Archive for the ‘Professional Development’ Category

There is no failure, only feedback. But as much as we might know this implicitly sometimes the way feedback is given can make it feel like we’ve failed. The problem is particularly acute with teaching, as so many of the outcomes can sometimes be subjective. Were a class really engaged? Were students making sufficient progress? Was that lesson ‘good’? So even if it’s not given in the right way, how do you turn criticism into positive feedback that will help you improve?

As the half term draws mercilessly towards its close, I started wondering about all those resolutions I made back in late last year and how they’ve fared – some well, some less well.

I suspect you may have made similar resolutions too. So if, like mine those good intentions have been swamped in a sea of workload, let’s take a moment to step back from it all and look afresh at where you want to get to, and what you need to do to do it.

  Lesson observations have traditionally been seen as a performance management tool, and to some people the idea of putting a camera into the classroom sets off Big Brother alarm bells! But when implemented properly, controlled and permissioned by the teacher and used by teachers to support one another, video has enormous potential to improve teaching and learning. Professionals across the board, from sports people to surgeons, use video to perfect their style, technique and ultimately improve the outcome of their practice. We all know that video coaching in sport is common place; we understand why and can see the

It’s coming round to that time of year for New Years Resolutions which valiantly struggle on till late January only to be submerged under a pile of marking and admin. But if we’re looking at how to make a permanent shift in 2012, I couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t as important to make a list of What Not To Do. We all have those activities which are safe and comfortable, but looked at logically don’t really accomplish all that much. They’re the ones you switch to instead of doing the hard but important things. So giving yourself a

Arguably, teachers present for a living, but take them out of the confines of the classroom, some find it a difficult – even harrowing – experience. So if you’ve got to lead CPD at your next staff meeting or make a presentation to parents that you’re dreading – here are some useful tips to help set you on the right track.

This year Easter has fallen late and although most of us are finally back at school now, many of us are looking a very short half term with as little as four weeks until Easter Half Term.   It hardly feels like enough time to achieve anything much does it?  But instead of resigning ourselves to the fact that it will be over almost before it’s started and that we then begin the inevitable decline into summer silliness… try out some of these top tips for making even a short half term an effective one.   1. Lose the negative

Ten tips on how to create the climate in which motivation can flourish

Make sure your message is clearly understood by colleagues & avoid misunderstandings and conflict.

Meetings are an unavoidable part of school life. Boring, lengthy, unproductive meetings are not.