Introduction

Rationale

Goals

Progress Continuum

Benchmarks

Guiding Principles

Independence

Help

Place Your Practice on a Progress Continuum

An underlying assumption of professional development is that there are changes in one's practice that, when implemented, will better serve learners and teachers.  A coinciding assumption is that one's practice is not yet at the target practice that is the focus of the professional development.

A Progress Continuum helps one understand what the classroom instruction will look like when the practice is fully implemented.  By defining the target practice and its opposite as well as stages between the extremes,  teachers can see understand the goal of the instructional changes.  By placing one's practice on the continuum, one can understand the  nature of the task ahead as well as know how to recognize progress.

To define a Progress Continuum:

1) Work with others to understand just what is being proposed; define this target practice and describe in general terms what the classroom will be like when the practice is fully implemented.

2) Understand what the opposite of the target practice is and describe it in general terms.

3) Define and describe two stages of progress from the target practice to its opposite.

4) Place the four stages on a chart similar to this one:

The Opposite of Target Practice:

This is what we call it and this is what it looks like. (Note: the absence of something is not always its opposite!)

Not the Opposite of Target Practice, But Still Still Needs Work

Almost Target Practice

Target Practice:

This is what we call it and this is what it looks like.