Why Transformational Professional Learning is a Principal’s “Hidden Resource” for School Improvement
While virtually every school leader wishes they had more resources to support their school improvement efforts—more time, funding or staff—they also know their most valuable resource isn’t a line in the budget, calendar, or policy manual.
It’s their staff’s minds: their knowledge, mindset and motivation.
School leaders routinely invest in professional development aligned to improvement goals because of its potential to grow not only new skills but also staff buy-in. Yet often professional development (PD) that educators experience fails on both fronts, because of its transactional, sit-and-get approach.
As one rockstar teacher lamented to us over her lunch break during a daylong PD workshop: “I am sitting in perhaps the worst PD course ever. We just sat through three hours straight of them talking and talking at us.” (Ironically, this “stand-and-deliver” style PD experience was about student agency and engagement!)
Luckily, there is a better way: To grow your team’s practice and positively influence mindsets, give teachers the kind of learning you want them to design for students.
In contrast to conventional PD workshops, transformational professional learning durably shapes educator practice and mindsets, thus making the investment worth it.
What Is Transformational Professional Learning?
Transformational PD is more than a training day. It’s a sustained, reflective, job-embedded learning journey. Because transformational learning sticks, investments in transformational PD pays dividends over the long-term, in the form of increased educator retention, engagement and growth, as well as improved student learning.
Transformational learning experiences are characterized by several interrelated attributes:
- Critical Reflection: Teachers examine their underlying beliefs, assumptions, and biases about teaching, learning, and equity (Cranton, 2006; hooks, 2010; Mezirow, 1991).
- Dialogue and Collaboration: Peer learning is typically fostered within collaborative learning structures, in which educators engage with diverse perspectives and co-construct new understandings (hooks, 1994; Wenger, 1998).
- Authenticity and Relevance: Experiences are most impactful when they are interconnected with educators’ lived experiences and when they support application of new ideas to teachers’ contexts (Freire, 1970; EL Education, 2018; hooks, 1994).
- Professional Learner Agency: Transformational learning empowers teachers to take ownership of their development, make instructional decisions, and enact change in their classrooms and schools (Biesta et al., 2015; Brookfield, 2000; Darling-Hammond, 2022; Darling-Hammond et al., 2017; Darling-Hammond et al., 2009). Darling-Hammond et al. (2017) argues that when educators are actively engaged in designing and directing their own professional learning, they develop deeper ownership of instructional changes which can ultimately yield improved student engagement and academic performance.
How It Helps Principals Lead Their Teams to Continual Improvement
- Aligns Staff Growth with Shared Goals to Build Cohesion and Focus
Professional development is most effective when it’s connected to real work and shared priorities. The Small Wins Dashboard enables schools like the Bush School in Seattle to ground teacher learning in strategic goals, making team progress visible and actionable. It supports continuous reflection and knowledge-sharing across teams, helping staff stay aligned and learn from each other in real time.
- Strengthens your Professional Community and Retention
When educators are treated as experts and given space to collaborate around authentic challenges, they become more invested and engaged. In a closed cohort of AWSP members, leaders are using sideby to foster idea exchange around best practices for supporting students to and through college. These short, structured peer conversations offer targeted professional learning and build a culture of trust and mutual growth—critical levers for morale and retention.
- Mirroring Deeper Learning for Students Through Adult Learning Practices
Transformational professional learning models the same reflective, inquiry-based habits we want for students. Tools like sideby and the Small Wins Dashboard help educators practice structured reflection, collaborative problem-solving, and meaning-making—skills that transfer directly into classrooms. When schools design adult learning experiences that mirror student learning goals, they cultivate authenticity, agency, and a shared commitment to continuous improvement.
References:
Biesta, G., Priestley, M., & Robinson, S. (2015). The role of beliefs in teacher agency. Teachers and Teaching, 21(6), 624–640.
Brookfield, S. D. (2000). Transformative learning as ideology critique. In J. Mezirow & Associates (Eds.), Learning as Transformation.
Cranton, P. (2006). Understanding and Promoting Transformative Learning. Jossey-Bass.
Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective Teacher Professional Development. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/effective-teacher-professional-development-report
Darling-Hammond, L., Wei, R. C., Andree, A., Richardson, N., & Orphanos, S. (2009). State of the Profession. The Journal of Staff Development, 30(2), 42–50. https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/professional-learning-learning-profession-status-report-teacher-development-us-and-abroad.pdf
Darling-Hammond, L. (2022). Breaking the legacy of teacher shortages. Educational Leadership, 80(2), 14–20. https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/breaking-the-legacy-of-teacher-shortages
EL Education. (2018). Core practices: A vision for improving schools. https://eleducation.org/ resources/core-practices-updated
Freire, P. (1970). Cultural action and conscientization. Harvard Education Review 40(3), 452-477
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. Routledge.
hooks, b. (2010). Teaching critical thinking: Practical wisdom. Routledge.
Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. Jossey-Bass.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. Cambridge University Press.