Amy Allen
Abstract
Elementary classrooms rarely engage students in sustained, discussion-based social studies instruction, and many teachers report feeling underprepared to facilitate meaningful dialogue. This study asks how elementary teachers experience professional development intentionally designed to support discussion-based pedagogy and in what ways that professional development appears effective. Using intimate scholarship and qualitative methods, the author designed and facilitated a yearlong series of professional development sessions grounded in Desimone’s core features of effective professional development and analyzed teacher interviews and reflections. Findings suggest that professional development with a content focus that emphasizes active learning, coherence, sustained duration, and collective participation increased teachers’ confidence and willingness to implement discussion strategies in their classrooms. These findings suggest that professional development works best when teachers are required to practice, reflect, and receive ongoing support, highlighting the importance of relational and practice-centered approaches to professional learning in elementary social studies.
Recommended Citation
Allen, A. (2026). “Doing the thing works a lot better”: Critical features of professional development in practice. Midwest Journal of Education, 3(2) 17-33. https://doi.org/10.69670/mje.3.2.2
DOI
Corresponding Author
Amy Allen, Associate Professor
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
1750 Kraft Dr., Suite 2000
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Email: [email protected] ORCid: 0000-0001-6551-545X