ACRE Blog

JESNA recently published the fourth volume in its series on Making Jewish Education Work.  This edition focuses on Professional Development for Educators.  Perhaps you, like me, when reading this report (found here) will ask yourself how the findings in this report relate to rabbis and CRE.  You might even want to go back and read our latest research piece on CRE Evaluations (found here) to undergo a detailed analysis.

 For now, I would like to quote several relevant sections from the Making Jewish Education Work report for your review and thinking.

The first one speaks directly to the overarching question I posed earlier:

"Although this report includes references to specific cohorts of educators, most notably classroom teachers, the broader lessons learned from ongoing work, references, evaluation reports, and demonstration projects that are cited seem to transcend specific programs and populations and may therefore be generalized."

On the topic of designing good professional development we read:

"Effective professional development for teachers integrates goals and content in a way that is results-driven and embedded in a teacher's job. It must be relevant, ongoing, rigorous, sustained, and technologically adaptable."  

Do you think this applies to CRE?

On the topic of the different stages in the career of an educator and the different PD needs, we read:

"It has been suggested that the first 10 years of an educator's career comprise three sometimes overlapping stages: the first years (up to six years), years four through eight, and years six through ten.

For some teachers, the first stage is ‘an easy beginning' characterized by positive relationships with pupils and an early sense of pedagogical mastery. Others experience ‘painful beginnings' marked by difficulty with pupils and asense of isolation among peers.

Usually, the second stage can be considered a period of pedagogical ‘stabilization' during which teachers consolidate their basic instructionalrepertoire, expand upon their ability to differentiate materials and treatments based on students' reactions, and become integrated into a peer group.

For many teachers, the third stage is spent refining and diversifying classroom materials, instruction, and modes of classroom management.

Following these three stages, teachers enter ‘trajectories' characterized by such themes as serenity, ‘limiting and focusing, 'conservatism, and disengagement.

Understanding a classroom teacher's career path in this way highlights the differential needs for professional development during each stage. For example, a teacher in the first years of her career is likely to benefit from mentoring and from opportunities to explore issues related to classroom management and pedagogy. As teachers gain experience, they are ready to be introduced to and challenged by new curricula and/or educational strategies, and may benefit from serving as mentors for novices.

Careers of non-classroom educators can be similarly characterized, as needing to acquire and access different skills during the first years, and others subsequently."

Could you name the stages that rabbis go through in the first 10 years of their careers and suggest the differentiated professional development they would benefit from?

The final quote focuses on the factors that motivate educators to participate in professional development:

"There is remarkable agreement across the literature (both formal and informal) about three primary factors that motivate educators to participate in professional development opportunities.

First, there is a desire on the part of the participants to "break out of the isolation" that they feel is inherent in their positions. No matter their specific positions (e.g., classroom teachers, rabbis, etc.), educators said they value opportunities to meet and interact with their peers and colleagues, particularly within a "safe space."

Second, feedback from Berman Center-evaluated programs confirms that participants in many highly respected professional development programs believe that their participation elevates their profession and them as professionals. Perhaps as a result, they frequently state that following their participation in professional development opportunities, they have increased their capacities as educators and experience heightened confidence in their abilities.

Finally, participation is more likely when educators believe they will gainnew skills, techniques, and ideas that they will be able to apply successfully to their practice immediately.They are far less interested in programs that offer exploration of content that is not relevant to their current positions."

 Do these finding resonate with you as participants and/or organizers of CRE programs?

I hope you can find the time to read this entire report and that it catalyzes discussion on this blog, as well as among you and your colleagues.