The Effects of Targeted Professional Development on Teachers’ Use of Empirically Supported Classroom Management Practices

Abstract

Teachers receive limited training and support in classroom management, making it incumbent on school leaders to provide efficient and effective professional development supports. We explored the effects of a brief targeted professional development (TPD) approach (brief training, email prompts, and self-management of trained skills) on teachers’ use of three empirically supported classroom management skills (prompts, opportunities to respond [OTR], and specific praise). Using an experimental crossover design, we documented that teachers increased their prompt and specific praise rates while they actively engaged in TPD. However, training effects did not maintain when TPD shifted to a new skill and teachers’ increased use of OTRs during TPD was neither statistically significant nor maintained. Teachers found TPD to be acceptable, usable, and feasible.