Planning for Continuing Professional Development – A Whole School Approach A step by step guide to planning CPD including a framework for Teacher Induction School Development Planning Initiative

Overview of this Session Continuing Professional Development of Teachers  What is it and what happens in our schools?  Why should CPD be a planning priority for a school?  Approaches to CPD planning at school level  Exploration of Induction of New Teachers as a CPD issue  Resources

CPD – What is it? Continuing Professional Development? (Initial, Induction, In-service)  Teacher Professional Development?  Staff Development?  Personal Development?

CPD - External Providers DES Support Services – driven by current curriculum and compliance imperatives? Third Level – accreditation but of what effect on professional practice? Education Centre provision – responding to local and system needs? TPNs (Teacher Professional Networks) – teacher-driven CPD, strong links to professional practice? Management Bodies, VECs, Teacher Unions Others…..?

Approaches to Internal Professional Development Teachers as self-developing professionals  Subject department  Task group  Team teaching  Action Research  Research support network within the school  Reflective Practice  Mentoring  Peer coaching  Appraisal  Other….

Discussion What forms of CPD have staff from your school been involved in recently? (Buzz session in groups of 3)

CPD and Individual Teacher Goals Why are some teachers prepared to give up time to pursue professional development activities out side of school? Moving In – deepening professional knowledge and expertise Moving Up – into school leadership Moving Out – into support services, inspectorate, third level Other… What is the role of the school in supporting individual teacher professional development?

Needs of the learning student Needs of the learning teacher Needs of the learning school Needs of a learning system The Teacher Education Continuum Initial Induction CPD Teacher Education: A Conceptualization Towards Integration & Cohesion Towards Integration & Cohesion

CPD as a School Planning priority – WHY 1.Because it is national POLICY Education Act 1998 Section 9 “A..school shall ….use its available resources to ensure that the needs of personnel involved in management functions and staff development needs generally in the school are identified and provided for” Towards “The parties agree that professional development is an ongoing requirement on individual teachers as is the case with members of other professions and that in particular the requirement for a teacher to engage in continuous professional development has to be viewed in the context of the establishment of a statutory Teaching Council with powers of self regulation and registration.” Teaching Council Act 2001 Title: “An act to promote teaching as a profession; to promote the professional development of teachers; ….to provide for the registration and regulation of teachers and to enhance professional standards and competence”

CPD as a planning priority – WHY Because it works…? Staff involved in needs identification and planning are more likely to be positively disposed towards the development / training activities Sharing of expertise improves collegiality and morale Focus is on current school needs – making it ‘real’ Maintaining professional standards Impact on Teaching and Learning Other….

An Approach to CPD 1. Review current provision and identify good practice 2. Identify CPD needs  Assess individual needs  Assess the school’s needs  Consider system needs 3. Prioritise CPD Areas 4. Survey expertise of staff as CPD providers 5. Select appropriate provider/s 6. Develop a CPD Plan 7. Implement and Monitor 8. Evaluate (SDPI Draft Guidelines, Unit 8)

Review current provision Review current provision 1.What is already happening in our school that can be considered as CPD? What is working well? 2. To what extent is this school a learning organisation for teachers as well as students?

Identify CPD Needs Identify Needs – suggested approaches:  Feedback on CPD needs from: Subject Departments Year Heads, Class Tutors, Post of Responsibility holders, Other school teams  Questionnaire to all staff  Needs identified through other SDP activities (Questions from Unit 8 p. 13 &14)

Prioritize and Select focus of CPD activity Continue and build on current good practice Consider needs identified in Review Select priorities based on balance of school needs, system needs, individual needs. Role of Board of Management?

Audit current areas of expertise among the staff and willingness to share expertise ■Questionnaires to individual staff members ■Interview ( formal or informal) with each staff member by Principal / Deputy / CPD Coordinator on current or recent CPD activities such as academic research, involvement in TPN …… ■Meeting of teachers interested in sharing expertise ■Other…..?

Discussion The benefits of internally led CPD activities - What has been your experience? How do we create a culture that values staff professional expertise and supports sharing of expertise?

External Providers Education Centres Support Services: SDPI – School Development Planning Initiative SLSS – Second Level Support Service SESS – Special Education Support Service LDS – Leadership Development for Schools NBSS – National Behaviour Support Service Management Bodies Other schools Other….

Develop a CPD Plan Develop a CPD Plan CPD Priority Area CPD Activity Target Audience ProviderResourcesTimeframe

Develop a CPD Plan Develop a CPD Plan CPD Priority Area CPD Activity Target Audience ProviderResourcesTimeframe Use of I.T. in Teaching and Learning Workshops in I.T. room Subject Dept. Two staff members Time and ‘recognition’ to 2 staff 4 sessions beginning Nov 5 th Health & Safety – Risk Assessment SeminarWhole staff in Subject groups External agency Time and payment of external provider Feb 9 th

Implement – Monitor - Evaluate Implement – Monitor - Evaluate Implement and monitor Continuing Professional Development Plan Evaluate: Did the planned CPD activities take place? What worked, didn’t work? Can we evaluate the effectiveness in terms of impact on teaching and learning? Lessons for future CPD planning? How do we ensure that the learning is transferred into classroom practice?

Leading and Supporting CPD Planning Existing structures or new ones? Principal / Deputy SDP Steering Group SDP Coordinator Convenor/s of Subject Departments In-school Management Team Teacher/s with interest / academic expertise in CPD CPD Coordinator as Post of Responsibility Other…?

An Approach to CPD Planning Consider the materials / handouts Is this a possibility for our school? What would be the first steps?

An Approach to Teacher Induction 1. Review current provision 2. Identify needs of new teachers 3. Prioritise areas for Teacher Induction Programme 4. Identify expertise among staff 5. Develop a Teacher Induction Plan/Programme 6. Implement and Monitor 7. Evaluate

Induction Programme Sample SessionActivity 1Information pack 2School Context Factors 3Classroom Management 4Key Personnel – Principal, HSCL, Guidance Counsellor, Year Head, Subject Convenor 5Educational Programmes and Initiatives

Induction Resources Session 1 Information pack – Staff handbook  Map of school – walk about  Copy of Student Journal  List of teachers – Year Head/Class Tutors  Posts of responsibility  Relevant documentation – report forms, attendance forms, letters to parents, substitution forms etc

The role of the Mentor?  Support  Encouragement  Information  Guidance  Generating ideas  Skills development  Observation and modelling  Developing reflective practice  Other…  Subject Departments as support structure for Mentoring

Discussion Teacher induction in your school: What works well?

Resources SDPI Draft Guidelines (Unit 8) Regional Seminar Resource Pack:  An Approach to CPD Planning  Summary Information Sheet for New and Temporary Teachers  Developing a Staff Handbook  The Staff Handbook: some possible contents