Are We Dumb Yet? Excess PD and Teacher Degradation

Professional teachers are forced to shape effective teaching practices on their own with minimal help from professional development sessions. PD sessions often highlight teacher shortcomings and nurture a spirit degradation. This study explores the effects of excess professional development on urban teachers' perceptions of themselves as professionals. Utilizing Illich's theory of development and the introduction of a new qualitative method, first-person action research, this book conveys the frustrations of teachers with current professional development practices in an urban reform school district. The author not only serves as the messenger, but reveals her internal struggles in search for truth about the effects of excess PD. REAL TEACHERS ARE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES. When is enough, ENOUGH? Professional development for teachers are the new "trend words". Excuse ANY notion of the socio-economic ills plaguing our society, excuse ANY notion of students' inability to retain information apart from a cell phone, and excuse ANY notion of corporate takeovers in troubled districts who firmly believe teaching kids is a "cake walk"! Oh no! FIX THE TEACHERS, FIX THE SCHOOLS! REALLY, wow.