Connecting and communicating your ideas
It is part of the professional responsibility of a teacher to seek continuous learning to develop new teaching and management strategies for improving student success. Professional development activities involve traditional workshops, self-assessment, collaboration with colleagues, experimentation, and modification of instructional and management procedures based on student feedback and performance data. Educators also continuously developing by attending conferences, seminars, and online courses, and reading related literature. By actively participating in collaborative and active learning themselves, they will also better realize good teaching practices, insight into learning, flexibility, and innovation in the classroom.
5 key principles of effective PL
To support my educational community in the best way possible, I designed a professional learning program rooted in Alisson Gulamhussein's 5 Key Principles. These principles provide a strong foundation for developing impactful professional development that goes beyond simple training; they aim to enhance educators’ skills, deepen their understanding, and improve their teaching strategies. This approach fosters professional growth and creates a stronger, more cohesive educational community that ultimately benefits the students we serve.
Call to Action
I have created a call to action that is intended to provide inspiration and motivation to my teacher's team in support of my idea. Within the message, I state that professional development opportunities given to all teachers are an important necessity to improve current teaching practices that will lead to better student outcomes. Click the below link to learn more about my call to action.
PD Outline/blueprint
When we align our goals with the learning outcomes we want to achieve, we can truly improve the learning experience for our students. In the graphic below, you will find my blueprint for a Professional Learning program, broken down into six phases. Each of these phases is designed to guide teachers step by step in learning how to bring gamification into Pre-Kindergarten math lessons and make it work effectively in our classrooms.
Audience and their needs
Audience: Primarily Pre-kindergarten mathematics teachers, but also school administrators and curriculum specialists who are interested in innovative gamification teaching method.
Needs:
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Need for practical and easy to implement strategies.
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Support for integrating technology into the pre-kindergarten classroom.
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Ongoing support during implementation, and collaborative opportunities to share experiences and solve problems.
How will you foster collaboration and effective modeling?
Collaboration is about bringing together the skills, ideas, and efforts of multiple individuals or teams to achieve a shared goal or complete a project. In an organizational setting, collaboration typically means that two or more people come together, each bringing their unique perspective and expertise. By sharing resources, exchanging ideas, and actively participating in the process, they contribute to the successful completion of the project. Effective collaboration fosters creativity, enhances problem-solving, and builds a sense of teamwork and community within the organization. To dive deeper into my thoughts , click the button below.
How will you foster self-directed learning?
The COVA model of the gamification process furthering self-directed learning in the pre-kindergarten math lesson will continue to provide the teachers with autonomy: giving Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authenticity. Providing Choice means that I let the teachers narrow down their focus on an area most relevant to their classrooms, for example, in the planning of enticing counting games or digital mathematics activities. Ownership involves guiding them in formulating personal goals, taking time for reflection on their progress in certain activities, and making the learning journey meaningful and personal. With Voice, I would afford multiple paths for teachers to share their experiences, ideas, and challenges in collaborative sessions, team projects, and online discussions so that they may be activated in their development. At the heart of authenticity lies the fact that immediately, in their classrooms, teachers try out the gamified strategies received in trainings, get instant feedback, and internalize all this in practice. With flexible PL formats like workshops, online modules, and independent study, every teacher can learn at their own pace. The guidance and support of the mentors, together with a shared resource library for tools to spur creativity and exploration, round out the offering. Celebrate achievements with digital badges that encourage innovation and risk-taking. The result is a COVA-based approach to professional learning that is hands-on, collaborative, and deeply connected to what teachers need most.
Who will lead what sections?
Project Coordinator: Responsible for planning and implementing the plan.
Workshop Facilitators: Educators who will lead the professional development sessions.
Mentors: Experienced educators who will provide support and guidance
BHAG & 3 Column Table
Below, I will give you a clearer idea of what I'm doing and the timeline for achieving those goals in my Professional Learning. Plus, the details of my Project Plan for applying Gamification into Pre-kindergarten math lessons. You'll find a complete breakdown of my goals, expected completion dates, and the steps I will take to achieve them.
Schedule/timeline
PL sessions slide deck(s)
Resources you will need
To implement gamification-based PL in Pre-kindergarten math instruction, we will need the following resources: Digital platforms such as learning management systems and math-specific apps, tools to create educational games and gamified lessons such as Breakout EDU, Prezi Video, Mentimeter, Genially and Kahoot, hardware such as tablets and interactive whiteboards, Texas Prekindergarten guidelines to integrate gamification and align it with math standards, and professional development resources to train teachers in the effective implementation of gamified strategies such as training resources on gamification principles and best practices and workshops or webinars on implementing gamification in early math education.
References
Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability. Center for Public Education.http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf
Stanford Graduate School of Business. (2013, March 21). Nancy Duarte: How to tell a story [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JrRQ1oQWQk
Stanford Graduate School of Business. (2013, February 19). Nancy Duarte: How to create Better Visual Presentations [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so9EJoQJc-0
TEDxTalks. (2009, September 29). Start with why — how great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek | TEDxPugetSound [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA
Texas Education Agency. (2022). 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. https://tea.texas.gov/academics/early-childhood-education/2022-texas-pkg-comprehensive-guide.pdf