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 * More on Individually Guided Development:**

Individually Guided Staff Development is unique because it tries to make professional development fit the needs of each individual; in comparison to other models, staff development is determined and offered without any regards to the individual. It may be as simple as a teacher reading a journal article on a topic of interest. Individually Guided Staff Development is one of the five most commonly used models. Research indicates that objectives for professional development were more likely to be achieved using this model (Lawrence, 1974). Most teachers would consider this a positive issue because when teachers get to select their own topics for their professional development, they have more buy-in and motivation (Loucks-Horsley, 1989). Further research found this strategy to be effective where teachers were supported to develop and disseminate their own programs through grants. Teachers reported changes in their classroom practices, student attendance, discipline, and motivation (Mann, 1984).

The following is a chart of the five most common models for professional development:

Chart from Prince Geoge’s County Public Schools. (n/d). Ideas for Staff Development. Retrieved Sep.1, 2010, from http://www.pgcps.pg.k12.md.us/~elc/staffdevideas.html


 * Implementation Process for Individually Guided Staff Development **

As in our own classrooms, there is no “one size fits all” to how to present Professional Development. The goal is to teach the individual and the group at the same time. Put another way “one at a time, together”. We know that there are four main, or basic, learning modes: Individual, One – to – One, Small Group, and Large Group. When developing PD’s, one must be able to have interest and learning for the teacher of each of the four previously mentioned learning modes. Once you have assessed your “audience”, you can implement the mode or modes that best work with said “audience”. (Willis, 1974)

The next chart shows what teachers can do for Individually Guided Staff Development on the left side, and what principals can do to help teachers achieve these goals on the right side: (use the left-right scrolling bar at the bottom of this page to see the entire chart)

Chart from the Texas Education Agency, 2001. Retrieved on Sep. 4, 2010 from http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/ssc/training_modules/models/individually_guided.htm