Advancing teaching and learning: capitalising on professional development

scameron — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:02:18 +0000

To continually improve on teaching and learning, you need to ensure your staff are equipped and skilled at delivering the latest initiatives. This means they need regular and ongoing professional development opportunities so that their practice continues to advance to the next level.

Finding the time: the challenge of CPD in SEAL

scameron — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:08:55 +0000

The adoption of a whole-school approach to developing social and emotional learning (such as the SEAL programme) has major implications for schools and the professional development of the adults who work within them. For the first time, all teachers within a school (not just ‘specialists') are being expected to deliver some form of SEAL curriculum.

Delivering professional development on questioning techniques

scameron — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:10:04 +0100

Most teachers will have discovered the importance of questioning in their classrooms and probably been introduced to Bloom's Taxonomy as part of their teacher training or subsequent Inset. This training session translates that into practical tips and advice on using questioning to secure pupil progress and dispels the myth that only higher-level questioning is worth using in the classroom.

Rationale

Research indicates that:

Last-minute Ofsted training

scameron — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 11:06:59 +0100

This is a CPD training session I hope you do not have to use soon. When Ofsted calls, however, you won't have time to plan a training session, so this plan can be picked off the shelf ready to use. It may seem that nearby schools are being regularly picked off by Ofsted, and every Friday morning you are awaiting the phone call. Maybe you have no idea when you will be inspected.

How to deliver CPD on tackling off-task behaviour in lesson

scameron — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:35:23 +0100

When teachers are asked what makes the biggest day-to-day difference in improving students' progress the answer is rarely better resources, smaller classes or more frequent lessons. More often it is getting pupils to stay focused and on-task.

Good CPD according to Ofsted

scameron — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:51:50 +0100

Accountability breeds response-ability.
Stephen R Covey

In this CPD Update we dissect the report to get to the heart of what we need to know about CPD in schools.

How to evaluate the impact of CPD

scameron — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:32 +0000

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.
CS Lewis

Impact evaluation – starting points

Great CPD is an all-important element of a successful career in education, but access to learning opportunities shouldn’t be left to chance. With effective impact evaluation of CPD, you can help to encourage more of what is shown to work so that time and energy isn’t wasted on trivial pursuits.

Staff training in child protection

scameron — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:42:47 +0000

There has never been a greater need for training in child protection. With Lord Laming’s report The Protection of Children in England (2009) came a heightened awareness of the importance of ensuring that staff in all areas of children’s services know how to recognise abuse and what to do when it happens.

Is your school committed to lifelong learning?

scameron — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:43:46 +0000

Change is the end result of all real learning.
Leo Buscaglia

There’s a state of mind – an attitude – that is essential if schools are to maximise the professional learning that can happen on a day-to-day basis. But is it right to assume that this attitude is automatically in place or should we work to nurture it? This week we explore all this and more…

Ensure the CPD in your school equips teachers to meet the decade ahead

scameron — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:55:54 +0000

Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and the learner are located in the same individual.
Arthur Koestler

A new term, a new year and a new decade! What will the next 10 years have in store for the young people we teach? If we can’t answer that question with any certainty, how can we plan appropriate professional learning? This and more gets our focus this week.

Freeing up time for professional learning

scameron — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:52:47 +0000

Time is like money; the less we have of it to spare, the further we make it go.
Josh Billings

Poverty of time is such a common complaint of teachers and other school staff that it has become synonymous with working in education. But is that a healthy attitude to expose children and young people to, and does it really need to be that way?

Keeping a professional learning journal

scameron — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:58:42 +0100

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
Confucius

One of the most effective ways of boosting the professional learning that staff undertake in your school is through encouraging the use of professional learning journals. Far from being simple descriptive documents, these journals about reflection, change and development can do more for self-esteem and self-worth than just about any other development tool.

Placing wellbeing at the heart of CPD

scameron — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:20:29 +0100

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
From Beannacht by John O’Donohue

Introducing the MTL

scameron — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:59:10 +0100

You learn something every day if you pay attention.
Ray LeBlond

As the Masters in Teaching and Learning (MTL) gets introduced for new teachers in the North West and to new teachers appointed to National Challenge schools (and other schools in challenging circumstances) in the rest of the country in the academic year 2009-10, we asked Neill Harris, MTL lead for the North West and TDA regional adviser, to tell us more.

CPD Week: Why was the MTL developed?

Baby P: lessons to be learned

scameron — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:10:40 +0100

Following the conviction of two men and a woman for causing or allowing the death of Baby P, the secretary of state for children, schools and families, Ed Balls, instructed Ofsted, along with the Healthcare Commission and the chief inspector of constabulary, to carry out an urgent review of services to children and young people in Haringey, with particular regard to safeguarding. This joint area review has since been published.

In a press statement given on 1 December 2008, Mr Balls said:

Reviewing the year at school

scameron — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:50:58 +0100

Sharing knowledge is not about giving people something or getting something from them. That is only valid for information sharing. Sharing knowledge occurs when people are genuinely interested in helping one another develop new capacities for action; it is about creating learning processes.
Peter Senge

At this point in the school year it pays to take a moment to reflect on how things have gone and on the changes you want to make ahead of September. This issue we offer some suggestions to support that process and a useful model to use in your review of the year.

Community cohesion in schools

scameron — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:09:22 +0100

If only for a half hour a day, a child should do something serviceable to the community.
George Bernard Shaw

The duty to promote community cohesion has been with us for a couple of years now. It’s a critical part of school life, but how much does it feature in your school’s plans for professional learning? .

Learning to listen to student voice: part 2

scameron — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:01:20 +0100

It was impossible to get a conversation going; everybody was talking too much.
Yogi Berra

Learning to listen to student voice: part 1

scameron — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:37:24 +0100

By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
Confucius

'Visions and Principles for Induction': a CPD perspective

scameron — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:32:49 +0100

Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with vision is making a positive difference.
Joel Barker

Refresh your school's CPD: top tips

scameron — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:08:17 +0100

Know how to listen and you will profit even from those who talk badly.
Plutarch

We are now in to the final push towards the end of the academic year, and it’s time to focus your efforts within CPD. However successful professional and personal learning have been in your school so far, there is always room to push it a little further; extracting a little more learning and applying it a little more coherently. With this in mind, we offer eight top tips for even more successful professional learning.

CPD trip: visiting NASA

scameron — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:25:43 +0100

Out of the blue in December 2002, I received a letter from the International Space School Education Trust (ISSET – see box, below) inviting my organisation to participate in a programme that enables teachers to visit NASA in Florida, USA. I had never heard of ISSET, so my immediate thought was that it must be a scam. But I took a chance anyway, and we have been working with ISSET since.

The future of CPD

scameron — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:28:03 +0100

At long last the central role of CPD is widely recognised. It is the key driver for change and is at the core of pupil learning and school development at every level across the system. It features prominently in the Children’s Plan and schools and local authorities across the system are getting to grips with the latest evidence, ideas, sources of funding and initiatives.

How to make CPD integral to your whole school

scameron — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:48:30 +0100

Is it just rhetoric to say that we create a culture of CPD for our workforce at King Edward VI School? And if it isn’t, just what does it mean? So often we hear people talk about the ethos of a school but it can seem so intangible, so impossible to distil into real examples of practice that can be adapted for use elsewhere.

Accessible professional development for teachers

scameron — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:26:49 +0100

The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.
Harvey S Firestone

Open access to educational resources is an overarching goal across Europe and beyond. Where a spirit of collaboration and openness doesn’t thrive, teaching and learning is necessarily stifled. This principle works equally well when it comes to professional learning in schools. The more open we are about sharing and accessibility, the better the service we provide for children and young people — it’s a commitment that just has to be made.

SENCOs providing CPD for colleagues: auditing priorities + Helpsheet 20

scameron — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:50:47 +0100

Over the next few weeks we will be providing some specific ideas for supporting pupils in reading, handwriting and study skills development, but first suggest that you survey colleagues to find out what their priorities are for CPD in terms of SEN and inclusion.

CPD in the classroom - the Teachers Learning Academy (TLA)

scameron — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:05:39 +0000

That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you’ve understood all your life, but in a new way.
Doris Lessing

Sara Morgan, Head of Professional Learning at the GTCE gives us the lowdown on the TLA.

Avoiding pupil misconceptions in primary science

scameron — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:25:08 +0000

Science is an important part of the core curriculum. It is a fascinating, but difficult, subject and requires a depth of knowledge and understanding in order to be taught well. Primary school teachers, who do not possess a science degree, often find themselves teaching science topics which they have not been taught themselves.

Teaching spelling: how to

scameron — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:02:58 +0000

Some probing questions

Evaluating staff development: maximising its use

scameron — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:01:28 +0000

The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live.
Mortimer Adler

Evaluating professional learning is a crucial stage of the development process but it’s not at all straightforward. We frequently stumble at the first hurdle when what we could be seeking is real depth of understanding about the impact of professional development on teaching and learning. This week we take a close look at evaluation and ways of maximising its use.

Evaluating staff development: starting points

scameron — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:47:25 +0000

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestioning ability of man to evaluate his life by a conscious endeavour.
Henry David Thoreau

Starting to think about evaluating professional learning
As we know from classroom practice, creating the space in which learning can happen is only a part of the story. In order to maximise its potential, there’s a need to evaluate learning to enable us to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the routes taken to achieve it.

Your ideal learning culture: following it through

scameron — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:24:33 +0000

Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is increasingly important to pay attention to the kinds of cultures we create during the course of our daily work. With that in mind, we look at how to develop a learning culture in our schools for the purpose of professional learning

A career's worth of CPD

scameron — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:20:42 +0000

The quality of teaching is determined not just by the ‘quality’ of the teachers – although that is clearly critical – but also by the environment in which they work. Able teachers are not necessarily going to reach their potential in settings that do not provide appropriate support or sufficient challenge and reward.

read more

Your ideal learning culture: turning blue sky dreams into reality

jlee — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:59:33 +0000

I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.
Ralph Nader
read more

CPD: a breakdown

scameron — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:35:44 +0000

The Children’s Plan, which details the government’s ambition to make this the best place in the world for our children and young people to grow up, offers a vision of a learning workforce: ‘The best teachers constantly seek to improve and develop their skills and subject knowledge.’ The aim is to make teaching a Master’s-level profession, offering a contractual entitlement to CPD and opportunities to engage in collaborative CPD that focuses on classroom practice.
read more

Improving school performance management can improve learning

scameron — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:36:43 +0000

Some schools are well on their way to embedding performance management and professional development of all staff within their systems, but there are others that have simply tweaked what they already had in place to ensure compliance with the statutory performance management regulations. But they are missing an excellent opportunity to draw together two key elements of school improvement.
read more

How to be a 21st century CPD leader

scameron — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:33:34 +0000

The synergy between performance management, the revised professional standards for teachers, school improvement planning, professional development and school self-evaluation prompted Warrington local authority to consider how to build the capacity of CPD leaders and ensure that their leadership role had a higher profile in school staffing structures.
read more

Motivation: the key to staff excellence

scameron — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:39:21 +0000

Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation and a pinch of creativity.
Bo Bennett
Becoming a motivated school
Many motivational theories have been developed over time, a large proportion of which are generic. There has also been a huge amount of writing and discussion about the motivation of pupils, and how we can best raise achievement and attainment. But how might schools motivate staff to engage fully in personal and professional development?
read more

Embedding SEAL for positive effect

scameron — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:21:14 +0000

There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul.
Arnold Bennett
read more

Conference report: A culture change for professional development

jlee — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:42:58 +0000

At the 2008 CPD leadership conference two major themes emerged early and recurred throughout the day. First, that we are in a time of culture change that will have far-reaching implications for CPD leaders. Second, that it is more important that ever to engage hard-to-reach colleagues, in order to realise that culture change.
read more

Staff training material for child protection issues

scameron — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:55:01 +0000

The following case studies are offered to support in-house training or just to provide a topic for discussion in the staff room. They are all based on true cases but no names or details that could identify an actual person are given. These case studies are offered to promote open discussion and debate. No definite answers are given, but points to consider are provided to help staff think about how your school might manage such cases.

Case one: a teacher drinks with students
read more

Promoting good early years behaviour

scameron — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:59:09 +0000

All parents and early years practitioners will sometimes have problems with children’s behaviour. This is because all children go through stages of social, emotional and behavioural development and have specific needs to be met as they grow up. It is also true that in order for children to eventually become independent and self-disciplined they have to challenge parental discipline sometimes. This challenge can also be extended to practitioners by some children more than others.
read more

Masters in teaching and learning (MTL): what you need to know

scameron — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:13:53 +0000

There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.
W Clement Stone
read more

Does CPD make any difference?

scameron — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:40:24 +0100

CPD coordinators hold a key role – one that needs to be developed further in many schools and colleges. But the starting point must be to think more deeply about the development and training of staff – all staff – in schools and other organisations. As funds and responsibilities are progressively transferred to schools, they can be deployed in more varied and creative ways, leading to more responsive and reflective systems of CPD, and canny coordinators will find the best ways. They will develop their staff well and help schools retain the best staff.
read more

CPD coordinators' role in professional development portfolios: part 2

scameron — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:22:46 +0100

All progress occurs because people dare to be different.
Harry Millner
Getting staff enthusiastic about portfolios
It can be hugely beneficial for a school to get all staff on board when it comes to developing their portfolios. Prioritising this issue will not only help individuals focus on their own learning, but it will benefit the school in turn through their staff’s enhanced professionalism. Here are some strategies for achieving this which may work in your setting:
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CPD practice

The outstanding lesson

What makes CPD sparkle?

CPD for RE: what works best?

Coaching the teachers

Making CPD count: a trainer and adviser's perspective