1. Identify the grade level(s) you teach.
2. Select the building(s) that you support.
3. Select your top three topics of interest for future professional development learning opportunities.
4. I prefer to participate in professional development that is (online, in person during prep, blended, offered asynchronously)
5. Do you feel that the professional learning opportunities we have offered you so far have met your needs as an educator? Why or why not?
6. What are you hoping to get most out of professional development this school year?
7. What is the best professional development session you attended? Why was it your favorite?
8. Would you be interested in collaborating on designing or facilitating a professional development offering for staff? If so, what topics?
9. What supports do you typically need after you participate in a professional development session?
10. Is there anything else you would like to add as we develop our offerings for the upcoming year?

Reflection

It is very important that a school leader surveys the staff at the start of the school year to better learn how to support the teachers learning. The questions above can be utilized in a google form needs assessment to gain more insight into professional development needs and preferred learning styles. I included some questions that have answers from a dropdown and others that are open ended. I have found that teachers often dismiss surveys when they are too long or require too many open-ended responses. The first two demographic information questions are helpful because many people teach more than one grade and are at more than one building and a leader must know this for planning and scheduling purposes. Knowing topics of interest and learning style preferences will help me create opportunities that staff feel will influence them in a meaningful way. Questions 6 and 8 will help me get teachers to set goals around their own learning and feel connected to the development. I hope that I will get some teachers that are interested in leading and designing sessions with me. When asked in a survey, it is oftentimes less threatening and teachers may be more inclined to agree. I think it is important for teachers to reflect on successful sessions they have attended in the past, as this will help them reflect on what they need in the future. My question about supports after sessions is also important so that I can design resources and next steps so that it is not a one time learning opportunity that is forgotten; perhaps teachers want a follow up meeting, direct feedback on implementation or a centrally located source for accessing information at a later date. I also included a place for teachers to reflect and comment on anything else as this allows teachers to share something I may have missed. It is important to get teachers and staff to feel as though their voices are heard and their input is valued and confidential. I look forward to using needs assessments to plan professional development opportunities for my staff. 

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Demographic Information Grade Levels You Teach I teach students in grades 3 and 4 Buildings You Support I support teaching at the Elementary School an... View the full answer