Continual Professional Development an ongoing challenge

As someone who has returned to education after a lengthy break I am more than many my age who are teaching, I suspect, keen to improve my skills. That’s not to say that teachers who have 20+ years experience aren’t keen to improve, but that they are normally the ones leading professional development not wanting it. 

Professional development should be an ongoing practice. 

As someone who has returned to education after a lengthy break I am more than many my age who are teaching, I suspect, keen to improve my skills. That’s not to say that teachers who have 20+ years experience aren’t keen to improve, but that they are normally the ones leading professional development not wanting it. 

If the media and Google are to be believed then the state of professional development in the UK is lamentable. In many countries where education is taken seriously CPD (continual professional development) is expected. In Singapore for example 100 hours a year is required. In the UK? Zero. This isn’t quite true as teachers are contractually obliged to take part in 5 days of INSET. These are often viewed as something to be endured and indeed only 7% of teachers even bother to see if their INSET has any affect on their teaching. 

Although there is no government oversight (which is a bit odd considering how much they want to oversee everything else regarding education) on the professional development of teachers, this isn’t the whole picture. Many schools run vibrant professional development programs but this is up to individual schools rather than a coherent national program. So ordinarily if you want to access professional development then it is available, it will just be in your own time and often at your own expense. 

As a teacher in Egypt then it is even harder to tap into any professional development opportunities that are available. Really one of the only avenues open to us realistically is online courses. Finding good online courses is very hit and mis but fortunately I did come across Future learn who run courses on many different subjects including courses for teachers.

Different institutions put these courses together and Future Learn is the portal through which they are presented. The courses are free, amazing, but if you want a certificate and transcript (useful for documenting your CPD) then it will cost you £60. As I am quickly learning the courses vary in quality. 

The first course I did was Managing Behaviour for Learning. Produced by the STEM Learning Organisation and creating by Pivotal Education. It was very well done. A five week course that dealt with lots of behaviours that you come across in the classroom and more importantly some really excellent strategies for dealing with them. One of the good things about the way Future Learn works is that there are opportunities for interacting, albeit online, with other people doing the course. It adds an extra dimension to the course that many online courses I have done in the past were missing. They are running another course in April next year and you can sign up here.

I’m now engaged in another 2 courses one of which I am enjoying and the other I am enduring. It’s interesting to to see how, much like University, who delivers the course makes all the difference. Who said that anyone can teach? That may be true but not anyone can teach well and that appears to be true for online content as well as ‘live.’

Further Reading

Brighouse, T. and Moon, B. (2013) It’s time to give teachers the skills and respect they deserve. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2013/jan/29/teachers-professional-development-national-body-england (Accessed: 12 November 2016).

Creating effective teaching and learning environments: First results from TALIS – the professional development of teachers (2009) Available at: https://www.oecd.org/berlin/43541636.pdf (Accessed: 12 November 2016).

Kempton, J. (2013) Teachers taking control: A new vision for professional development. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/nov/21/teacher-control-professional-development-raising-standards (Accessed: 12 November 2016).

McGill, R.M. (2013) Professional development for teachers: How can we take it to the next level? Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/jan/29/professional-development-teacher-training-needs (Accessed: 12 November 2016).

There seemed to be a lot of interest in CPD back in 2013 – then nothing much. Would be interested to hear if there was anything else going on at a National level that was more recent. 

Parents all want what’s best for their children.

I have been teaching at the British School here in Alexandria for just over a month. There is lots and lots to commend the school for, my class is wonderful, colleagues supportive and enough prep time to make you wonder why you would ever leave here. But there are challenges, one of which is dealing with overly enthusiastic parents. This is no different to North America or the UK, so it was very timely that I came across this TED talk from 2015 by Julie Lythcott-Haims. 



As a parent with a six year old son I have recently become aware how easy it is to fall into a trap like the one described by Julie. I have also seen first hand, within a month of being in the British School, a parent who is already a long way down this rabbit hole and her son is only nine. Of course we want the best for our children, but I think a big part of that is letting children be children and letting them find their own way and that seems to becoming harder and harder. 

New beginnings and finally into a classroom.

At the end of August I will be taking up a position as a Y4 teacher at the British School in Alexandria. It has taken over three years and a distance of 36,000 km to get here but I am excited to be finally walking into my own classroom.

I am disappointed that I wasn’t able to secure a position in Whitehorse but the situation there is no better than elsewhere in Canada and I couldn’t wait around for several years waiting to get lucky. It is I suppose a good thing that teaching is a desirable profession in Canada, well paid and well respected. Teachers aren’t overworked and for the most part are able to retire at a relatively young age. It’s a very different situation in the UK where successive governments have seemingly broken the system and where almost half of the teachers teaching would leave the profession if they could.

With my new job it’s a good time to try revive my blog, which hasn’t seen a post since the beginning of March. It will be my intention to post at least once a week. Not sure how that will pan out with the new job and a new home in a new country but I will try my hardest to make a weekly post happen.

It’s all about learning.

It is with some chagrin that I must admit is only in the last couple of years that I have come to understand that most of what we do as teachers is about learning. I think I am in good company and certainly not alone. It is only recently with the relatively easier and more affordable access to MRI scanning that scientists have been able to more fully understand how we learn. While this has been happening more than one myth has been busted. (Learning styles stands out for me.) I thought it would be useful to post a list of some articles I have come across that address the issue of learning and how it impacts what we do as teachers. (This will be an ongoing series of posts as I come across them.)

 

This first series of posts is from David Didau whose blog is a must read for anyone interested in education. He’s a prolific blogger who is one of the most influential educational bloggers in the UK and in my opinion always makes more sense than not. One of the things I really appreciate about his writing is that when he believes he is wrong he will say so which, in this age of polarization and demagoguery is a refreshing change.

A definition of learning – reading the comments not everyone would agree with David but it is a good starting point. Personally I think if he’s not spot on he’s close. 

What’s the Starting Point for all Learning – Fascinating post about where learning begins. The discussion afterwards is as, if not more, interesting than the post.  

What are they learning? – Thoughts on where our focus should be as teachers. David posits that it is rare for anyone to learn nothing from a given situation. Which means teachers should be more concerned about ‘what’ students are learning rather than ‘if’ they are learning. 

Learning Styles – There are three posts that relate to this topic. Again the discussions following the posts, especially The Learning Styles myth debunked on the back of an envelope makes for a lot of heated debate as well as clarifying what is meant by learning styles.  David then followed up that post with another One more nail in the Learning Styles coffin… where he explained further what he meant by; 

…the myth is that our preferences for experiencing information presented in a particular mode, or style, leads to improved outcomes. It doesn’t.

Then Learning is liminal – (the first time I have come across this word) which compliments the posts on learning styles nicely. He also ends this post with the idea that learning is a journey. I use this same analogy all be it in a different way, with my students when they ask why their classmates are not all at the same level. I tell them something along the lines of; 

We’re all on a journey of learning but most of us are travelling at different speeds. The important thing is not how fast we travel but that we never stop travelling.

I am sure there will be more posts from David concerning this subject in the future. It is after all central to our efforts as teachers. In the meantime if you would like to check out his website, you can find it here.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching – A Performance Art

I came across a great article in the Atlantic by Jessica Lahey called Teaching: Just Like Performing Magic. In it she talks to Teller of Penn and Teller fame about his time as a teacher before he became famous. He taught Latin of all things but his point was how teaching is really a performance art saying that the delivery part of the job is often under valued and rarely taught. I kind of agree although as with most things there needs to be a balance. It’s no good delivering rubbish brilliantly, so to speak. The whole article is here and well worth a read. 

Talking of art - the landscapes up here are beautiful. The light falls on these majestic mountains in a way that is often sublime. Photo C. Galloway
Talking of art – the landscapes up here are beautiful. The light falls on these majestic mountains in a way that is often sublime. Photo C. Galloway

Learning Styles – not what you think they are?

The following statement is something that a lot of teachers will find hard to accept. 

…the idea that students learn differently depending on their personal preference for visual, auditory or kinesthetic cues is just a myth.

For much of my teaching career the idea that people learn in different ways has been one that is widely accepted. This last summer in a job posting one of the requirements was to say how you would cater for the different learning styles in the class. 

But more and more research it appears, suggests this is not the case. The majority of people learn in a similar way. Many teachers spend countless hours either planning activities for different learning styles or beat themselves up because they are not. If you are interested then the whole article is here, originally found in Quartz, it was flipped into my Educational Stories Worth Reading. It makes for thought proving reading. 

Out with the Old in with the new

My Two favorite people in the world. One of them on skis for the first time. He's been out a couple of times more but is a little hesitant. Was surprised and disappointed that Whitehorse X-C Ski Club couldn't accommodate him in a program. Apparently they didn't have enough instructors. 
My Two favorite people in the world. One of them on skis for the first time. He’s been out a couple of times more but is a little hesitant. Was surprised and disappointed that Whitehorse X-C Ski Club couldn’t accommodate him in a program. Apparently they didn’t have enough instructors. 

The end of another year. It’s been a bit of an odd one. On the plus there’s the fact we are, for the first time in a long time, financially solvent. Christa has been working hard at PR Services and I have been an itinerant worker for the department of education and helping out at the swimming club. The beginning of the year started wonderfully with the acquisition of my teachers’ certification. Our little guy is coming on in leaps and bounds and Maggie keeps us amused and frustrated in equal parts.

But on the other hand,  I am frustrated and worried that I won’t be able to get a full time teaching job up here in Whitehorse. The lack of a full time job makes me feel like I am standing still both professionally and personally. We want to stay here but the reality is I don’t have years to wait, I’m conscious of the clock ticking, so to speak. That said it’s one of the great things about life, you never really know what’s around the corner. Sometimes it’s just a matter of waiting and seeing. 

So let’s hope that 2016 is good year for us all. As a family, we’ll be taking the bull by the horns and shaking them. We’ll see what happens. Happy New Year to us all. 

Hour of Code™

I remember reading an article some time ago now that said, “in the future there will be too types of people. Those that code and those that don’t.” While this is a rather simplistic statement, it struck a cord with me that still resonates with me. We aren’t there yet but by the time my son graduates (12/13 years) we will be. Already the problem of finding enough computer science students is an issue. There are approximately 587,000 computing jobs nationwide, (US) which is growing at 2x the national average, but only about 38,000 computer science students graduated into the workforce this year.In fact, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by the year 2020, there will be one million more computer science jobs than graduates prepared for these jobs. 

One of the reasons why this is such an issue is because sadly the following graphic is too true. This is exacerbated by the fact that only 27 states allow computer science courses to count towards graduating high school. Is Canada in the same boat as the US in regards to this issue? I’ve not seen anything to suggest different.

This growing shortfall of computer science graduates, and a lack of action on the part of states and school districts was the main dirvers behind the creationg of Code.org® was created. 

Launched in 2013, Code.org® is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science, and increasing participation by women and underrepresented students of color. Our vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. We believe computer science should be part of core curriculum, alongside other courses such as biology, chemistry or algebra.

This week is Computer Science Education Week (7th to 12th December) and I wonder if there will be any involvement in Yukon Schools? I know that my son will be taking part in some activities but that’s only because we’ll be doing them together. If you want to look at some of what is offered then head over to their website and check out their resources. (This page for educators.)

It goes without saying that this should be a part of all students curriculum today. With the redesign of the BC curriculum getting into its final stages it will be interesting to see if any computer science has been included. If anyone had information about the state of computer sciences in Canadian Schools that they would like to share, then please feel free to leave a comment. 

 

Something to Think About
Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education

By Ken Robinson, Lou Aronica

Due to the fact I am not teaching full time I have more time than I otherwise would to think about teaching. The relationship between learning and teaching as well as teacher and student is fascinating. 

So my latest read, Creative Schools By Ken Robinson is right up my alley. Ken Robinson, for you who don’t know is a Professor who has been looking at this relationship on and off for 40 years. He has a PHD and has the most watched TED talk ever.

 (Watch that here.) For the last eight years or so he has been talking and writing about why the current trends in education are way off the mark and not doing our children any favours. Such things as high pressure standardized testing, centralized curriculums which are narrow and restrictive. By being these things a large numbers of students are being turned off and belittled by an education system that so narrowly defines success. In this book he continues the process of explaining how he believes education can be improved and made more inclusive. One of the things that jumped out at me was the following;

The fundamental purpose of education is to help students learn.

He goes on to say

At the heart of education is the relationship between the student and the teacher, everything else depends on how productive and successful this relationship is. 

He is of course right. Effective teaching or coaching is all about good relationships. Success is impossible without it. This got me to thinking about what good relationships look like and how we can effectively foster them with our students. More about this later. In the meantime I highly recommend this book whether you are a teacher or a parent. 

Patience is a Virtue?

I am an impatient man. It’s only been the last couple of years that it has dawned on me to what extent I have been driven by  impatience. Perhaps this wisdom is something that comes with age, one of the perks of being older, the ability to see that patience is indeed a virtue. 

At the moment I am teaching, albeit subbing, and coaching swimming. It is ironic that I have chosen to return to two professions where patience is a central pillar of not only success but of understanding. There is no quick fix in the classroom, no instant way to acquire knowledge or the ability to use it. Likewise there is no easy or quick way to become a good swimmer. It takes work and time. In other words patience. Of course it takes a great deal of other things as well, but without patience both student and teacher / coach will quickly be disappointed. 

In my defence and that of all impatient people everywhere, the world that we have created is at it’s very heart impatient. We want things and we want them now.  Gone is any notion of delayed gratification. If we can’t have it now then we don’t want it. I exaggerate but only slightly.  

Been spending time in K over the last few weeks. So much fun working with the little guys and gals. 
Been spending time in K over the last few weeks. So much fun working with the little guys and gals. 

So I am working on being patient. Patient with the fact that getting a job is harder than I hoped. Patient with my swimmers as they learn new skills and patient with myself as I continue to stumble through life. Having said that I may have stumbled onto something rather exciting which has renewed my optimism. Lots more research needs to be done… but watch this space.