Standard 6 - Professional Learning and

Leadership
Candidates recognize the importance of,
demonstrate, and facilitate professional learning
and leadership as a career-long effort and
responsibility.
Evidence that demonstrates competence may
include, but is not limited to, the following:
Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach Candidates
6.1 Demonstrate foundation knowledge of adult
learning theories and related research about
organizational change, professional development,
and school culture.

6.2 Display positive dispositions related to their

own reading and writing and the teaching of

There are five important ideas that surround adult

learning; (1) adults have many life experiences to
call on, (2) adults can direct their own learning, (3)
adult have a desire to solve problems and tend to
immediately apply what they learn, (4) adults need
to learn things related to their own changing social
roles, (5) adults are typically internally motivated.
In addition to these ideas, it is important to
remember that adults do not like to feel patronized
or disrespected. Treat adults like fellow learners
rather than students.
These ideas should be taken into consideration
when planning and organizing professional
development. Effective professional development
needs to be teacher directed, this can be executed
through teacher book clubs and other learning
groups.
A new set of strategies was being introduced in our
classrooms and all of the teacher were required to
read a textbook as part of the professional
development. We were placed into book clubs and
assigned a chapter. When we came back together,
we would form jigsaw groups so that we could
effectively share information.
Planning and conducting family culture nights or
literacy nights is a great way to promote parent
involvement and to provide for positive parentteacher communication opportunities.
Building collaborations with parents or guardians
is the most effective way to build support to

reading and writing, and pursue the development of

individual professional knowledge and behaviors.

6.3 Participate in, design, facilitate, lead, and

evaluate effective and differentiated professional
development plans.

6.4 Understand and influence local, state, or

national policy decisions.

achieve the highest expectations for student

success. Teachers need to take the time to
understand the diverse communities that they
serve. Positive parent-teacher communication has
been correlated to higher performance. Some
suggestions to help build these relationships are
sharing student data in a clear and understandable
way, offering strategies for student learning at
home and at school, showing respect to all parents,
especially the culturally diverse or economically
disadvantaged, and finding and using family
strengths.
A great way to display and share a positive
disposition is to create a blog in which teachers and
students can have access and make comments, ask
questions, etc. This blog can show professional
development opportunities, new books, classroom
projects, school events, professional group
membership, study strategies and supplemental
materials, to name a few.
Conduct research on effective programs and
workshops that can contribute to faculty/staff
learning opportunities or can be used to plan and
create workshops for teachers.
Gathering assessment data to plan and develop
school-wide literacy programs based on students
needs.
Reading and tracking development of new
standards, such as the Common Core Standards,
and their place in the schools in order to
understand how they will impact the learning
community.
Be aware of and writing proposals for grants and
literacy funds based on concerns or needs I n the
school system.