The Educator Magazine UK May- August 2023 - Magazine - Page 26
Why it’s time
for teacher CPD
to get personal
writes Matt Tiplin
There are plenty of reasons why CPD in schools should be successful.
own needs and that of their pupils.
Hearing about a colleague’s
experience supporting struggling
learners to prepare for SATS in Year 2
or how a Year 7 teacher used a
symbol-based system to create a
more inclusive learning environment,
is a more relatable way for teachers
to link professional development
content and practical classroom
application.
Emma Wilks Interim Co-Principal
at Nishkam High School in
Birmingham agrees, “tailored teacher
development is far more effective in
supporting teachers and ensuring
the children get the best out of the
lessons.
Teachers are lifelong learners who
want to develop their skills and
improve their craft, and schools are
learning institutions that are keen to
support them. And yet despite this
shared ambition, the truth is in many
schools’ teacher CPD isn’t doing its
job.
All too often teachers can’t see a
link between the training offered
and their own needs and objectives.
INSET led CPD, with its one size fits
all approach, can feel like a tick box
exercise to teachers and leave them
feeling frustrated that the hours
would be better spent elsewhere.
Targeted support
The way forward is to provide
teachers with regular developmental
opportunities that align with their
“I wouldn’t deliver a complex
teaching strategy to all staff when
I know only two might benefit from
that strategy. CPD needs to be
responsive to the children they are
dealing with at the time. That’s why
we limit whole school training days
to covering issues like safeguarding
or wellbeing.
“Even in smaller CPD sessions, unless
they offer practical and targeted
development, there will always be
one or two in the group who won’t
find the sessions a good use of their
time.”