Article Link: http://www.exchangepress.com/article/effective-workshops-for-teacher-learning/5018324/
As policy makers and funders rise to the challenge of investing more seriously in early education, we have growing requirements for teacher education and ongoing professional development. This provides new opportunities to rethink our workshop and class offerings. My hope is that we will not only reconsider the content of our trainings, but also the pedagogy we use to help teachers learn. To me it seems obvious that our pedagogy for teacher learning should parallel the pedagogy we want them to employ for the children’s learning.This includes planning for multiple intelligences and cultural frameworks (Gardner, 1993; Nieto, 1999; Rogoff, 2003), considering approaches to learning and dispositions (Hyson, 2008; Katz, 1995), social constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978; Brooks & Brooks, 2001), critical exploration (Duckworth, 2006), and reflective teaching (Schon, 1983). Whether you are a college instructor, early childhood consultant, trainer, or program administrator responsible for planning in-service workshops, you can incorporate suggestions from these pedagogical theories into your work.
Considering your learners
As we want teachers to do with children, workshop leaders seeking to educate teachers should consider their views about their learners. Overall, the early childhood workforce lacks a background in child development, learning theories, or content for academic domains. This doesn’t mean ...