Episode Summary

Professional development should never be just another checkbox. In this episode, Anjanette Farrar — The Unboxed Educator and founder of Unboxed Learning — shares her experience supporting schools with teacher effectiveness and dives into why compliance-based PD fails to transform instruction.

Backed by research and practical strategies, this conversation explores how school leaders can reframe PD as coaching and culture, rather than compliance. You’ll walk away with reflection questions and actionable steps to make PD meaningful for both teachers and students.

Key Talking Points

• The difference between teachers who embrace coaching and those who appear compliant but resist
• How leadership responses can either reinforce compliance or drive growth
• Why PD-as-a-checkbox culture doesn’t improve instruction or student outcomes
• Research on what makes PD effective (Darling-Hammond, instructional coaching, PLCs, reflective practice)
• Practical steps to shift from compliance to connection in professional learning
• A reflection challenge for school leaders

Episode Resources

• Darling-Hammond et al. (2017). Effective Teacher Professional Development. Learning Policy Institute.
• Research on instructional coaching and its impact on teacher effectiveness and student learning.
• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) frameworks.
• Transformative Learning Theory by Mezirow.

Reflection Questions for Leaders

• Where is your school’s PD culture leaning — compliance or connection?
• What’s one compliance-based practice you can let go of this month?
• What’s one practice you can add that fosters coaching and collaboration?

Connect with Anjanette (The Unboxed Educator)

Website: www.unboxedlearning.org Email: [email protected] Instagram: @unboxededucator LinkedIn: Anjanette Farrar – The Unboxed Educator Podcast: The Unboxed Educator Podcast