We're great fans of Doug Lemov, author and staunch advocate for the transformative power of professional development (PD) that incorporates practice (and lots of it). Today Lemov, joined by AEI and the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, released a blueprint for Wisconsin schools to overhaul PD via much more emphasis on practice (mindfully doing something continuously until it becomes internalized). His work features case studies and real world recommendations to help schools incorporate his ideas.

Lemov's establishment-busting approach may not take root in all schools right away, but there is audible hunger for change on this. Check out thoughts shared by WI teachers regarding the traditional PD they're used to (definitely echoed by teachers elsewhere):

"Everything is scripted. You give us lectures and it's scripted."
"...you could have sent this to me in an email, saved your money, because it's ineffective."
"They put together things that they think we want or need, but the things we really need we do not get."  

Lemov's blueprint provides state context and new details for the 'practice' anthem, a solid addition to his recent book, Practice Perfect: 42 Rules for Getting Better at Getting Better.