Improving Teacher Professional Learning

Abstract

This chapter examines the role of effective teacher professional learning as a support for early career teachers. It establishes the importance of teacher professional learning as a mechanism of increasing student achievement and investigates traditional professional development models' ineffectiveness. This chapter also includes a discussion of the merits of the cycle of inquiry model of teacher professional learning and explores the need to develop teachers as whole persons. The author identifies effective professional learning for teachers and asserts best practices for school administrators, district leaders, decision-makers, and other stakeholders to design and implement effective teacher professional learning that ultimately increases student achievement. This chapter concludes that cycles of inquiry that develop the whole teacher will enhance teacher professional learning and offer the greatest and most effective support for early career teachers.