In the ever-changing world of education, it's essential to encourage organizational change so that teachers have the tools and attitude to create engaging learning experiences for their students. As part of my innovation plan to improve teachers' professional development, I want to make the professional learning environment a more collaborative and exciting place that encourages teachers to keep learning and enhances the efficiency of their lessons. There is a need to explore the ideas, advantages, and practical applications of active learning to demonstrate how educators, trainers, and organizations can improve professional learning experiences for adult learners/teachers in various professional environments. Facilitators of professional learning experiences should make it easier for teachers to work together to find new ways to integrate technology into their classes  by stating clear and compelling goals, having a timeline, and utilizing value-based language will impact behavior (Grenny et al. 2013) and influence organizational change. Furthermore, the Teaching and Learning Department can use data to make informed decisions making district goals quantifiable and attainable. To make such a big difference within the school district, it's important to figure out what habits are most important for success. Identifying the most influential vital behaviors is crucial to influencing organizational change. Grenny (2013) recommend the following four vital behavior strategies: notice the obvious, look for crucial moments, learn from positive deviants, and spot culture busters . These are four key strategies the facilitators within the Teaching and Learning Department in Fort Bend ISD can use to change how they conduct and design professional development.

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Notice the Obvious:

The first step in driving organizational change is watching how teachers act and do things. In the context of enhancing professional development and learning experiences for teachers, the concept of "Noticing the Obvious" takes on a significant role in fostering continuous growth and improvement in their practice. By encouraging professional development facilitators to be attentive to key cues and information in their professional environment, this principle can empower them to make informed decisions, refine their presenting techniques, and ultimately enhance their impact on teacher learning. For this approach to work, it's necessary to pay close attention to the little things and be determined to understand what influences teachers actions. By observing this, we can find places where things could be better and develop specific ways to help teachers improve their methods. An example of how teachers interact with each other every day in professional development training is some teachers like to work alone. In contrast, others want to participate in group talks to share the best ways to do things. By noticing this apparent difference in behavior, district leaders can tailor training programs to meet the needs of each educator in their preferred learning styles while encouraging all teachers to work together more, creating an environment where they share and learn. Embracing a growth mindset and remaining open to experimentation, feedback, and continuous learning are essential components of professional development for teachers. 

 

 Look for Crucial Moments:

Identifying critical moments for making changes in education is essential. These moments may happen at the start of the school year when new teaching methods are introduced. Taking advantage of these times can lead to significant improvements in how educators teach. By paying attention to crucial moments, training facilitators can take advantage of the chance to implement notable changes or interventions at these pivotal points, such as giving focused feedback, modifying their instructional strategies, or responding to particular teacher needs. For instance, the school district could decide to start a new technology program at the beginning of the school year. This is a great opportunity to provide teachers with special training and tools to make sure the program works well throughout the school year. It's best to introduce new subjects or explore them more deeply during scheduled professional development days and professional learning community meetings. By doing this, the district can make the most of crucial moments and set up long-term success for using technology. 

 

Learn from Positive Deviants:

You can learn a lot about what makes people successful by looking at teachers who are doing well in their career. Figuring out what makes these positive deviants exceptional will help us come up with ways that other teachers can use, and it means that when we’re thinking about implementation, we have to ask how does this look in our school district or our school already? Because I can guarantee you that there are teachers within the school or school district that are doing the work already. They just don’t call it the research-y term. (DeWitt, 2024) . Using these teachers' knowledge to drive change in the school district can lead to real progress by encouraging participants to help each other and creating safe spaces.  Positive deviants serve as sources of inspiration and motivation for teachers, demonstrating what is achievable and encouraging others to strive for excellence in their own teaching. We need to highlight these positive deviants so that they will act as the "peer pressure" influencers who will provide the social motivation and create the social support resisting educators need to drive change within the school district. The teaching and learning department in Fort Bend can create a "community of practice" where the best ways to do things are shared and used by everyone in the district. By studying and emulating the practices of those who achieve exceptional results, the trainers in the department can design professional learning experiences where educators can elevate their own teaching effectiveness, positively impact student learning, and contribute to a culture of excellence.

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Spot Culture Busters:

To get people to accept new ideas in education, it's important to identify and deal with cultural norms that get in the way. To do this, we need to question established beliefs, old training methods, and conventional structures of power. Teachers must be alert to recognizing negative influences or behaviors, such as gossiping, a lack of cooperation, or resistance to change, that oppose the school community's values, norms, and objectives.  Also, too often leadership is hoping for “buy in” and yet a new initiative is never discussed with teachers beforehand. If teachers do not have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss any concerns before the initiative is adopted, how can they be expected to be on board? (Cebelak 2016).  By spotting culture busters, district trainers can understand how these negative influences can impact teacher morale, student learning, and overall school culture. By getting rid of these problems, educational groups can make a space that encourages new ideas and constant improvement. For instance, to get teachers to change, it's important to have discussions about their intrinsic drive, social motivation, and ability to plan. It is also important to create an environment that supports personal drive, social support, and fewer obstacles to progress. By drawing attention to culture busters, educators and staff are made aware of the value of sustaining a welcoming and supportive school climate that serves the interests of both instructors and teachers. Making decisions from the bottom up can encourage innovation and give people more power within the district. This can break down barriers to change and make the educational culture more flexible through embracing a culture of respect, openness, and continuous improvement. The goal is to contribute to a supportive and inspiring school community where teachers can thrive and students can excel.