Turning Teacher Expertise into High-Quality PD—Without Adding to Their Workload
Districts and educational organizations hold a huge asset: experienced educators with proven classroom strategies. The challenge is turning that know-how into clear, scalable professional learning—without asking teachers to become course developers or part-time facilitators.
That’s where instructional design helps. By capturing teacher expertise and packaging it as accessible, on-demand training, you get consistent, high-quality PD that respects adult learners and doesn’t overextend staff.
The problem we’re solving
Great practice is trapped in classrooms. It spreads informally and inconsistently.
Live PD is hard to scale. New staff and subs miss sessions; facilitators are stretched thin.
Teachers are already at capacity. Asking them to build courses or lead recurring PD isn’t sustainable.
Goal: Build PD that’s practical, flexible, and teacher-informed—without adding ongoing obligations to already demanding roles.
What instructional design brings
Instructional design turns real classroom strategies into short, focused learning experiences—videos with captions, step-by-step job aids, micro-modules, guided practice, and quick reflection prompts—aligned with adult learning principles and accessible by design (UDL + WCAG).
What stays with teachers: their expertise and voice.
What moves off their plates: scripting, production, alignment, accessibility checks, version control, and tech setup.
Built for adult learners
Effective PD for adults is:
Relevant and job-embedded: anchored in everyday tasks, not theory alone.
Choice-driven: multiple ways to engage (watch, skim, practice, discuss).
Actionable: clear “try tomorrow” steps and job aids.
Respectful of time: modules or courses chunked into maneable content.
Measurable: simple checks for understanding and classroom application.
I design PD that follows these principles—and I do the design, build, and QA so teachers don’t have to.
A sustainable model: co-design, not DIY
Teachers are SMEs (subject-matter experts), not course authors. I use a co-design approach that honors their time:
60-minute SME interview (or two shorter sessions)
I pull the gold: the routine, the “look-fors,” the pitfalls, the variants for diverse learners.
Artifact review
Lesson plans, slides, student samples—whatever shows the practice in action.
Draft a micro-module + job aids
Script, storyboard, accessibility checks (captions, alt text, reading order, contrast), and clear practice tasks.
Quick review & iterate
Teachers give fast feedback; I do the edits.
Publish to your PD hub
LMS/Google/Thinkific—wherever your staff already goes.
Teacher time protected: ~60–120 minutes total per topic. No ongoing facilitation required.
What the finished PD looks like
Each topic becomes a repeatable, on-demand module with:
Short video (3–7 minutes) with captions + transcript
One-page job aid (plain language, high contrast, screen-reader friendly)
Guided practice (recommendations for trying it in class)
“Look-fors” rubric (what good implementation looks like)
Optional discussion prompts for PLCs or coaching cycles
Accessibility baked in (UDL strategies, WCAG-aligned media and docs)
Benefits for districts and orgs
Scale what works. New hires, subs, and paraprofessionals access training anytime.
Consistency across schools. Same strategy, same quality bar, fewer mixed messages.
Less facilitator burden. PD lives on as reusable assets, not one-off sessions.
Better retention. Teachers feel supported with just-in-time resources, not extra duties.
Stronger student outcomes. When strategies are taught clearly and practiced consistently, students feel the difference.
Accessibility and inclusion from the start
I follow UDL and WCAG 2.2, so PD works for all staff:
Captions + transcripts for every video
Alt text for images and meaningful link text
Keyboard-friendly interactions; visible focus states
Readable design (contrast ≥ 4.5:1, clear headings, plain language)
Multiple formats (watch, skim, print, practice)
Accessible PD removes barriers for staff and models the same expectations we want for student-facing materials.
How I partner with districts (pick what you need)
PD Co-Design Sprint (4–6 weeks): Convert 3–5 teacher-vetted strategies into micro-modules with job aids and rubrics.
PD Library Build-Out: A semester plan to capture 10–20 practices; I’ll handle production, tagging, and versioning.
Coach & PLC Toolkit: Discussion guides, observation checklists, and implementation trackers.
Accessibility Audit Lite (PD edition): Quick scan of current PD materials for UDL/WCAG quick wins.
We can start with a single topic to create a model others can follow.
FAQs
Will teachers have to build the course content?
No. Teachers provide the practice and feedback; I do the scripting, media, and accessibility work.
Do we need an LMS?
Not required. I publish to what you have (Google Drive, SharePoint, Schoology, Canvas, Thinkific). An LMS helps with tracking, but it isn’t a blocker.
How do we keep materials current?
We use modular chunks and a simple update log. Swapping a video or job aid doesn’t break the whole module.
How much staff time will this take?
Typically 60–120 minutes per topic for SME input and review. I’ll handle the rest.
How do we know it’s working?
I define look-fors and simple measures up front (implementation checks, walkthrough notes, support tickets, student work samples).