Noel Hesser, Gloria Dei Lutheran School

As an administrator, I continually question the value of staff development opportunities for my teachers. There is no question that I want my staff to develop—provided the development is aligned with our mission and purpose. But even if it is decided that a particular conference or seminar meets that initial criteria, I still wrestle with a question from a purely business perspective: is the opportunity worth it? What can I expect to be the return on my investment?

Conferences, seminars, professional speakers, and so forth, do not come cheaply. When the event is held at an out-of-town venue, costs to train an entire teaching staff can be astronomical, particularly for a small, private school. If we spend several thousand dollars to transport, house, and train a group of teachers, will the students we serve benefit accordingly? When I look back to workshops and seminars that I attended as a teacher, I have to admit that actual transfer of information or skill from the seminar to my classroom was often minimal. Was it worth it?

Now that I am an administrator, I want to be certain that any outlay is worthwhile. It is always a temptation to curtail expenditures which appear on the surface to be “extras.” But are these expensive staff development experiences really extras? I am discovering that we cannot place a price tag on the many intrinsic values of staff development activities which are not easily assessed objectively.

To begin with, the content which a teacher learns at a conference need not be life changing or classroom transforming in order to be valuable. I heard once that any training is successful if an educator leaves saying even one of the following:

“Hey, I do that! I guess I really am a good teacher!”

“I used to do that—I think I’ll try it again!”

“That’s a good idea—I’ll try that!”

Just one effective idea or validation can reap years of benefits—that which is learned at a staff development event is not limited to just the current school year.

Networking is one of the greatest benefits of participating in staff development opportunities. Sharing information and solutions with other educators lets us know that the difficulties we face are not unique to us—and we may find solutions that never occurred to us. Not having to re-invent the wheel each time is a great time saver. Isolation is a constant threat to teachers; being able to bounce ideas off of reliable contacts keeps us fresh and energized. The result is that we see ourselves as members of a greater community of educators in a noble profession.

Staff development offers teachers a time of renewal and community building. Teaching is an exhausting profession—times set aside to take a break and recharge are essential to the effective teacher. Beautiful surroundings and good food prepared by others may often be more valuable to an educator than the actual conference itself. Sharing time together away from the school setting can forge connections between staff members which result in a real sense of teamwork back on the job. At our school, we still talk about the camaraderie we experienced on an eight-hour bus ride to a national conference many years ago. While I honestly do not remember the conference itself, I can trace a commitment to my school and staff back to that memorable road trip. An experience like this also conveys another message to overworked teachers—“I am a professional—I am worth the expense.” It has much the same effect as a dozen expensive roses from a spouse on an important day.

Gaining a sense of identity as a Lutheran educator is another advantage gained from staff development opportunities. I originally came to Lutheran education as a non-Lutheran. It was important for me at that time to see myself as a Lutheran educator—to be connected to the rich history and mission of Lutheran education. When our staffs participate in conferences or events sponsored by ELEA networks or other Lutheran organizations, we have the opportunity to capture the vision of both the Lutheran Church and Lutheran education and to develop unity with other Lutherans. This is especially important in schools where teachers come from diverse religious backgrounds. Discovering the common goal of education in the faith can be a valuable asset in the Lutheran school community.

There are many returns on investment in staff development. The benefits cannot always be measured in the short term or by standard assessments. The pay-offs may occur in hidden ways that we may never realize, and they may last for a lifetime.

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