My first Top 5 list represents a desire to look forward to, enjoy, and most of all benefit more from CPD/INSET throughout my teaching career. In no particular order therefore, here goes:
- Guest Speakers: They may be expensive, they may actually come at no cost, but the return on investment either way could be immeasurable. Use the speaker as a point of reference for students, someone to offer perspective from the outside world, someone unbiased, inspirational and motivational.
- Collaboration: Share best practice with those not in your department, with those not in your own school. Speak to the ‘school next door’, work with them, help each other.
- Technology: Please, no post-its, no A3 paper, no marker pens. It’s not the 1980s is it? iPads, Twitter, social media, anything but post-its.
- Choice: A bespoke service, workshop/session choice for teachers surely improves buy-in from staff.
- Team Work: Outdoor leadership tasks are often run for students, but why not for staff? Surely staff would benefit from (slightly physical!) leader/leaderless tasks under time pressure?! I am sure this would translate directly inside the school walls, with increased willingness to work together, to help each other, and create a closer team atmosphere.
I have no doubt that there are many other features that could embellish my Top 5, indeed turning it into a Top 25 at the drop of a hat. So this is my hors d’oeuvre…
This >> Guest Speakers…
I’ve lost count of the number of Insets where as a staff body we’ve pontificated a problem and tried to solve it with our collective insight. Group problem solving is great, and communication is to be encourage, but please SLT we need fresh ideas from OUTSIDE the school.
Continually reflecting upon your own practise does not produce the insights we crave. Remember the “Emperors New Clothes” – it took an outsider to see the obvious AND have the nerve to point it out.
We are all for student “well being” – it’s about time that we invested real time and money into staff development.
Thanks for the comment. I couldn’t agree more and I have always found this the most interesting/exciting part of training within different organisations, not just schools!