Why isn't CPD as effective as it could be? Part 3: It assumes that skills are more important than knowledge
March 18, 2013
“We want our students to leave as resilient and independent learners and so we need teachers to take a step back in lessons.”
A number of ideas that have been suggested at some recent CPD sessions relate to ‘developing independent learning skills’. The above statement was made by another highly respected leader in teaching and learning at my school, and his comment was very well received.
The next one of these. They've all been interesting.
Surely in judging whether CPD is effective you must consider it’s intended purpose. If the intention is to tick a box for OFSTED then most CPD is highly effective.
If the intention is to make anyone any better at anything then probably not in my experience.
Having said that our school is in a rich vein of form where CPD is concerned. INSET days have split evenly between good and pointless and 4 twilights in a row have been of some use…
Probably because of a shift in emphasis away from box ticking
It’s its.
When teaching I never found twilights effective. A cup of tea, couple of hours talking about something you’ve talked about many times before (when you’re knackered after a full day’s teaching), followed by a promise to go away and do something useful about it and no time to fulfil the commitment. Full day on a topic meant time to talk through the issues followed by dedicated time to produce something useful e.g. if working on pupil data, time to get hands on with whatever analysis tool you’re using while someone who knows what they’re doing is around to advise. If topic was a new improved way of working in class, time to collaborate on producing resources to make it happen.