CPD
Making the most of CPD
Margaret Adams is a regular writer for
Making the most of your CPD
programme content is stated clearly in the promotional
material. Sometimes it isn’t.
SecEd’s fortnightly CPD page. Here she offers
Your CPD is important to you. It is one of the means As a result, it is easy to find yourself attending a
by which you keep yourself up-to-date in your job. It is programme that is not quite pitched at the right level
also a means by which you learn new things. for you, or one which does not quite cover what you
some advice aimed at helping you to make
You already recognise that your CPD is valuable, hoped it would.
and that CPD is a limited commodity. After all, there is To avoid this situation, always check what each
the most of your time and get more out of
only so much CPD you can squeeze into your schedule. programme is about before you sign up to attend.
There is only so much resource available in your school Talk to the organisers to confirm your understanding
to fund teachers’ development. If you are going to make of what is covered by the event. Be persistent in your
your CPD, while below she tackles some of those CPD
the most of this valuable resource, you need to make enquiries.
sure you extract maximum value from all the CPD you Allocate time to the task of finding out what the
myths that might prevent you from getting effective and
take part in. Use the five prompts here to do just that. programme is about, because you can only make an
informed decision about whether a CPD programme
Be clear about what is on offer
high quality professional development
will be right for you once you have this information.
There is an awful lot of CPD out there. Sometimes the
Be clear about what you want from CPD
It does not matter whether you are considering an external
programme, or an in-house event, whether it is your
choice to attend, or if you are being urged to take part in
the programme by school leaders. You need to be clear in
your own mind what you want from the CPD activity.
Before you attend any CPD event, ask yourself how
you will benefit by participating. What will you learn?
Which new skills do you hope to develop?
Once you know, you can plan your participation in
the programme to deliver more value. You can prepare
the questions you know you want answers to. You can
think about the issues you would like to work on during
the group sessions. You can think about the skills you
will benefit from trying out, or extending, during the
day.
Therefore, do some planning before you arrive. It
is the best way to ensure that you make the most of the
support available at any CPD event.
Be clear about what you will do differently
It is easy to get into a rut with CPD as with anything
else.
If you tend to choose CPD that extends your
knowledge a little, or helps you to do a task you already
do well just a little bit better, you may not always be
getting as much value from your CPD as you might.
Development is about change. You look to measure
the impact of your interventions when you work with
students. You look for changes in behaviour, enhanced
levels of skill and improved results. You need to do the
same when you are thinking about your CPD.
Before you start on any CPD activity, think about
the time when you will have completed the programme.
What will you be doing differently after you have
attended the event? Do you think your performance will
improve as a result of your attendance?
If you struggle to find answers to these questions
then perhaps, for the future, you should consider
looking for CPD that is a little more challenging. Look
for CPD that will help to change your personal status
CPD myths
and sometimes that debate can be quite heated. Both sides of what constitutes CPD. They probably see CPD quo and to foster changes to your behaviour.
There is a lot about CPD that is subjective. There is remain committed to their preference. Both sides know in terms of external courses which teach the basics
no rule book governing how you should plan and they are right. And, of course, both sides are right. of a subject, or an approach, to the inexperienced
Check what other people think
manage your CPD. There is no definitive statement In some cases external courses are better than in- teacher. You do not work in isolation. Quite a few people in
about what makes good CPD, or about how to choose house programmes. In other cases in-house programmes In that context the statement about the need for school are familiar with your work. Quite a few people
the right CPD. This means that when teachers come win. CPD is correct. know what you do well and where you might need to
to make decisions about their CPD, and its place in If you are looking to get an input of new knowledge, However, it would be more accurate to qualify develop your practice further.
their working lives, they usually make up their own or maybe to learn about what is happening in other the statement and to say that once you have learned It is a good idea to ask some of them what they think
minds. schools and in other parts of the sector, then an external the basics, you do not need more introductory CPD. you will gain from specific CPD activities. The answers
Sometimes they base their decisions on their conference takes a lot of beating. The need to learn You still need all the other types of CPD which will they give might surprise you.
experience. Sometime they base their decisions about innovative practice, new curricular developments, help you to develop your practice and build on your You might have a clear idea of what you think you
on staffroom wisdom. Sometime they base their and new ways of doing things is usually best addressed learning. will gain, if you attend an event. Other people might
decisions on the CPD myths which are popular in by a visit to the place where the new expertise and new identify different areas in which they think you could
their school. approaches are being showcased.
“Save your CPD for the end of the year”
develop, and different outcomes for your participation
How likely are you to be influenced by the myths On the other hand, when your school is looking Putting off a time-consuming activity until the end of in CPD activities. They might see other areas in
about CPD when you plan your development? Check to implement a change across a department, or across the year is always attractive to people with too much which you need to develop from the ones you have
out your reactions to some of the most often repeated, the whole school, or when there is a need to upgrade a to do. Suggesting that CPD be completed in July identified.
current CPD myths. team’s skills quickly, then bringing a CPD programme will also be a sensible option to people who believe Listen to what they have to say. They could be
into school makes a lot of sense. that CPD is not part of the real work of teachers. For helping you to identify development needs you have
“You can never have too much CPD”
If you need to take part in a customised programme people who see CPD as a luxury, or an indulgence or not yet recognised. They could be helping to add even
This statement is a variation on not being able to have that is tailored to address your department’s needs, or as a reward for getting through the year, the end of more value to the CPD you are considering.
too much of a good thing. the needs of the pastoral team of which you are part, the year is the right time for such activities.
It is wrong. You can have too much CPD. then the in-house event will almost always be the best Some people looking to put off CPD believe that
Work out how your CPD can add value
You can have too much CPD if you are attending a choice. the end of the year is when things slow down, and As you add to your own expertise and abilities you also
session which repeats what you have already learned, Your school leaders can insist that the in-house when there will be more time for what they see as add to the expertise of your school, especially if you
or if it is pitched at the wrong level for you. programme is designed to your school’s specification. peripheral activities, like CPD. are helping to bring new or scarce knowledge to your
You can have too much CPD if you are not When you attend you will benefit from addressing This is a big mistake. If schools ever did operate colleagues.
receptive to the messages that are being promoted. issues as part of a team, learning with your team, and in this way, they are not like that today, so the It is always a good idea to think about your learning
If there is something on your mind that prevents you solving problems as a team. thinking is flawed. in a broader context than that of your own abilities. If
from giving the programme your attention, or if you So, external courses and in-house courses are better. CPD is an integral part of every teacher’s life. your learning will also help to give new insights into
have reached saturation point with the subject matter, It just depends on the circumstances in which they are You need to take part in CPD at the times when you current issues in school, then seek out opportunities to
then you will not really benefit from the CPD you are delivered and the needs they address. need the support of new learning and new thinking to share your knowledge with your colleagues once you
being offered. help you to do your job better. return from a CPD event. This is a valuable, additional
In many instances more than a little new learning,
“Once you’ve been in teaching for a while,
The time to take part in CPD, and the time to CPD activity. Cascading your knowledge to others at a
at any one time, will be too much. Enthusiasts may make time for CPD, is when it is needed. staff meeting will help to embed your own learning and
want you to learn the intricacies of their specialism,
you don’t need CPD”
help others to broaden their understanding too.
but you will know when enough is enough, and when Of course, it is a myth, but as with most myths, there is
Conclusion
you have had too much new learning. a grain of truth buried in there. So, how often do you hear people in your school
Conclusion
People who think of CPD as a means of making articulating these myths? How often are you tempted Making the most of your CPD takes effort and planning.
“External courses are better”
good inexperienced teachers’ deficiencies in knowledge, to make these statements yourself? You need to manage your learning in an active way and
This statement begs the question: “Better than or of correcting their bad habits in subject delivery, are For the future, you will know that at least some keep checking that you are getting value from all your
what?” likely to view competence in the job as an indication of the popular truisms about CPD are myths. More CPD before you take part in an activity, during the
There is always a debate in schools about whether in- that further CPD would be superfluous. importantly, you will know why they are myths, and programme, and after the event. These five tests will
house programmes are better than external programmes, These people are also likely to have a narrow view how to counter them. help you to keep the benefits of CPD in mind, so use
them next time you think about your CPD.
26 SecEd • March 26 2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28