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Introducing the GTC Networks.
Good teaching needs good networks and good networks need good teachers.
The GTC Networks provide support by linking teachers nationally and putting them in touch with the latest research and evidence. They let teachers have a voice at national debates on changes to education.
Definitions of 'Personalising CPD'
The GTC view of personalising CPD is that every teacher should have access to and participate in effective, relevant and sustained CPD. A Connect meeting with school-based CPD leaders looked at the issues involved and asked delegates for their definitions of personalising CPD, which included:
- 'Ensuring that meeting the learning and development needs of individual staff are in line with, and complementary to, the vision for improvement and growth in the institution.’
- 'A professional entitlement for life-long development within the context of the school.'
- 'All staff have an entitlement to professional learning and a duty to take ownership of their learning in order to improve standards (their own and linked to those of the school.'
- 'Think of our staff as having individual needs and wants, and know how these are identified and met.'
- 'Creating a framework on which professionals can build their learning journeys.'
There was broad agreement that personalising the CPD offer meant tailoring it to meet the needs of the individual teacher as closely as possible – but within the context of the needs of the school and recognising the importance of collaborative learning. This meant making the offer as broad as possible and making sure teachers knew the types of opportunities available to them.
Teachers are encouraged to take advantage of expertise internal to the school, rather than seeing external courses as the answer to all development needs. Making use of networks across schools was seen as one way of opening up greater opportunities.
Participants said that meeting both the needs of the school and the aspirational needs of staff made for tensions at times, and that time constraints also played a part. The importance of looking at the development needs of all staff was also raised frequently.
A clear consensus was that CPD had to be a negotiated and agreed endeavour, for which the individual teacher also had to take responsibility. It is a meeting of the needs of the individual, the needs of the school and the demands of resource management (time and money).
The purpose of CPD was also emphasised: to develop staff expertise, skills and confidence in order to raise standards of learning and further school improvement.
