A growing consensus of researchers has found that ongoing professional development is more effective than traditional one-time trainings.* In order to give out-of-school time (OST) practitioners time to learn, practice and reflect on new youth development strategies, Prime Time is revising its training calendar to reflect a greater amount of series-based trainings beginning September 2021. Through a series of training sessions, a community of practice with peers, and coaching/support sessions, OST staff will participate in meaningful professional learning that translates to changes in practice at their programs.
Practitioners can register for a training series on our website, including our brand new Restorative Practices in OST Series, which begins on September 21, 2021. You can learn more about this new professional development offering by clicking here. In addition to gaining valuable resources and skills to to provide high quality experiences for young people, all OST practitioners who are currently working with children and youth in Palm Beach County and complete trainings offered on Prime Time’s training calendar may qualify for a $45 stipend per three hour training. You can learn more about training stipends, including frequently asked questions by clicking here. Practitioners who meet all requirements for series based trainings, will also be able to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUS). To view a full list of series based trainings that offer CEUs click here.
*Though research has not yet identified a clear threshold for the duration of effective PD models, it does indicate that meaningful professional learning that translates to changes in practice cannot be accomplished in short, one-off workshops. Randel, B., Apthorp, H., Beesley, A. D., Clark, T. F., & Wang, X. (2016). Impacts of professional development in classroom assessment on teacher and student outcomes. The Journal of Educational Research, 109(5), 491–502.