How to Improve Professional Development for Teachers

Professional development is crucial to teacher growth, satisfaction, and retention. It gives teachers new tools and strategies, makes them more effective communicators, and leads to better results all around.  

The Institute for Multi-Sensory Education reports that teachers who get quality professional development can boost student achievement by roughly 21 percentage points.  

Yet, as critical as it is, teacher PD often falls flat. A Pew Research Center Survey found only 36% of teachers are satisfied with their opportunities for training and developing new skills. This disconnect is a missed opportunity.  

For school leaders, below are 5 ideas to help you improve teacher PD to make it more relevant, useful, and impactful.  

#1 Make it Personal  

A new teacher has different needs than a veteran. A science teacher has different needs than a Spanish teacher. If your PD is one-size-fits-all, it’s likely fitting no one. 

Instead, try a more targeted approach by offering PD sessions tailored to individual or subject-specific needs. Conduct surveys to understand what teachers value or struggle with, then design sessions that resonate. 

You might consider a career-fair style PD, where teachers can choose from a menu of workshops and rotate through different sessions throughout the day. Teachers appreciate having control over their learning, and it makes them more engaged, relaxed, and open to new strategies and ideas.  

#2 Make it Convenient

One of the greatest frustrations teachers face with PD is the feeling that it’s one more to-do on an already overpacked list. Imagine a teacher spending the day managing classes, resolving conflicts, grading assignments, and prepping lessons, only to spend another hour stuck in an uninspiring workshop.  

Try to ease this overload by integrating professional development into existing schedules instead of stacking it on top. Or, when you add PD to a teacher’s plate, take something else away to make space. For example:  

• Use in-service days for workshops instead of after-school hours. 
• Replace non-essential staff meetings with meaningful PD sessions. 
• Give teachers time during their workday — cover their study hall, lunch, recess, or bus duty, for example — to engage with PD activities without feeling rushed. 

Respecting teachers’ time communicates that their growth is a priority, not an obligation.

#3 Make it Interactive  

Many PD sessions preach about creating engaging classrooms — while the PD presenter spends an hour lecturing from the front of the room. Prioritize professional development that has group discussions, hands-on demonstrations, role playing, team-building exercises, peer collaboration, and/or gamification.  

Interactive professional development not only makes learning more memorable but also models strategies teachers can use in their classrooms. 

#4 Make it Practical  

Teachers want to leave PD with ideas they can immediately apply. Instead of discussing vague or theoretical teaching strategies, provide lesson plans or templates that teachers can adapt. Focus on real-world challenges like managing disruptive behavior or engaging reluctant learners, and have teachers share with each other examples of what’s worked well and what hasn’t. 

When you’re choosing people to lead PD sessions, look for instructors with extensive classroom experience. They’ll better understand the realities of teaching and their PD will be much more relevant to teachers’ day-to-day lives.

#5 Make it Tech-Savvy  

A Gallup report shows that nearly two-thirds of teachers (65%) say they use digital learning tools to teach every day. But more than half of teachers (56%) cite a lack of training as a significant barrier to implementing new technology.  

Especially with the increasing prominence of AI tools and emerging edtech platforms, it’s critical to provide teachers with training that helps them integrate these resources into their classrooms.  

You might consider offering hands-on tech workshops where teachers can experiment and play with new tools in a safe, supportive environment, learning from each other and troubleshooting common issues. Direct, hands-on experience like this can help build teachers’ confidence and competence. 

You could also offer specific training on how to use AI tools responsibly and effectively, with clear examples tailored to teachers’ subject areas. 

And make sure you celebrate successes and share real-world examples of how teachers have used technology to enhance their lessons and engage students. These stories can inspire others and show the practical value of tech tools. 

Building a Better Culture of Growth

Improving professional development is about more than just checking boxes or meeting quotas. Thoughtful planning, relevant topics, and engaging formats ensure that PD sessions serve their true purpose — to inspire educators and enhance their classrooms.  

When teachers leave workshops feeling supported, energized, and equipped with new tools, the ripple effect reaches every student they teach. And isn’t that what education is all about? 

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