Professional Growth Plans

In Alberta, every teacher employed by a school system must develop and implement an annual plan for professional growth that outlines the professional development activities the teacher intends to undertake in that year.
Developing the plan is a professional function through which teachers demonstrate their commitment to lifelong professional learning while fulfilling their regulatory requirement pertaining to continuing education. The key components of developing the plan found in the policy governing growth plans states a teacher’s annual growth plan shall:

• Reflect goals and objectives based on an assessment of learning needs by the individual teacher
• Show a demonstrable relationship to the Teaching Quality Standard
• Take into consideration the educational plans for the school, school board and Alberta Education

Section 11.3 in the recent Central Table Agreement that pertains to the Teacher Professional Growth Plan further clarifies the professional function of the plan and the primacy of the teacher’s judgement in developing the plan through the following language:

• 11.3 Teacher Professional Growth Plan
  
  a) Teacher Professional Growth Plans will consider but will not be required to include the school jurisdiction’s goals.
  b) The teacher professional growth process, including discussions between the teacher and principal on the professional growth plans, will continue to take place.
  c) School jurisdictions and/or schools are not restricted in developing their own staff development plan in which the school jurisdiction and/or school may require teachers to participate.

The plan is to be submitted for review or approval early in in the fall and is also reviewed at the end of the year. A teacher who does not complete a plan may be subject to discipline. A growth plan may include mentorship or supervision of a student teacher and may be a multi-year plan.
The detailed requirements for an annual teacher professional growth plan (TPGP) are outlined in the Provincial Policy 2.1.5 Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy of Alberta Education.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association has developed the following instructive and informative tools and resources intended to help teachers develop a professional growth plan. The tools and resources have been organized into five sections:

• Section 1: Review Provincial Policy Regulations
• Section 2: Reflect on Your Professional Practice
• Section 3: Develop a Professional Growth Plan
• Section 4: Prepare for a Successful Review of Your Growth Plan
• Section 5: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

NEW Try the digital, interactive Self-Reflection on My Professional Practice tool.
For more information about teacher professional growth, supervision and evaluation, contact Association PD staff at 780-447-9400 (in Edmonton) or (elsewhere in Alberta).

​Cliquez ici pour accéder à la page intitulée Plans de croissance professionnelle. Pour plus de renseignements sur la formation continue, la supervision ou l'évaluation, contactez le personnel du secteur Perfectionnement professional à Edmonton au 780-447-9400, ou composez le 1-800-232-7208 d'ailleurs en Alberta.