Reimagining Teacher Professional Development: One Organization's Focus on Redesign and Implementation

Abstract

COMP (Classroom Organization and Management Program) is a nonprofit organization that supports teachers across the nation and internationally in implementing a research-based and research-proven classroom management program. The organization wanted to know about any literature that exists for outlining processes for revising professional development curriculum. They want to ensure their next edition of workshop materials continues to be relevant and responsive to the ever-changing student and teacher population. Furthermore, they were interested in learning more about how facilitators were implementing the program as planned. We collected and analyzed survey and focus group data from active COMP Workshop Leaders and reviewed feedback forms from 2022 workshop participants. We used deductive, inductive, and descriptive analysis approaches with our data sources. We found that: 1. COMP Workshop Leaders are implementing most of the expected training components with fidelity. The Follow-up session and use of comic are being implemented with the least amount of fidelity. 2. Limited technology usage hinders both facilitator and participant experience. 3. COMP Workshop Leaders and teachers requested updated content relevant to current classroom challenges more than all the elements of redesign. Active learning continues to be the most useful component of the training elements and few changes for improvement were requested. We recommend the following: 1. Codify the following "Menu of Options" for the Follow-up session in the 10th edition: In-person, virtual, hybrid, or coaching. 2. Integrate technology through digital resources, support, and Flipped PD. 3. Incorporate Culturally Responsive Classroom Management (CRCM) into overall content and process components.