Thanks to everyone who has been spreading the word about CPDStepin, the new GLOW group for supply teachers and unemployed teachers, and a big welcome to those who have already become part of the group. If you’d like to join in, but haven’t yet done so, then find out how here.
I was very pleased to do a Hot Seat for the CPDStepin community earlier this week, and really enjoyed talking to those who logged in. It was a small number, but the quality was immense!
From that conversation, it seems there is a problem for many supply/unemployed teachers in accessing support for their Professional Review and Development. In an ideal world this should be part of an evolving relationship based on good personal knowledge of the teacher’s qualities, skills and priorities. This of course is very difficult when you are offered a number of short contracts in a wide range of schools.
So, if you are in this situation, what can you do?
“Own” the problem yourself. It is very unlikely that anyone will knock on your door offering PRD, so you’re going to have to try to find ways to track it down yourself
Do your best to identify a “host” school – somewhere you will be welcomed by the staff and given permission to join in school activities such as In-Service etc. Use personal contacts, old college friends, long-lost relatives. If this doesn’t work, then contact your authority CPD manager and ask if they can help. Details of who these managers are can be found on CPDScotland.
If this strategy works, you may still have a problem finding someone in the school who will give the necessary time commitment to support your professional learning. You might start with the Probation Manager, or any colleague who you find has coaching experience.
If none of these strategies work, don’t give up. Get together with a local colleague on CPDStepin, and arrange some peer review.
If you have any other strategies that have worked for you, please share them on CPDStepin!
There is more information on CPD for Supply/Unemployed teachers in the guidance issued by the team last year.
The “On Our Doorstep” event on the 17 March at Stirling Management Centre provided an opportunity for 37 colleagues to reflect on the potential of partners in providing CPD for all teachers from sources which may previously have not been seen as relevant unless working in specialist services.
The presentation from the independent sector outlined their model of CPD and partnership working ; the school library service was profiled as a source of collaborative working in addressing , for example , literacy across the curriculum; psychological services was presented as another viable resource for all teachers , particularly highlighting the source of reference materials available on line ; a CD Rom produced by Social Work Services for We Can & Must Do Better for Looked After Children is full of information and suggestions on how to deal with a range of issues which are not unique to children who are looked after; guidance being finalised by the Allied Health Professionals in partnership with Education rehearses examples of collaborative working in schools which has relevance for all staff.
The information and approaches suggested by the contributors has relevance to all the key agendas impacting on the profession – CfE : GIRFEC & ASL. We would encourage colleagues to explore these avenues which provides teachers with independent access to CPD as well as providing focus for collegiate discussion.
February 2010 and I am reflecting on another TeachMeet, this one at Perth and organised by Neil Winton of Perth Academy. TeachMeets are educator-led, informal CPD events. The organisation of a TeachMeet works like this:
people sign up on the wiki page as 7-minute presenters, 2-minute presenters or ‘lurkers’ (not presenting but taking part in learning conversations)
people can also sign up to take part virtually using webcam technology
There is no charge for a TeachMeet and organisers usually seek limited sponsorship to cover venue, refreshment and Internet costs. The National CPD Team has sponsored several of these events and hopes to do more in the future.
On the night, it works like this:
the organiser comperes the event
someone ‘curates’ the webmeet to make sure the online colleagues are included. David Noble of Hillside School does a grand job with this task at the ones I have attended
presenters’ names are drawn at random and jump up to share practice when their name is drawn
the 7 minute or 2 minute time limits are strictly enforced by launching of stuffed toy missiles!
Why do I like the Teachmeet format?
It’s democratic. Anyone can go and present. If your name is not called, you don’t get up! Margaret Alcorn (National CPD coordinator) attended one in East Lothian recently and was the only one not to be called! No preference was expected or given
It’s edgy. You don’t know when or if you are going to be called. If the organisers throw in some random activities you might just find yourself building a leader in Lego or up at the front singing the CfE Blues (as happened at LeadMeet 09)
It leaves a legacy. Most of them are recorded and can be revisited (TMPerth10 is here). You make contacts and see practice that you are unlikely to come across in conventional channels
It’s empowering. Many who apprehensively attend for the first time, put their name on the hat for the second time
It’s fun. Even though they typically take place from 6 to 9 in the evening, I have yet to doze off during a TeachMeet!
Elements of the TeachMeet format (particularly the idea of randomly selected, short presentations) can be embedded in more conventional CPD events. I recently attended an event for CPD leaders in the Central Authorities Forum. ‘Volunteers’ were randomly selected to share for 2 minutes and no more or they faced the CPD Team stuffed Galloway Coo!
You can find out more about the history of TeachMeet on Margaret Vass’ blog. If you fancy starting one in your area, just give me a shout. I’ll be happy to help if I can as will many others in the educational community in Scotland and beyond.
Regular readers of this blog may recall that we undertook last month to build an online community for those teachers (such as supply teachers) who want to keep up to date with their professional development. I am pleased to say that the community is now live. It’s called CPDStepIn.
It currently includes the following features:
a discussion area with chat, forum and web meeting tools
a place to share resources and links
advice on PRD and examples of free, online CPD on Glow and beyond
a place to express views.
We hope shortly to incorporate a feed of teaching posts from MyJobsScotland.com.
Who is CPDStepIn for?
If you are on the supply list, or have problems accessing PRD and CPD through school and local authority mechanisms, then you are very welcome to join.
Regular readers of this blog may recall that we undertook last month to build an online community for those teachers (such as supply teachers) who want to keep up to date with their professional development. I am pleased to say that the community is now live. It’s called CPDStepIn.
It currently includes the following features:
a discussion area with chat, forum and web meeting tools
a place to share resources and links
advice on PRD and examples of free, online CPD on Glow and beyond
a place to express views.
We hope shortly to incorporate a feed of teaching posts from MyJobsScotland.com.
Who is CPDStepIn for?
If you are on the supply list, or have problems accessing PRD and CPD through school and local authority mechanisms, then you are very welcome to join.
CPDFind is a national database of CPD for Scottish educators (although not exclusively!). CPDFound is one way of keeping up to date with the range of CPD opportunities. CPDFound will tweet you:
when one of the National CPD Team has found some interesting CPD on CPDFind and wants to tell the world
if things are a bit slow, it will randomly pick a CPD opportunity from the 1600 + currently on offer
If you want the direct route to CPD opportunities, use the search facility here. If you want to access free CPD opportunities, enter cost:free in the search box. If you want to follow real people as well as databases, then try Margaret Alcorn or Con Morris !
Blog feed
Thanks to everyone who has been spreading the word about CPDStepin, the new GLOW group for supply teachers and unemployed teachers, and a big welcome to those who have already become part of the group. If you’d like to join in, but haven’t yet done so, then find out how here.
