Perfect Teacher-Led CPD

Shaun Allison

• Publisher: Independent Thinking Press
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781781351970
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

All successful schools have one thing in common - they are full of brilliant teachers. This doesn't happen by chance. If schools are to develop their teachers into first rate reflective and high performing practitioners, they need a varied and personalised CPD programme - based on collaboration and sharing best practice. This book looks at how schools can move away from the 'one size fits all' approach to CPD that still exists in a number of schools, to a CPD programme that will appeal to a range of teachers, unlocking the potential that exists within the staffroom. It's about excellence from within.

Chapter 1

Why Teachers Matter – Why CPD Matters

In his book, Outliers: The Story of Success (2008), Malcolm Gladwell suggests that it takes about 10,000 hours to become an ‘expert’ at a particular skill. For teachers, this amounts to about ten years of classroom practice. Now, the accuracy of the 10,000 hours as a definitive timeline for achieving expertise in teaching is open for discussion. However, very few of us would argue against the fact that the very best teachers refine their skills over a number of years, and certainly beyond the second or third year of their careers. However, as discussed in the Introduction, most will plateau at this point and just stick with ‘what they’ve always done’ in the classroom. This presents us with a problem. If most teachers stop getting better after two or three years, whereas in fact they should be developing their skills over ten years in order to reach an ‘expert’ level, what should we be doing as school leaders to address this ‘professional development deficit’?

The answer to this problem is relatively straightforward. We need to give staff a range of CPD opportunities that will engage, enthuse and motivate them. By this, I don’t just mean the traditional model of courses and INSET days – sat in a hall and listening to an ‘expert’ who hasn’t stepped inside a school for years. I mean a rich and varied ongoing programme of activities that staff can engage with on a number of levels and which will support them to reflect upon and develop their own practice. Teachers are the most important asset in a school, so they should be professionally developed and nurtured in a way that interests and inspires them.

As well as providing CPD opportunities, we also need to develop a culture within schools of ‘continuous improvement’. This means a school where teachers want to take risks (and feel safe in doing so), seek and try out new ideas and strategies, and discuss their work openly. It’s a school where teachers are happy and positively thrive on collaborating with and learning from each other. Providing CPD opportunities to facilitate this collaboration is the starting point. The best indicator that you’re on the right path is when it’s happening informally and frequently – at breaktime, in the corridors and by the kettle in the staffroom.

School leaders need to think about how they will achieve this within their schools. A successful CPD model uses a layered approach in which three distinct strands of CPD are operating.

A layered approach to CPD

BLANKET Important development work that all teachers need to be involved in and which aligns with whole-school improvement priorities Delivered through: INSET days, staff meetings, appraisal, etc.

OPTIONAL A range of developmental activities that teachers can opt into, with a view to personalising their CPD and so allowing them to follow their own interests Delivered through: 15 minute forums, IRIS observations, lesson study, peer observations, action research, coaching, school visits, etc.

DIRECTED When staff are underperforming they are directed to engage in specific developmental, support work Delivered through: mentoring and coaching

This approach ensures that everyone experiences the same CPD and aligns their practice with the whole-school vision, while also providing opportunities for those who want to engage at a deeper level. It also addresses the issue of underperformance. The school leadership team then needs to be committed to putting in place a range of creative activities to fill in the layers using the expertise that exists within the school. The CPD needs of any school can be met by the good practice that is already present within it. It’s just a case of seeking it out and using a variety of mechanisms to share it – and, in doing so, inspiring others.

In order to do this effectively, school leaders need to ask themselves a number of key questions:

Does your school have a shared understanding of what great teaching looks like?

Do you actively encourage all teachers to engage in an ongoing cycle of reflection and improvement?

Do leaders within the school (at all levels) disc...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Why Teachers Matter – Why CPD Matters
• Chapter 2: 15 Minute Forums
• Chapter 3: Coaching
• Chapter 4: Learning Development Groups
• Chapter 5: Action Research
• Chapter 6: Professional Learning Visits
• Chapter 7: INSET Days and Staff Meetings
• Chapter 8: Lesson Observation Review and Reflection
• Chapter 9: TeachMeets
• Chapter 10: Lesson Study
• Chapter 11: Social Media
• Chapter 12: Student-Led CPD
• Chapter 13: Next Steps
• Wider Reading
• Copyright