(v) Professional Growth

1. The Rationale for Professional Growth

Professional growth is central to developing educators’ capacity to foster inclusive and equitable learning environments. Teachers and school leaders are not inherently equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to address the diverse needs of students; rather, these must be cultivated through intentional, ongoing learning. According to Fullan (2014), sustainable educational change requires that professional development be embedded in the culture of schools, enabling staff to collectively internalize new practices that advance equity and belonging.

Research demonstrates that teachers’ beliefs, expectations, and instructional practices directly shape student outcomes (Hattie, 2012). When educators are trained to recognize and challenge biases, adapt pedagogy, and respond to diversity, students are more likely to feel valued and included (Gay, 2018; Ladson-Billings, 1995). Thus, professional growth is not peripheral but fundamental to the mission of inclusive education.

2. Dimensions of Professional Growth for Inclusion

a. Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Professional growth initiatives should equip educators with skills to embed culturally responsive teaching into their classrooms. Gay (2018) emphasizes that culturally responsive pedagogy affirms students’ cultural identities, builds on their prior knowledge, and creates more meaningful learning experiences. Without such training, teachers may unconsciously perpetuate deficit perspectives that undermine belonging.

b. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiation

Teachers must develop competence in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and differentiated instruction to accommodate varied abilities and learning styles (CAST, 2018). Professional growth programs that model how to plan lessons with multiple entry points, flexible assessments, and use of assistive technology enhance access for students with disabilities and those struggling academically (Tomlinson, 2014).

c. Equity and Anti-Bias Training

Professional growth should challenge implicit bias and foster reflective practice. According to Howard (2010), many teachers underestimate the impact of their unconscious assumptions on students’ sense of belonging. Structured anti-bias workshops, reflective dialogue, and peer coaching help staff interrogate privilege and inequities that may exist in their classrooms and schools.

d. Social-Emotional and Trauma-Informed Practices

Professional growth must also prepare educators to support students’ social-emotional needs. Schools increasingly serve learners affected by poverty, migration, discrimination, or trauma. Brunzell, Waters, and Stokes (2015) argue that trauma-informed professional development empowers teachers to create emotionally safe environments, which are prerequisites for learning and belonging.

3. Leadership’s Role in Sustaining Professional Growth

The success of professional growth hinges on leadership commitment and structural support. Leithwood, Harris, and Hopkins (2020) contend that effective school leaders create cultures where staff view learning as continuous and collaborative. This involves:

  • Embedding professional learning communities (PLCs) that encourage dialogue, peer observation, and joint problem-solving (Stoll et al., 2006).

  • Allocating time and resources for sustained training rather than “one-off workshops.”

  • Aligning professional growth with the school’s vision of inclusion, ensuring coherence between policy and practice.

When leaders model a growth mindset and actively participate in professional learning, they signal that equity and inclusion are collective responsibilities (Robinson, Lloyd, & Rowe, 2008).

4. Challenges and Considerations

While professional growth is vital, it faces challenges in practice:

  • Superficial implementation: Training sessions that are brief or disconnected from classroom realities fail to transform practice (Desimone & Garet, 2015).

  • Resistance to change: Some staff may perceive equity initiatives as threatening established norms (Fullan, 2016). Leadership must therefore apply change models (e.g., Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model) to manage resistance and build buy-in.

  • Equity of access for teachers: Professional growth opportunities must also be distributed equitably among staff, ensuring early-career teachers, support staff, and those in under-resourced schools receive targeted support.

5. Towards a Culture of Continuous Growth

Ultimately, professional growth should not be treated as a reactive measure but as a continuous, systemic investment. Schools that embed professional learning into their culture foster teachers who are reflective, adaptive, and committed to the principle that every child belongs. This reflects what Timperley et al. (2007) describe as an “inquiry and knowledge-building cycle,” where teachers’ learning is directly tied to student needs and outcomes.

Conclusion

Professional growth is a cornerstone of leading inclusion and belonging in schools. By equipping educators with the skills, mindsets, and pedagogical tools to engage diverse learners, schools cultivate environments where equity is not aspirational but enacted daily. Leaders play a decisive role in embedding structures that make professional growth sustained, collaborative, and transformative. Without this pillar, other efforts toward inclusion risk being superficial or unsustainable.

References

  • Brunzell, T., Waters, L., & Stokes, H. (2015). Teaching with strengths in trauma-affected students: A new approach to healing and growth in the classroom. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 85(1), 3–9.

  • CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org

  • Desimone, L., & Garet, M. (2015). Best practices in teachers’ professional development in the United States. Psychology, Society, & Education, 7(3), 252–263.

  • Fullan, M. (2014). The principal: Three keys to maximizing impact. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

  • Fullan, M. (2016). The new meaning of educational change (5th ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.

  • Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.

  • Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. London: Routledge.

  • Howard, T. (2010). Why race and culture matter in schools: Closing the achievement gap in America’s classrooms. New York: Teachers College Press.

  • Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32(3), 465–491.

  • Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22.

  • Robinson, V. M. J., Lloyd, C., & Rowe, K. (2008). The impact of leadership on student outcomes: An analysis of the differential effects of leadership types. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(5), 635–674.

  • Stoll, L., Bolam, R., McMahon, A., Wallace, M., & Thomas, S. (2006). Professional learning communities: A review of the literature. Journal of Educational Change, 7(4), 221–258.

  • Timperley, H., Wilson, A., Barrar, H., & Fung, I. (2007). Teacher professional learning and development: Best evidence synthesis iteration. Wellington: New Zealand Ministry of Education.

  • Tomlinson, C. A. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.