Quote-A-Day: Day 282

If you want a #burrito, it’s wise to avoid the #icecream parlor. #QuoteADay #Day282 #edchat #edu #ASCDL2

There is no such thing as “one size fits all PD.”  Professional development or professional learning (depending on which you’re partial to) actually needs to be considered to be “personal development” or “personal learning.” 

This is a bit of a paradigm shift, at least in practice.  While we all mentally understand that all learning has to be personalized, when it comes to structuring, conducting, and evaluating PD, we don’t hold true to that mental model.

This is a problem, because when our mental model doesn’t match our actions, we’re doing the opposite of practicing what we preach, and since we are likely aware of this and are still doing it, we’re being complicit.

And that’s horrible.

The fact is, if you want a burrito, you don’t go to an ice cream parlor.  You go where you can to satisfy your needs and wants.

The same must be true in education.

This means that we need to be providing professional learning opportunities that are tied to what our community needs.  Even if we are bringing in an “expert” on a topic, we have to understand that each person will take something different from that session, and therefore, what they explore based on their learning will be varied.

And that’s good.

Always make sure that you’re finding a way to meet the needs and wants of those you serve.  Otherwise it isn’t professional learning you’re providing, but rather a truly professional pain.