. Make it fun- Learning doesn't have to be boring! In fact, it can be quite enjoyable if it's done in the right environment.

When planning PD, look for ways to make it fun. For example, you could host a PD retreat at a hotel or resort, or you could plan some team-building activities. Making PD fun will not only make it more engaging for teachers, but it will also make them more likely to participate.

Making professional development more engaging can be a challenge, but it's worth the effort. By using some of the strategies above, you can help ensure that your teachers are engaged learners.

I write about #learning #raisinghappylearners here educationnext.in

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