The learning never ends

The first time I stepped into a classroom as a teacher, I knew I was in for a tough year. It had been drummed into me that the first year is always a challenge and not to judge my potential as a teacher by that first year. Still, I thought I had a basic grip on how to do the job. If I didn’t, why would I be given full charge of a classroom?

What I didn’t understand at the time is how much learning happens on the job and how the best teachers never stop learning. I mistakenly believed that teaching is a stable practice — you learn the ropes and go. Maybe you add some new ideas here and there, but the basics are the basics. Once you have them down, you’re good.

In their study of the lasting effects of professional development, Judith Haymore Sandholtz, Cathy Ringstaff, and Jessica Triant found that teacher learning doesn’t work that way. Without follow-up support, it can degrade over time. The good news is that the follow-up supports don’t have to be as extensive as the initial learning.