At The Reading League, we’ve made a deliberate choice to no longer use the term “professional development” (PD). Instead, we embrace professional learning. This shift is intentional and rooted in a deeper understanding of how educators grow and improve.
The Limitations of “Professional Development”
Traditionally, PD is synonymous with workshops, seminars, and one-time training sessions where information is delivered to educators. While well-intentioned, these delivery models often fail to lead to meaningful changes in teaching practices. As Michael Fullan (2007) aptly noted, the term itself can be “a major obstacle to progress in teacher learning.” This is because the focus tends to be on delivering content rather than fostering genuine learning and growth.
Embracing a New Paradigm: Professional Learning
Professional learning moves beyond limitations of typical PD delivery to a continuous, collaborative, and reflective process. It recognizes that meaningful growth happens when educators engage deeply, learn from one another, and apply what they learn over time. Professional learning should be intentionally designed in ways that support real changes in practice, with structures and strategies that help teachers translate new knowledge into classroom impact. This approach emphasizes collaboration, relevance, and ongoing support—elements that make professional learning transformative so that outcomes are both improved and sustained.
A Fundamental Shift in How We View Educators
The distinction between “professional development” and “professional learning” is more than semantic. It reflects a fundamental shift in how we view educators—as active learners and leaders in their own professional growth. By adopting the term “professional learning,” we acknowledge the complexity of teaching and the need for ongoing, context-rich opportunities for growth.
This shift also aligns with current educational research and best practices, which emphasize the importance of job-embedded, collaborative, and sustained learning experiences. As highlighted in Professional Learning Redefined (2019), effective professional learning involves:
- Coherence: Aligning learning with school goals and educator needs.
- Connections: Building relationships and networks that support learning.
- Content: Focusing on meaningful, relevant content that enhances practice.
- Context: Considering the specific environments and challenges educators face.
- Capacity: Developing the skills and knowledge necessary for change.
Moving Forward With Purpose
At The Reading League, we believe all children deserve to learn to read, and all teachers can learn to teach them. We are committed to fostering a culture of professional learning that empowers educators to continuously improve and, by extension, enhance student learning. This commitment is reflected in our programs, resources, and community initiatives, all designed to support sustained, collaborative, and impactful learning experiences.
By shifting our language from “professional development” to “professional learning,” we are not just changing terminology—we are embracing the belief that educators should be placed at the center of their own growth and development. This shift is essential for creating educational environments where both teachers and students thrive.
References
Fullan, M. (2007). Change the terms for teacher learning. Journal of Staff Development, 28(3), 35–36.
Sawyer, I., & Stukey, M. R. (2019). Professional learning redefined: An evidence-based guide. Corwin Press.
Embracing Educator Growth: Our Shift From “Professional Development” to “Professional Learning”
