The Missouri Adult Education & Literacy Professional Development Center is a Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Adult Education and Literacy funded program operated by North Central Missouri College in Trenton, Missouri.
While the main purpose of the PDC is to provide professional development activities for all teachers and directors in Missouri Adult Education and Literacy, the PDC provides various other services for Missouri AEL. The adult learner in Missouri is the top priority of the PDC.
Below is a list of the activities the PDC offers:
- Pre-Certification & Beginning Teacher Assistance Program Workshops
- Certified Teacher Workshops
- Resource Workshops
- English as Second Language (ESL) Specific Activities
- Department of Corrections (DOC) Specific Activities
- STAR training (starting in February 2009)
- Online Professional Development
- Professional Development Advisory Committee
- Technology Trainings
- Content Standards
- Learning Disabilities
- AEL Director Professional Development
- ACES Support
- Distance Learning
- Small Site Orders
- Assist with State AEL Administrator's Conference
- Special Event Planning as requested by DESE
Click on the Staff link for contact information for each of the PDC staff members.
What is Professional Development?
Professional Development: The processes and activities designed to enhance and/or change the professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes of educators so that they might, in turn, improve the learning of students. (Kutner, Sherman, Tibbetts, & Condelli, 1997, p. 1)
What makes GREAT Professional Development? The process of improving staff skills and competencies needed to produce outstanding educational results for students.
Missouri’s AEL Professional Development is results driven, as opposed to the “The Happiness Quotient.” We want to see results in student achievements. Building instructor knowledge and skills is a crucial component of successful change.
In the past, PD was provided as “what looks interesting and what fits into my schedule” type of activity. The Missouri Adult Education and Family Literacy Professional Development Center has listened to local directors, AEL teachers and certification requirements to develop useful PD activities. We strive to present high quality workshops relevant to what is needed in the AEL classrooms to help teachers effect changes in students’ lives.
Recent literature on professional development tells us that your professional learning experiences are most effective in positively influencing your practices as an educator when:
You sustain at least 50 hours of professional study in a particular content area
You participate with others with whom you regularly work
The concepts presented are not in conflict with the policies of your organization
You connect it to your individual professional learning plan.
Desimone, L.M. (2009). Improving impact: Studies of teachers’ professional development. Educational Researcher, 38 (3), pp 181-199.
Wei, R.C., Darling-Hammond, L., Andree, A., Richardson, N., Orphanos, S. (2009). Professional learning in the learning profession: A status report on teacher development in the United States and abroad. Dallas, TX. National Staff Development Council.