Continuing Professional Development

CPD: What is it?  

The national agreement “A Teaching Profession for the 21^st Century” states that all teachers have an entitlement to a Continuing Professional Development Plan that is agreed annually with their line manager and that it is based on the assessment of individual need.    The booklet “Professional Review and Development 2002” (SEED 2002) highlights key principles and features.  

Teacher CPD is the wide range of activities that contribute to teacher development and should be recognised as any activity that has been undertaken to progress, assist or enhance a teacher’s professionalism.  Teachers should take as broad a view of professional development as possible.  

CPD Profile and Portfolios
The CPD profile is the plan and record for agreed CPD activities, which arises from the annual professional review.   Every teacher is required to maintain a CPD profile.  Teachers who wish to enter the Chartered Teacher programme are required to have maintained a CPD portfolio.  The maintenance of a CPD portfolio is regarded as good practice for all teachers, regardless of their experience or aspirations.  It is recommended that all staff maintain ACPD portfolio.  The CPD portfolio is a personal record held by the individual teacher.  The CPD portfolio should contain the CPD profile as well as personal information and evidence of the teacher’s commitment to CPD and their awareness of the impact of development experiences on their professional actions. 

Staff Development Coordinator
Each school should have a designated staff development coordinator.   The coordinator will have responsibility for collating information from the annual review process within the school and for responding to whole school CPD issues.  

There are considerable opportunities for teachers to develop their own CPD profile in the areas of Enterprise, Sustainability and Citizenship Schools and other educational establishments have a central part to play in educating young people for life as active and responsible members of their communities. They share this role with families and others, and must work in partnership with them to provide young people with learning opportunities that contribute to their development as citizens.

The advent of the Scottish Parliament has encouraged a fresh focus on the importance of people living in Scotland being able to understand and participate in democratic processes.   If greater national autonomy is to be matched by an enhanced sense of social and political responsibility in the population, young people need opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will allow them to take that responsibility.   This is recognised in the national priorities for education whose status is established in the Standards in Scotland's Schools, etc. Act 2000.   Schools are encouraged to 'work with parents to teach pupils respect for self and one another and their interdependence with other members of their neighbourhood and society and to teach them the duties and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society'.   In this sense education for citizenship should empower young people to participate thoughtfully and responsibly in community and civic life, and to influence our political, legal and economic institutions. At the same time, participate effectively in their communities and recognise their roles and responsibilities as global citizens. 

The opportunities for learning that are provided in schools and early education settings make important contributions to the process of educating for active and responsible citizenship.   At the same time, the contributions of formal education need to be seen alongside, and in interaction with, other influences.   These include the influence of parents, carers and the media and opportunities for community-based learning.   Also, school and early education establishments need to take account of the diversity of the local communities in which young people live.

Education for citizenship and inclusion
Some young people feel themselves to be excluded from aspects of school and community life through their social, material or physical circumstances.   These young people may not find it easy to take part in the school's provision for development of capability for citizenship.   Sometimes they may not react positively to efforts to include them.   It is the school's responsibility to develop strategies to ensure that all young people benefit from their entitlement to education for citizenship.   Whilst much existing work in equal opportunities, anti-racist education, special educational needs and inclusive education in general is relevant to and supportive of education for citizenship, there is considerable need for further development.

Staff development
Involvement in education for citizenship has implications both for the professional knowledge of teachers and early years practitioners and for their teaching skills.   Even though it is not envisaged that approaches to education for citizenship should be strongly focused on areas of knowledge, teachers are likely to feel more confident with a basic knowledge and understanding of such areas as rights and responsibilities, decision-making processes, the role of the media in contemporary society, environmental issues and financial education.   Furthermore, opportunities for initial and in-service education are likely to be of value, for example, on matters such as:

	How to involve young people in decision-making
	Supporting young people undertaking community placements
	Developing international links
	Dealing with controversial issues in the classroom
	Perhaps most important of all, if interdisciplinary work across school and community sectors is to become meaningful, then teachers, early years practitioners  and other professionals need to be able to participate in joint staff development in order to understand better the complementarity of each other's professional skills
	Developments such as Personal Learning Plans and The Progress File could be adapted to include recognition of aspects of education for citizenship or to highlight a citizenship

2Gether Inset

The 2GETHER initiative proposes a short course for teachers designed to introduce the links between sustainability, citizenship and enterprise.   The course is participative, involving concept cards, advocacy scenarios and lesson planning.   This involves an open ended process, giving teachers the tools to identify priorities, recognise links and customise learning and teaching processes to suit local needs.   The methods of working are what are being highlighted in this course with the intention that creative, participative, entrepreneurial practices can be taken back to the classroom.  

The Medium as the Message  

1 day or (4 x 1 hour sessions)
Aimed at secondary school teachers  
Programme
Introducing concepts of Education for Sustainable Development, Enterprise in Education and the Citizenship Agenda 

Aims

	To introduce the related concepts of sustainability, enterprise and citizenship.
	To provide an approach, which uses open, creative and generic learning, allowing for choice and decision-making and gives ownership of course content to learners.
	To try new ways of working, moving beyond the safe and familiar content based approach to teaching and learning.

Activities

Card Games which:

	Use a creative mapping approach to identifying links
	Employ teamwork to give direction to course planning
	Encourage decision-making and an enterprising ethos in delivery

Drama using:

	Mind mapping skills to explore issues
	Role-play scenarios designed to explore conflicting values
	Conflict resolution strategies

Resource identification in the form of:

	On-line links;
	Networking links;
	Course materials;

Tools for classroom and INSET use.

Full materials for this course are included in the appendix.

SpeyGrain

SpeyGrian is an educational organisation offering a unique delivery of CPD courses for teachers and others.   The venue is a 100-year-old sailing ship and the emphasis is on learning out of doors.   Topics include Citizenship and Sustainability.   Artists, writers and ecologists provide a creative mix of experience and skills.   The challenges faced by participants are very often social or intellectual rather than physical.

In Summer 2004, SpeyGrian hopes to be offering further innovative training courses, all with a strong emphasis on reflective outdoor experience, personal challenge, community and citizenship.   Although of particular value to educators, the courses are open to anyone interested in sustainability, biodiversity and citizenship.

During the six-day summer courses, participants sail around the west coast of Scotland with professional artists, ecologists, writers and storytellers, visiting islands and learning from the people there about their community life and culture and the surrounding nature.   Set within the context of the recent debate on the purpose of education in Scotland and the introduction of the Eco-Schools programme as a quantative measure indicator for National Priority 4.   On board the boat, invited speakers lead discussions on topics as wide-ranging as sustainability, biodiversity and citizenship.   The emphasis is on shared learning and everyone in the team is encouraged to participate in the sailing and maintenance of the boat, as well as in the group discussions and workshops, thereby creating a sense of achievement and unity.   During the week, each person keeps a journal to reflect on his or her experiences.   Although of particular value to educators, the six-day courses are open to anyone interested in sustainability, biodiversity and citizenship.   The diversity of participants is a key (and unique) feature of the course, which not only helps to bring new perspectives but also encourages a more holistic view of lifelong learning.

SpeyGrian provides an ongoing support network for those who have attended courses, including weekend meetings throughout the year.

www.ltscotland.org.uk/nq/speygrian.asp

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