Search results

Meaningful professional development (PD) for correctional educators is not frequently addressed, though they work with students who are most at-risk in terms of academic success. In addition to the challenges that the students themselves face, there are obstacles inherent in adminstering educational programs in correctional facilities whose goals are very different from those of traditional educational programs. When teachers in correctional programs attend professional development venues offered by many districts, they often leave feeling that while they received valid and interesting information, it didn't really apply to them. Since continued professional development is critical to the teaching profession, and teaching in a correctional education program poses unique challenges, teachers who teach in these programs are most in need of meaningful and relevant in-service education opportunities. One way that correctional educators can ensure their own participation in such in-service education is to work collaboratively with their teacher colleagues to create such opportunities 'in-house'. This article discusses professional development in general and applies research-based approaches to teacher PD within correctional contexts.