Setting Professional Development Goals

Professional development courses and workshops help teachers further their knowledge of content and curriculum, better their skills and classroom management capabilities, and improve their understanding of teaching methods and ability to collaborate with colleagues.

Education and certification also are essential elements in a professional development plan. Chances are, within a few years, teachers will need to advance their education in order to keep their current teaching license. Therefore, professional development plans should include provisions for continuing education, either by taking a course or two locally or enrolling in a new degree program.

Advancing Goals

Professional development goals should take into account specific areas for improvement, and why. They should also be based on feedback from supervisors, thus showing supervisors a solid commitment to teaching and improvement. Educational goals should benefit teachers, their students and the districts they serve.

Resources

In addition, when drawing up a professional development plan, teachers must determine what type of access they have to education workshops, degree programs and continuing education certification courses, how much they cost, and when they are offered.

Teachers should outline educational goals in increments, such as with taking the Graduate Record Examinations, applying to three graduate schools, or registering for a certain number of credit hours, and make sure they have the time and financial resources to complete them.

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