Professional Learning — Missouri K-12 Education Reference

Table of Contents

1. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
2. Instructional Coaching
3. Mentoring & Induction (Expanded)
4. Micro-Credentials & Digital Badges
5. Action Research
6. Lesson Study
7. Peer Observation & Learning Walks
8. Conference & Workshop PD
9. Online & Self-Directed PD
10. PD Planning & Evaluation
11. Missouri PD Infrastructure
12. MEES-Aligned Professional Growth

1. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

DuFour PLC Model (Most Widely Used in Missouri)

Four critical questions that drive PLC work:

1. What do we want students to learn? (Essential standards identification)
2. How will we know when they have learned it? (Common formative assessments)
3. What will we do when they don't learn it? (Systematic intervention)
4. What will we do when they already know it? (Enrichment/extension)

PLC Structure

PLC Meeting Cycle (Typical)

1. Identify essential standards for the upcoming unit
2. Design common formative assessment aligned to standards
3. Teach the unit (each teacher, own classroom)
4. Administer common assessment (same assessment, same time frame)
5. Analyze results together (by student, by standard, by teacher)
6. Respond: re-teach, intervene, extend based on results
7. Reflect: what worked? what needs to change?

Administrative Support for PLCs

• Protected, scheduled collaborative time (during the school day — not after hours)
• Norms and protocols for productive meetings
• Facilitation support (instructional coach or team leader)
• Access to data tools
• Accountability for PLC work (admin monitors but doesn't micromanage)

2. Instructional Coaching

Coaching Models

Coaching vs. Evaluation

Effective Coaching Practices

• Build trusting relationships (confidentiality is essential)
• Use data to identify coaching priorities
• Model lessons (demonstrate in the teacher's classroom)
• Co-plan and co-teach
• Observe and provide specific, actionable feedback
• Use video for self-reflection (teacher reviews their own teaching)
• Celebrate growth and progress
• Maintain regular coaching cycles (not one-off interactions)

3. Mentoring & Induction (Expanded)

Missouri Requirement (RSMo 168.028)

All Missouri districts must provide a mentoring program for new teachers.

Comprehensive Induction Framework (Beyond One Year)

Mentor Selection Criteria

• Experienced and effective teacher (minimum 3-5 years)
• Same or similar content area/grade level (when possible)
• Strong interpersonal skills and empathy
• Commitment to confidentiality
• Willingness to invest time (regular meetings, observations, feedback)
• Formal mentor training (required by most programs)

Mentor Activities

• Regular meetings (weekly during year 1; biweekly in year 2)
• Classroom observations (mentor observes new teacher; new teacher observes mentor)
• Co-planning
• Introducing school/district culture and procedures
• Emotional support (teaching is hard; mentors provide safe space)
• Professional development guidance
• Documentation of mentoring activities (for DESE certification progression)

4. Micro-Credentials & Digital Badges

What They Are

Micro-credentials are competency-based, digital certifications demonstrating mastery of specific skills. Teachers earn them by submitting evidence of practice.

Platforms

• Digital Promise (Educator Micro-credentials)
• BloomBoard (micro-credentials aligned to evaluation standards)
• ISTE (digital learning micro-credentials)
• District-developed micro-credential systems

Applications in Missouri

• Professional development credit for certificate renewal
• Evidence for MEES evaluation (Standard 8: Professionalism)
• Salary schedule advancement (some districts accept micro-credentials in lieu of graduate credits)
• Targeted professional growth in specific skill areas
• Teacher leadership pathways

5. Action Research

Definition

Teacher-led systematic inquiry into their own practice:

1. Identify a question — What am I curious about? What problem do I want to solve?
2. Review literature — What does research say about this topic?
3. Design the study — What data will I collect? How? Over what period?
4. Collect data — Student work, assessments, observations, surveys, interviews
5. Analyze data — Look for patterns, themes, unexpected findings
6. Reflect and act — What did I learn? How will I change my practice?
7. Share findings — Present to colleagues, contribute to school's knowledge base

Benefits

• Develops teacher agency and professional autonomy
• Bridges theory and practice
• Creates a culture of inquiry
• Generates locally relevant evidence for instructional decisions
• Counts as professional development

6. Lesson Study

Japanese Model (Adapted for U.S.)

1. Plan together — team collaboratively designs a "research lesson" focused on a specific learning goal
2. Teach — one team member teaches the lesson while others observe (focus is on STUDENT learning, not teacher performance)
3. Debrief — team discusses observations of student learning during the lesson
4. Revise — team revises the lesson based on observations
5. Re-teach — another team member teaches the revised lesson; team observes again
6. Reflect and share — document findings and share with broader staff

Key Principles

• Focus on student learning, not teacher evaluation
• Collaborative (not competitive)
• Iterative (plan-teach-observe-revise cycle)
• Research-informed (connected to learning standards and pedagogical theory)
• Time-intensive (best supported with structured collaborative time)

7. Peer Observation & Learning Walks

Peer Observation

Voluntary, non-evaluative observation between teacher peers:

• Teacher A observes Teacher B (with invitation)
• Focus area agreed upon in advance
• Brief post-observation conversation
• Completely confidential — no reports to administration
• Reciprocal: both teachers observe each other

Learning Walks (Instructional Rounds)

Structured team observations across multiple classrooms:

• Team of 4-8 (teachers, coaches, administrators)
• Brief visits (10-15 minutes per classroom)
• Look for specific "look-fors" aligned to school improvement goals
• No individual teacher feedback — aggregate observations shared school-wide
• Identify patterns and trends in instructional practice
• Inform professional development priorities
• Based on City, Elmore, Fiarman & Teitel's "Instructional Rounds" model

8. Conference & Workshop PD

Key Conferences for Missouri Educators

Workshop Quality Indicators

• Aligned to school/district improvement goals
• Research-based content
• Active engagement (not sit-and-listen)
• Opportunities for practice and application
• Follow-up support (coaching, collaboration, resources)
• Measured impact (not just satisfaction surveys)

9. Online & Self-Directed PD

Platforms

Self-Directed PD Best Practices

• Set specific learning goals
• Document learning (reflective journal, portfolio)
• Apply learning in the classroom
• Share learning with colleagues
• Connect to evaluation goals (MEES Standard 8)
• Track hours for certificate renewal

10. PD Planning & Evaluation

Characteristics of Effective PD (Learning Forward Standards)

1. Learning communities — occurs within collaborative communities
2. Leadership — requires skillful leaders who develop capacity
3. Resources — adequate time, money, technology, and human resources
4. Data — uses multiple sources of data to plan and evaluate
5. Learning designs — integrates theories and evidence-based practices
6. Implementation — applies research on change to sustain support
7. Outcomes — aligns with educator performance and student results

PD Needs Assessment

• Student achievement data (assessment results, grades, growth data)
• Teacher evaluation data (MEES trends, common growth areas)
• Staff surveys (perceived needs, interests, barriers)
• School improvement plan goals (CSIP/DSIP)
• Compliance requirements (mandated training)
• New initiative needs (curriculum adoption, technology rollout)

Evaluating PD Impact (Guskey's 5 Levels)

11. Missouri PD Infrastructure

RPDCs

See references/rural-education.md for RPDC network details. Key services:

• Free and low-cost PD across all content areas and grade levels
• New teacher support and mentoring training
• MEES evaluator training
• Curriculum and assessment PD
• Technology integration
• Virtual PD options

DESE Professional Development

• DESE-hosted webinars and training sessions
• Mandated training modules (mandated reporter, suicide prevention, etc.)
• Content-area specialist consultants available through DESE
• Missouri Leadership Development System (MLDS) for administrator development

University Partnerships

• Graduate coursework for salary advancement and endorsement additions
• Professional development schools (PDS) model
• Research partnerships
• Student teacher supervision and mentoring

12. MEES-Aligned Professional Growth

Using MEES for Professional Growth

MEES Standard 8 (Professionalism) explicitly addresses professional growth. But ALL 8 standards can drive PD:

Individual Professional Growth Plan

Best practice: every teacher has a written professional growth plan:

• Based on self-assessment and evaluation feedback
• Aligned to 1-2 specific MEES indicators
• Includes: goal, action steps, resources needed, evidence of progress, timeline
• Reviewed with evaluator or coach
• Connected to building/district improvement goals