Mandate or Persuade

One of the challenges that school leaders face is finding the right balance between that which is mandated and that which is supported through persuasion.  Push too hard on the mandate side and the staff will likely resist.  An initiative promoted with a persuasive approach can slow the rate of change and may lead toward complacency.  If I don’t have to do it, then why should I?  It is my sense that this is where we are with professional development.  We mandate certain things, usually that which is tied to the mechanics of teaching and persuade staff to participate in other offerings.   With this in mind, I feel that it is time for the state to rethink its recertification requirements that require earning six credits in five years. Teachers have a fair amount of autonomy to choose which classes to pursue for this purpose.  I’d like to instead have the districts provide some input on which courses can be used.

It is easy to casually talk about the importance of professional development.  The challenge of finding time to do it well is limited by the inherited structure of education.  The state can do two things to help in this area.  One, provide funds for more professional development time and two, rewrite the regulations that guide recertification so that a district can determine which courses will be accepted.  Our persuasive approach toward PD is helping us to improve.  I feel that the suggested coordination with the state on PD will be the mandate to help us get to the next level.