Achieving More with Less

Oct 30th, 2011 Andy Newell

The educational landscape is changing and, given the current financial constraints, new practices must have real impact and be cost effective. We have to rigorously evaluate traditional activities and consider innovative ways of working. In short, we have to achieve more with less.

The importance of teachers in producing excellent educational systems is strongly noted in the influential Mckinsey Report and recognised in the recent White Paper-The Importance of Teaching. As Professor Dylan Wiliam says, ''If we are serious about improving outcomes for young people what we have to do is invest in the professional development of teachers already in place'' (Reality Check, July, 2010). Recent research, such as 'Do Teachers Matter?' by Burgess et al 2009, also reinforces this view.

But do teachers magically emerge as 'good and great' following training? Do they simply have to attend courses to become 'super teachers'? In reality, teaching can be a 'lonely profession' and despite often vibrant staff rooms teachers do spend a lot of time without professional contact with their peers. There is a strong and growing body of evidence which shows that collaborative CPD approaches are critical to raising teaching and learning standards.

Collaborative approaches to CPD; peer support, exchanging of practices, extending skills and knowledge in and between schools are key features of top performing school systems globally (Hobson et al 2009, Mckinsey 2007).

Why?

Collaborative professional development harnesses the greatest asset with our education systems, teachers. We all know that two heads are better than one; learning from other professionals incorporates key components of successful CPD: contextualisation; personalisation; immediacy of feedback.

Contextualisation: Adult learning methodologies (Andragogy) suggests that 70% of our learning comes from 'doing'. Experiential learning is underpinned by discovering and developing skills within the environment in which we practice.

Personalisation: Personalised and tailored training can dramatically increase the effectiveness of professional development programmes by providing support in line with the specific challenges faced by each teacher. Furthermore by recognising the individual needs of each teacher every learner feels more valued and motivated.

Immediacy: By providing timely and relevant feedback professional development activities are more likely to result in change. How effective is feedback from a lesson observation when it is delivered a week later?

Sustained approaches to professional development incorporating the key components of collaboration positively correlate with changes in teaching practice (Boyle et al 2004). The emergence of TeachMeets as successful and popular development forums show the popularity of the ''grass-roots'' approach driven from the 'chalkface'. The demand for experiential learning opportunities is apparent. Teachers no longer want passive CPD. Teachers want opportunities to engage and shape CPD to meet their own needs. They want to share their own experience. They want to learn with others in the context of their own classrooms.

The sharing of skills, knowledge and experience is one of the best ways to spread the impact of excellent practice. We can rightly assume that collaborative approaches to CPD will improve standards whilst delivering more for less. A teacher learning network enables everyone to contribute to the community and share their own skills and experience with their colleagues. It also facilitates the intensive one- to- one relationships needed to develop practice in a cost effective and scalable way.

I would argue that even at this time of budgetary constraint collaborative CPD will enable the teaching profession to improve standards and outcomes.

About the Author:

Iris Connect offers high quality continuous professional development.

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