As instructional leaders craft professional development in any format, it is important to assess the flow and structure of what you are creating. Like all endeavors, practice fuels improvement. Just as we assess the effectiveness of classroom practices for students, the same approach must be honored in the design of engaging professional development.

Be the lead learner. If you are gifted with the opportunity to be a part of designing high-quality professional learning, celebrate the opportunity with an empathetic lens that allows you to journey through the training design as a participant.

The knowledge is in the room. One of the most successful formats our team has experienced was delivered through unconferencing. While we are excited to see a variety of iterations of the concept being delivered throughout multiple formats, EdCamp has created a model and provides tools to interested facilitators that will accelerate the process and get you on your way.

Trust your instincts and take risks. As we pursue and prepare professional development opportunities for the communities that we serve, what are our guiding design principles? If you have implemented a fail forward component to your learning philosophy (if not, I highly recommend) how are you modeling this in the designing of professional learning?

Read the full article about the non-negotiables when it comes to professional learning by Adam Kulaas at Getting Smart.