Professional Development

Contact Pro-D Chair – Deb Vandesande at pdchair@vernonta.com

Teacher Inquiry

Teacher inquiry is a form of professional development that promotes deep, relevant learning within a community of teaching professionals. It supports teachers’ growth through reflection, collaborative conversation, and investigation into teaching practice.

Inquiry into a current teaching and learning question underpins all inquiry models. Examples of inquiry include:

Action research groups
Study groups
Book clubs
Conversation models
Dialogue on student work

The Vernon Teachers’ Association, in collaboration with SD 22, is pleased to support teacher inquiry with a jointly funded grant. Items covered by the grant include release time for the inquiry group to meet and/or relevant teacher resources. Applications will be reviewed and approved by the District Professional Development Committee Chairperson and the Director of Instruction for Learning.

Please visit the link below to apply for an Inquiry Grant:
Inquiry application 25/6

Direct any questions to Debbie Vandesande, Pro-D Chairperson: pdchair@vernonta.com

Deadlines: Dec 1, 2025 and June 15, 2026 (for groups who wish to begin in Sept. 2026)

Image source: Visible Thinking Virtual

Inquiry Grant Planning Sheet 2025-2026

(These are the questions found on the online application form)

Contact Person: (name, school and district email)
Group Information: (names of participants and school(s))
Provocation: Why is this inquiry significant for your professional practice?
How did you arrive at this inquiry question?
Inquiry Question: Please state the specific inquiry question that will guide your work.
Process:
- Describe, in general, your plan to work through the inquiry process.
- What is your start date?
- What is your end date (maximum 2 years)?
- What resources might be useful? (Examples: experts, conferences, books, colleagues, etc.)
- What kinds of evidence might you gather?
Insights: How do you hope to grow professionally as a result of this inquiry?
Grant funds request: (indicate days of release × number of participants, cost of resources, cost of presenters, etc.)

Your group will be required to share and celebrate your learning at a District-organized event near the end of the year when your project is due to be complete. The PD Chair will support you with this process and will be in communication with you throughout the year.

CLICK THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE

One of the primary goals of the VTA is to promote the continuous, career-long, professional growth of our members. Professional development (PD) is considered to be a process of personal growth through programs, services and activities designed to enable members, individually or collectively, to enhance professional practice.
Professional development at the local level is governed by the collective agreement and the jointly-created VTA/SD22 Professional Development Handbook. Throughout the province, there are a variety of methods by which local members are served. Central to all local union provisions is the recognition of professional autonomy of members to plan and pursue their professional growth. Members undertaking their responsibility for professional growth realize the value of their professional autonomy in making choices about their professional development. Members can strengthen their teaching practice and professionalism through teacher collaboration, mentorship, action research/inquiry, workshops, professional course work, professional reading, peer coaching and reflection.

In Our District:

There are 7 non-instructional days in a school year. These include:

1 District planned, ministry mandated, implementation day (Sept)
1 administrative day (June)
5 professional development days, of which:
2 are school-based days, organized by each school’s PD committee, based on a needs-assessment of the staff, and agreed to by the majority of the staff (Nov, Jan). The school’s PD committee is required to create a plan for these days “which involve the staff or groups of staff but not individual association members” (F.21.5.a). The school’s plan should provide the option of “engaging in individualized professional development”, and be communicated with the staff.
1 is a district-wide day, planned by the joint District PD committee (May)
1 is a Provincial PSA day, organized by provincial and/or local teacher groups
1 is a Zone conference day, organized by local PD chairs (Feb.)

History of PD:

Professional development days represent a hard-won recognition of our needs and responsibilities as teachers. For many years, the BCTF made representations to our employers and the Ministry of Education to recognize the importance of teachers having the time and resources necessary to engage in professional development.
In 1972, PD days (non-instructional days) were added to the school calendar at the request of the teaching profession after years of advocacy from the BCTF. The inclusion increased the number of days of work for teachers with no loss of instructional days for students. PD days in the school calendar recognized that teachers needed time during the school year to hone their skills, improve practice, and stay current with changes related to teaching and learning.

Value and Purpose of Pro-D Days:

Professionals in most fields routinely network with fellow practitioners, conduct and review research, and talk to experts and colleagues about trends, issues, and plans for ongoing professional development. As active learners, teachers use PD days to keep on top of changes that affect their work with students, such as new technology, new ideas about teaching and learning, and different community needs. PD days help keep teachers current.
Topics for PD days come from the classroom experience of learning and teaching. Teachers decide individually and collectively the issues to address. They attend workshops and conferences, participate in mentoring programs, pursue self-directed professional development, and undertake other activities designed to enhance teaching and learning. They take their new skills back to the classrooms.
In addition to PD days many teachers attend university, take evening classes and weekend workshops, read professional journals, and attend summer school. These experiences promote a culture of teaching and professional development that has teachers working together as members of a learning community, rather than in isolation.
For all other Inquiries, please contact the Professional Development Chair, Debbie Vandesande at pdchair@vernonta.com, or at the VTA office 250-542-0456 (office hours Thursdays).