Professional development is something that every teacher must do within their career. Many times the programs are held as an in-service day workshop so they are not taken seriously; however, it is important for teachers to embrace these programs. Numerous research studies find a direct connection between teachers who are consistently involved in professional development and their student’s performance in the classroom. Teachers who participate in professional development courses upgrade their skills, master new skills and responsibilities, and change teaching habits and practices. Professional development results in many positive aspects within the classroom, which leads to the overall goal; that our children thrive in our education system.

Professional development programs provide teachers the ability to use a variety of instructional practices that are deemed helpful for the current times. A majority of the programs concentrate on students’ reasoning and what process they use to problem solve. Teachers are trained to notice how students learn a particular subject matter. Teachers are then taught different instructional practices that relate directly with subject matter and how to tell if the student can comprehend the methods that are being used to teach the material. If teachers take professional development classes that focus on how students learn and how to determine their learning successfully, they will be able to help each of their students get a better understanding of the subject being taught. After mathematical professional development training, teachers can watch the process students use to solve problems and persuade them to use more practical methods of finding the answers. Students who have access to this type of learning do better with conceptual understanding, yet still retain all of their basic skills. Reading and English classes help teachers learn how to improve their understanding of word sounds and structures. Through this method, teachers spend more time going over building blocks of words and language with their students which boosts their reading and comprehension test scores.

            Teachers who are involved in cooperative learning programs also see a big impact within their classroom. These classes are more likely to use small group lessons at least one time a week compared to teachers who have not taken this type of development course. Also, these teachers assign more group projects that involve both group and individual grading and they encourage their students to partake in more classroom discussions. Group activities are a great way for children to develop their social and team working skills. Both of these skills are extremely important throughout a child’s life and the more experience he or she has at a young age the more beneficial it will be in the long run.

            Another way to ensure that professional development creates a positive impact in classrooms is by connecting the development program directly to the teacher’s school district and states’ academic standards and curriculum. The courses provide teachers with a way to directly apply what they learn in the workshop to their teaching. Many times, professional development classes help teachers receive higher assessments and evaluations scores because they are able to use the information they learned and direct it to their students’ learning experiences. By connecting the teacher’s curriculum with the development courses, teachers receive better instructions and students are more successful with learning the subject matter. Also, professional development programs are beginning to join President Obama’s new education reform agenda. By doing this, teachers are implementing both federal and state government regulations into their program.

Overall, professional development programs are extremely beneficial in the classroom. These programs train teachers on the current practices that are most efficient and give them a better understanding of why they work. These practices help teachers focus on the student’s ability to recognize and solve the material presented to them. This leads to teachers being able to teach the material different ways, in order to help the students understand the subject matter completely. These development courses compliment the knowledge teachers already have and build on that to create a well-rounded professional. Professional development programs are available for teachers in every state.