Session 9 – Professional Development
I have heard many times the same phrase Dr. Newberry mentioned on the podcast “…not another training session…” Unfortunately this is the common reaction when a training session is done only to fulfill a requirement rather than to address a need. In one accession three of my coworkers and myself were told on a Friday we had to go to a training session starting the following Tuesday for the duration of 3 days. We immediately said no because we had too many things pending for the week to include several meetings already set up weeks in advance. The answer from the boss was clear and left no doubt we had to attend. The training had been set up off site. There was no possibility of cancellation without loosing the money already paid for the training. We did what we could the following Monday to rearrange everybody’s schedule. We attended the three day training session. We never used the skills learned and we forgot them soon after.
On another occasion there were a few seats available for a training session that was needed to learn a new program that was to be implemented in the new fiscal year. Many people applied for it. The seats were not enough and two more sessions were added. Everyone liked the training. All the knowledge learned was applied when the new program was implemented. The departments had an easy time changing from the old program to the new.
What I like to see implemented with professional development training is participation of people who are actually doing the work, not just the administrators. Many times decisions on professional development implementation are done from the point of view of someone in a high position who is being given a sales pitch and who has never done the particular job a new technology is projected to perform or help with. More input from the people in the field who know the intricacies of the job, what works well in practice and what looks good only on paper. This input needs to be sincere, knowledgeable and taken in consideration when deciding what type of professional development to schedule.
Weekly Log
- Download and listen to Session 9 mp3
- Post response items
- Post projects
- Read classmates’ blog postings
- Post comments on classmates’ blogs
Projects
Hello
About Me
- Rosa
- Murrieta, California, United States
- I have been in the Marine Corps for over 20 years. I have to say that being in the military is not about money but about loving what you do. Pretty much like a teacher. When I look back, I see that the military has given me the opportunity to play many roles: student, teacher, instructor, mentor, peer and leader. I have learned a lot and I am thankful.
8 comments:
Rosa,
Your post mirrors what I have placed in my reponse, as well as what I have commented on a couple of other's. In reading your posting though, I have another thought....what role does our own motivation have in our take or perspective on the benefits of the training. I too have experienced that feeling of "not another training". The flip side of that is there are those trainings that I will move mountains and jump through hoops to attend. I am sure that my perspective plays on my final thoughts about the training I actually attend. Thanks for getting the thought juices flowing.
Davena
Rosa,
Right on target! I totally agree that we need more professional development trainings to include those individuals who are actually doing the work rather than making the decisions for those who do the work. It is a waste of time and energy to attend a workshop for training that you will never use.
James
Hi Rosa,
I guess that we also have the same problems in our civilian job too. First of all there is “no time” to fit in any more of anything to our schedule. Secondly, when I think that I really need this or that training, and it is tough to get the approval. Thirdly, why do I have to attend those sessions that I do not need? May be these sessions are readily available, or the seats must be filled to make someone look good. The real trainings I think I need are always not someone’s interested. It sounds logical because the trainings someone wants me to go are important to them but not to me.
De Nguyen
Great post. Isn't it amazing how the decisions being made to improve our workplace lay in the hands of those who are not familiar with what we need. You are so right about the salespeople. If they are able to make a good pitch to the right people, then they sell. Unfortunately the product is useless. THe same goes with trainings. Often you get a great training session where you can take back several ideas, but on the other side, many trainings are poorly organized that you wonder how they got the job to present in the first place.
Hi Rosa,
I agree with you, in order to get the most out of professional development administrators need to be selective about the topics they need to cover and make sure that they are beneficial in assisting teachers in their daily activities.
Hello Rosa,
I would have to say I "have been there, done that." My sentiments are similar to yours and Davena's. The employees play and important role in determining the success or failure of the training these individuals attend.
All the training in the world is rendered useless when the employer simply remembers its needs at the employee's expense. Employee, employer and training make up the three ingredients necessary for professional development success. It would be extremely beneficial to all parties concerned, if employers recognized these three key elements as critical to continued professional development success.
Hmmmm, assuming that the bulk of outside development (as you were mentioning) were adequate, it seems that our perception of what is or can be good tends to favor our personal interest and desire for certain developments. I agree of course, but I also think this tends to lead up to more of a let down when we actually want to go and then it's no good.
Hi Rosa,
Very good observations!! I agree that the presenters should be someone that has a personal interest in what they are speaking about. You can always tell if they do or not. If we could get more speakers to speak on the how-to's versus the straight from a manual, we could save a lot of time trying to re-invent the wheel.
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