Professional Development
on Use of Instructional Materials
Aims, Actions, Adaptations:
Professional Development Leaders (PDLs)
The Chicago Math & Science Initiative (CMSI) began recruiting and training experienced math and science teachers to provide district-wide professional development in 2006, making them professional development leaders (PDLs). Prior to the PDL training program, math and science leaders began developing internal capacity to meet the growing need for teacher professional development by training specialists to partner with vendors or curricular representatives to deliver professional development. In 2006, the third year of the CMSI, the PDL program began formally recruiting teachers identified as “highly effective” to directly provide CMSI professional development. The stated goal of the PDL program was to “develop and sustain a cadre of qualified teacher leaders who provide mathematics and science leadership in the Chicago Public Schools and facilitate high-quality district-wide CMSI professional development.” The rationale for the program was three-fold: to meet the growing need for professional development as the number of schools adopting CMSI-supported curricula grew; to improve the quality of professional development, based on the theory that experienced teachers would be particularly effective PD providers; and to develop experienced teachers’ leadership roles within their schools.
