Professional Learning in Action

Risko and Vogt provide a unique and progressive approach for engaging the professional learning of teachers of literacy, reading specialists, literacy coaches and instructional leaders, content specialists, and administrators. Their deliberate use of Professional Learning signals the importance of educators engaging in authentic and inquiry-based decision-making. They describe and provide examples of needs assessments and progress monitoring activities that are embedded within differentiated professional learning activities, such as book clubs, lesson study, family literacy groups, and peer and literacy coaching. Actions and decisions are directed by questions generated by teachers, coaches, and administrators as they engage in collaborative and self-directed efforts to advance their knowledge and resolve dilemmas that impact instruction and students’ learning.

Book Features:

• Provides authentic examples for implementing professional learning (PL) that addresses and resolves authentic dilemmas educators and students face.
• Synthesizes current research on effective professional learning with a literacy emphasis.
• Describes evidence-based and differentiated professional learning opportunities that engage instructional changes that are situated within meaningful and school-based applications.
• Advances knowledge about applications of professional learning that is collaborative, substantive, situated, dynamic, intense, and personal.
• Makes explicit connections to Common Core and similar State standards-based instruction.
• Includes reflection and self-study questions at the end of each chapter.

Victoria J. Risko is professor emerita of language, literacy, and culture at Peabody College Vanderbilt University, Nashville. MaryEllen Vogt is professor emerita of education at California State University, Long Beach. Both are past presidents of the International Literacy Association.

"Through research-based recommendations for structures that guide the generation of questions centered on problems of practice, this text provides and advocates for a theoretical framework for addressing the needs of adult learners through a systematized approach to inquiry-based professional learning."

—Teachers College Record

“Professional Learning in Action will help close the 'knowing/doing' gap.… (The authors) have developed a systematic way to ensure that teachers are members of collaborating learning groups that harness the power of collective teacher efficacy.”
—From the Foreword by Douglas Fisher, professor of educational leadership, San Diego State University

"This book is a must-read for educators involved in supporting high-quality literacy teaching. These nationally known authors explain why and how to develop, implement, and evaluate collaborative, inquiry-based professional learning. Current research about the importance of job-embedded, meaningful, and authentic professional learning serves as the foundation for the many practical ideas in the book."
—Rita M. Bean, professor emerita, University of Pittsburgh

"This book will make a compelling contribution as a guiding resource for teachers and for those who support teachers' professional learning. It is focused on the needs of adult learners, respectful of teachers’ knowledge, and responsive to dynamic changes in educational standards. Vignettes and school-based examples invite readers to collaborate as they adapt text ideas to their own schools and circumstances."
—Maryann Mraz, University of North Carolina at Charlotte