42 Journal of K-12 Educational Research 2024, VOL. 8, ISSUE 1 dbu.edu/doctoral/edd THE CLASSROOM TEACHING AND LEARNING EFFECTS OF PERSONALIZED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN K–12 SCHOOL EDUCATION Knikole Taylor, Ed.D. Introduction Curriculum standards, school district guidelines, and educational technology are constantly changing, making it challenging for educators to keep up with new trends and best practices in the education field. Teacher professional development allows educators to learn better ways to teach. Professional development allows teachers to develop new leadership and instructional techniques, explore new roles, broaden their outlook as individuals and as educators, and most importantly, explore new professional functions (Allen, 2016). Standards, educational technology, and personalized learning have been implemented successfully for students. Teacher professional development provides the opportunity to mirror the same success through personalized learning and technology. Introduction to the Problem Just as personalizing instruction for students is vital to meet their individual needs, personalized professional development can help teachers meet their needs. Teachers are leaving the educational field in droves (Streeter, 2021). Many do not feel supported or empowered enough to make crucial decisions for their students. Personalized professional learning allows each teacher to learn in the manner they feel is best for them. Giving teachers a voice in their understanding and a choice in how they learn impacts how they view themselves as educational professionals and the field of education as a whole (Bretzmann et al., 2015). For many people, transitioning from pre-service teacher to full-time educator is significant. Long before instructors even step foot inside the classroom, there is a need to make sure they have all they need to succeed there. Instructors do not get the same assistance and individualized instruction that educational officials anticipate they will provide to students. Educational leaders must assess how to better prepare teachers to handle the job demands in their classrooms as more and more teachers leave the field. Through personalized professional learning, each teacher can receive specialized learning focused on their individual needs for success (Bretzmann et al., 2015). The teacher is the single most crucial factor for the success of any student (Rice, 2003). The success or failure of a student lies heavily on the ability of the educator responsible to relay important information to them in a way they can learn. The relationship between a teacher and their students is essential, and professional development facilitators must review the relationships cultivated between the teachers they support and their learners. It is essential for teachers to be given every tool possible to meet the needs of students. Just as all students do not learn the same way, teachers have different learning needs and styles. Professional development facilitators must identify each need of their learners or the teachers and provide various ways to meet their needs. Teacher-empowered professional development gives teachers a voice in what they learn without making them feel obligated to put one more thing on their plate that they may or may not want to learn. It also gives teachers autonomy in their learning choices. Allowing
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