Most professional development (PD) feels like another box to check. Sit-and-get. Slides, acronyms, maybe a survey at the end. And when it comes to college and career readiness (CCR), many teachers(and other school staff) are either overwhelmed, undertrained, or unsure where they fit in. How many times have you heard “That’s not my job.”
Here’s the truth: teachers are key to a strong CCR culture. They see students every day. They build trust. They notice the quiet talents. If we want students to believe in their future, we need PD that helps teachers believe in their role in shaping it.
That means offering professional development that doesn’t just inform—it inspires and provides practical steps and ways to implement.
1. Start With the Why: Make It Personal
Before you start throwing CCR data or pathway frameworks at teachers and your whole building staff, start with a question:
Who was the adult who helped you see your future?
This simple prompt opens the door for real reflection. Your staff are in this work because they care. When you anchor PD in the human side of CCR—hopes, fears, real-life dreams—it hits different. Staff remember why this matters, the realize how this matters, especially if they didn’t have these supports themselves.
2. Break the Myth: “CCR Isn’t My Job”
Many teachers, especially outside CTE or core subjects, think CCR belongs to the school counselor or CTE team. That’s a system fail.
Great PD shows all staff how their content and role connects to real-world skills—and how their relationships with students impact postsecondary outcomes.
- An English teacher who builds strong writing skills? That’s CCR.
- A science teacher who helps students lead a lab presentation? Also CCR.
- A music teacher who connects discipline and creativity to careers in the arts? 100% CCR.
PD should help staff see that every subject is a career readiness subject.
3. Build Confidence With Tools, Not Just Talk
Too often, teachers leave PD with theory but no tools. Flip that. Provide ready-to-use strategies like:
- Career conversation starters for advisory or classroom use
- A lesson template that ties standards to soft skills
- A CCR “language bank” or rubric to use in feedback and grading
- Student reflection prompts tied to work habits and goals
- Incorporate Individual and Academic Planning lessons into subject classes
- Invite the Custodial, Culinary and other staff to be part of Career Panels, or invite Apprenticeship connections to career fairs
- Practical and on-going digital tool like Naviance, SchooLinks, etc.
When teachers leave with something they can use tomorrow, confidence grows.
4. Invite Stories From Students and Alumni
Want to shift the room? Bring in a former student who didn’t follow the “traditional” path—but still found success. Seeing someone who looks like your students, was one of your students thriving in trades, business, or creative careers is powerful.
Hearing directly from students also reminds teachers that this work has real stakes. It’s not just about passing—it’s about preparing.
5. Keep It Going: Make CCR a Culture, Not a One-Time Session
Professional development only sticks when it’s part of a larger system. Keep CCR alive by:
- Embedding it into PLC conversations
- Spotlighting teachers making CCR moves in staff meetings
- Partnering with school counselors to co-lead activities
- Offering micro-PD or short videos tied to monthly CCR themes
- Include CCR into your feedback on evaluations
- Make the data visible
When CCR is part of the air you breathe—not just a PD day—it becomes culture.
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