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I'm looking for papers or articles on effective strategies to help motivate teachers to participate in VOLUNTARY (meaning without pay) professional development. I know there is a lot of research on the nature and kinds of prof. dev. needed and available. We've been using it successfully. There is also good info on the role of teacher leaders and their commitment to systemic change, with or without additional pay. We've been doing that too. However, a new reality has hit. We are going through major cuts caused by significant enrollment reductions. Over the past six years, we have engaged in major systemic reform initiatives, especially at the elementary level, that began with NSF funds. Now, we need to build the capacity to sustain the initiatives and "train" a large number of new staff members. However, teachers don't want to participate in PD unless it is during released days or for pay after school - both of these options have been severely cut. They are having trouble accepting the "new" situation. Another reality is that many, if not most of our staff, is at the top of the pay scale and have salaries that are competitive with, if not above, many in local (and nonlocal) industries with 40 hour/week work schedules and 12 month contracts vs 35 hour/week and 9 month contracts. They do not believe this is true. This is not to make the case one way or the other, the problem is unless staff development continues, the competitive, free market climate in which we now exist may accelerate the weakening of public schools. You know the implications and consequences. Some of our teacher leaders, with vision, are really concerned and are willing to make the case with their peers (which in and of itself is different) if we can arm them with effective tools (case studies, papers, etc.) I hope anyone with access to this research will please provide me with information I can share with our lead teachers (and possibly interested administrators) on the subject. Thank you!
anonymous,
2/9/2001
Professional Development
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