CPD in association with
I don’t want to be here!
Ever been on a
CPD event or
workshop that
bored you to
tears? Margaret Adams
looks at how to avoid this
scenario
OU ARE not really paying
Y
attention. You have just sneaked
another look at your watch and you
cannot believe only six minutes
have passed since you last looked
at it. You are bored and, on top of
everything else, you are trying to
stifle a yawn.
You are at a CPD event that you did not want to
attend, and you are hating every minute of it.
Whether this has actually happened to you, or if
you are just worried that it might, there are steps you
can take to make sure this is a problem you manage to
avoid in the future.
When you are next considering your CPD options,
think about the following questions to help you to make
sure you never find yourself sitting in a training activity
thinking: “I don’t want to be here.”
Why does someone want to send me on this
programme?
Whenever someone in school wants to match you up
with a CPD event, or INSET activity, and insists that
the activity is right for you, beware.
You know yourself and your development needs.
You know what you are good at, what you are interested
in and where you need to develop. These judgements
will not just be based on your opinions. You will have
agreed a development plan with a senior person in
school at some point during the year.
Therefore, if you are asked to attend a training when deciding on a CPD programme. They choose help yourself? Can you gather snippets of information find yourself at a CPD event you really do not want
programme, and you do not understand how it fits in to attend a beginners’ programme, when they are that people you work with will value? to attend.
with that plan, or why you have been nominated, think already knowledgeable about a subject, or they choose If you were asked to feed back three points of Even if you do find yourself somewhere you would
carefully before you agree to participate. an advanced programme when they really should be interest at your next departmental or pastoral team rather not be, there are still ways of making good
Ask about the thinking that has led to the decision to starting at the beginning. meeting, what information do you think your colleagues use of the CPD experience – and of your time. This
put your name forward. Ask about the matching process If you want to avoid this mistake, next time you would value? knowledge is useful CPD in itself. SecEd
that has taken place between your agreed development are considering attending an event, it might be worth
needs and a specific CPD programme. Take the time to speaking to the programme organisers before you book
Conclusion
• Margaret Adams is the author of How To Take Charge
find out what people in school hope you will gain by your place in order to match your skill levels with the Think about these questions and you will realise Of Your Teaching Career (Continuum International
attending. Find out why they think you need this CPD right development programme. there is a lot you can do to make sure you do not Publishing, 2008).
programme. Sometimes teachers choose the right subject and the
Find out also if your name has been put forward right level for their CPD, but the wrong delivery method.
because someone thinks you are the best person to When you are next looking at CPD opportunities, give
represent your school at a training activity. If this is the some thought to the way in which a CPD event you
case, ask what it is about your skills and experience want to attend is delivered. Consider if the approach
Successful projects
that makes you the obvious choice. What does the to delivery is as relevant to you as the programme
person nominating you hope you will bring back from content is.
the event? Make sure you are clear in your own mind about
If you know the answers to these questions, you your preferred way of learning new things. Do you
Dot Struthers
do? It is important to separate out but show the
links between the school objectives and the
will know what to pay most attention to, what to make favour experiential learning over learning via working
notes about, and what to ask questions about when you with theory and concepts? Do you like to immerse shares a seven-
project objectives.
• Scope – if you do not define the boundaries
actually arrive at the training programme. yourself in something new? Do you prefer a reflective “scope creep” is inevitable and will throw your
approach to your learning?
How do I choose my own CPD?
step process to
project off its timescales and budget. Define
Make sure you know the answers to these questions what is in and what is out, for example the
When, one day, you find yourself at the wrong event, about yourself. You will learn more quickly if you look
you will know who to ask about why you are there, if out for the right programme and the right learning style
help you plan
departments involved.
• Constraints – consider the limits that you are
you make your own decisions about your CPD, that is. from now on.
The best way to avoid this situation is to take great
and manage your projects
operating within (timescales, budgets, technology,
resources, legislation, standards, lead times, and
care over your CPD choices. As you reflect on how you
How can I make the most of CPD activity?
perhaps dependence on other projects).
currently make your CPD decisions, note that this is the If you find that, despite careful planning, you are • Approach – what are the key phases of your
time for honesty. attending an event that is not for you, all is not lost. PROJECT MANAGEMENT can often feel and project and what are the key activities at each of
Do you always look carefully at the programme’s There is still a lot you can do to make good use of the sound like a rather daunting task, but if you break it these stages? This should help you identify the
content before you sign up? Do you always think about experience. down into small pieces it really is applied common key milestones and dates you must achieve.
how the subject matter will help you before you decide First, remember that you are taking part in the sense. • Roles and responsibilities – these need to be
to attend? programme as an individual and as a representative of As a project manager, your role is to plan, monitor clarified and understood. Be clear about any
If you do not, you can be sure that one day you will your school. Consider your own learning and how you and control all aspects of the project, including the assumptions you are making and document how
end up at the wrong CPD event. If you do ask yourself intend to use what you learn at the event, but also think cost, the quality, and the timescales, but it is also you will report and communicate progress.
these questions, congratulate yourself, but think about about what you can take back to school for other people. about the motivation, communication, and buy-in • Deliverables – identify only the major deliverables
refining the way you make your choices still further. Are issues being raised that you know your from key stakeholder groups. which include target dates and handover criteria,
Sometimes teachers misjudge their level of skill colleagues need help with, even if you do not need that So whether you are involved in a complex project and ensure you have got buy-in and commitment
like the rebuild of your school, or a smaller one like to these dates.
running the school play here is a seven-step process In schools a lot of the projects we do are funded
‘
Do you always look carefully at the
to help you plan and ensure success. by the government, so it is important that we can
show a good return on investment, and if this means
Seven steps to planning
investing in the skills of your teachers, then this is an
programme’s content before you sign up? Do you
• Background – at the start of any project you need essential component of project management.
to understand the history and reasons why you
always think about how the subject matter will
are doing the project. How did you get here? • Dot Struthers runs project management courses
Where does it fit? Who is backing it? for schools and colleges. For more information
help you before you decide to attend?
• Objectives – what are you trying to achieve in the and to get her monthly CPD newsletter go to
’
project and what will this help the school to www.merechats.co.uk and register.
SecEd • June 18 2009 13
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