Why professional learning
is essential in education today
It’s not uncommon to hear people talk about professional learning for teachers as a “nice to have.” It’s often thought of as a bonus for teachers that’s only tangentially related to the work they do in the classroom. But as any veteran educator will tell you, professional learning isn’t just important to teaching: it’s essential.
There are few educator prep programs that can fully prepare new teachers for the realities of today’s classroom, and professional learning is critical for helping them respond to and prepare for the wide variety of challenges they’ll face in their jobs. Like with so many other skills, mastering teaching requires practice, support from peers, and continual learning.
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Webinar
What makes them stay? Uncovering essential leadership strategies to retain effective teachers
In this webinar, school improvement experts guide school and district leaders through the necessary steps to create the organizational conditions that lead to greater teacher retention. Grounded in UChicago Impact’s® research-based 5Essentials® framework, the presentation offers practical advice for fostering an environment where teachers feel supported, empowered, and satisfied.
Topics: Leadership, Professional learning, School improvement
Products: Professional Learning, School Improvement


eBook
How to support writing in the classroom: A guide for educators
In this best of Teach. Learn. Grow. eBook, you’ll hear from several experts who will help you better understand how writing is learned and how best to support your students with research-based practices in writing instruction.
Topics: Literacy, Professional learning


Case Study
Seamless coordination from NWEA Program Management elevates the work of NewSchools Venture Fund
When a national nonprofit venture reimagining public education wanted to equip their large portfolio of partner schools with MAP Growth and professional learning, they leaned on the dedicated Program Management team at NWEA.
Topics: Insights and reports, Leadership, Professional learning
Products: MAP Growth, Professional Learning


Article
How better professional learning helps keep your best teachers on staff
This article discusses the role that a well-designed professional learning program can play in increasing teacher satisfaction—and thus teacher retention. Corbin Edginton, the manager of professional learning delivery for strategic accounts, and Lindsay Prendergast, a former school leader and current professional learning consultant for NWEA, share their experiences working in the country’s fifth-largest district.
Topics: Professional learning
Products: Professional Learning


Podcast
The Continuing Educator | A Texas Principal talks Family Literacy
In this episode of The Continuing Educator, we talk to a working educator about the importance of family literacy and strategies for increasing it. Our guest Martin Silverman is the principal at Salinas Elementary School in Universal City, TX, and has worked as a teacher in both urban and rural schools. From his own experiences growing up, he saw the importance of literacy as a focus in families and has sought to revitalize that practice in the families of his students.
Topics: Accessibility, Early learning, Equity, Instructional strategy & resources, Literacy, Professional learning, Social emotional learning
Products: MAP Reading Fluency, Professional Learning


Article
10 time-saving tips for literacy instruction
Literacy subject-matter experts share their best time-saving instructional and operational strategies to support young readers. Learn how incorporating them into your routine can preserve valuable instructional time.
Topics: Early learning, Education research, Instructional strategy & resources, Literacy, Professional learning
Products: MAP Reading Fluency


Case Study
Learning from districts’ COVID recovery interventions alongside AIR and Harvard University
In the wake of instructional challenges faced over the past two school years, NWEA, the Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER) at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), and the Center for Education Policy and Research (CEPR) at Harvard University have partnered with a coalition of large school districts across the country to help determine which COVID recovery interventions are working and to what extent.
Topics: Assessment, Early learning, Education research, Equity, Instructional strategy & resources, Literacy, Math, Professional learning