ASSIGNMENT WEEK 2 REFLECTIONS ON HOW I CAN CONTRIBUTE TO MY OWN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THAT OF MY COLLEAGUES

By Antje Mueller

Foundations of Teaching for Learning 2: Being a Teacher

Professor Dennis Francis, Professor John MacBeath Commonwealth Education Trust

02.04.2014

Antje Mueller

Professional development an important factor How can we as teachers maintain our professional knowledge and assure that we teach the most up-to-date information and proven practices to our students and children? How can I develop my personal and professional skills and contribute to development of professional knowledge of others? It is researched by Resnick that the whole organization (e.g. school) I am a part of depends on every single person in it (e.g. teachers). All of us are better than one of us. A successful institutional learning program is the one that consistently involves socially shared intellectual work, each persons ability to function successfully depends on what others do. (Resnick, 1987) This shows that every single person in a system is responsible for its professional and personal development and hence for the success of the whole system. But how can we achieve this? For me it all begins by asking questions. Whether we receive questions from our students or children or if we pose them to colleagues, peers or even to ourselves. By questioning we start a process that involves searching for answers. Asking questions is a natural and intuitive act. It invites students and children to think and to propose answers or even to agree silently. Asking engages students and sustains an active learning style. Effective questioning promotes learning, fosters higher order of thinking, develops imagination, creative thinking and pitches challenges. (Black, 2001) Asking effective questions is only one part of a good professional development of teachers. As literature argues the entire concept of teacher development is relatively unexplored and the teacher development process is not clearly identified. (Evans, 2002) We need to find one definition of teacher development to create measurable parameter and tools that are accessible for and adaptable to all teachers in order to achieve common learning outcomes.

Antje Mueller Professional development?

Teacher development?

Development process? Figure 1: Own graphic (Lack of definition of teachers development), 2014

The best given definition of teacher development by Bell and Gilbert I can identify with, says: Teacher development can be viewed as teachers learning, rather than as others getting teachers to change. In learning, the teachers were developing their beliefs and ideas, developing their classroom practice, and attending to their feelings associated with changing. (Bell & Gilbert, 1994) Professional development and training as well as future planning of teachers are crucial characteristics of teachers being professional. This also involves creating an own teaching philosophy and being part of a PLC (professional learning community). (MacBeath, 2014) If there is so much good in developing skills and improving knowledge, why is it that many teachers lose their passion after only a short time of teaching? Southworth argues this action is triggered by so called toxins (e.g. being ignored, being misunderstood), that makes teachers want to leave rather then grow and thrive in their classes. Our goal should be to return the passion back into the classrooms by setting the focus of teachers responsibilities not entirely on motivating students, sequencing subject matters and understanding individual differences but also on maintaining their own skills and professional knowledge to their individual needs. As Croswell and Elliot emphasize that teachers commitment is very strongly connected to the intimate element of passion for the work of teaching. It has been identified as one of the most critical factors for the future of education and school. Good teaching does

Antje Mueller

not only mean to teach with passion, but also to see teaching as an investment of time outside the classroom. Teachers focus on individual needs of students and carry a high responsibility to impart knowledge, attitudes and values. More over good teaching means to maintain professional knowledge and to be engaged with the entire school community. (Crosswell, Elliot, 2004)

How can I contribute to my professional development and the one of others? Maintaining and increasing my professional knowledge plays an important role in my daily work. For me professional development lies mainly in asking questions continuously to my students and to my colleagues. By questioning I make my students and myself think and let us learn from each other. I am also taking it a step further and develop my skills by studying at an online course at coursera.com; Foundation of Teaching for Learning which gives me an enormous opportunity to gain new knowledge. Sharing ideas and experiences with others on discussion forums makes learning contents and outcomes more visible and enjoyable. Weekly quizzes and assignments give me the possibility to record my development process throughout the course and beyond. The course shows me how to extend, connect and challenge my knowledge. (Perkins, 2014) There are various ways to develop yourself as a teacher and to help developing others as shown in figure 2. Also very supportive to me appears finding a role model within your colleagues or peers at school. Look at that role model and figure out what characteristics and attributes you admire and why (e.g. teaching philosophy) and learn from them. Observe the teaching style of others and create your own teaching philosophy, teaching routines and strategies that differentiates you from others. Find a critical friend who can observe your class and who can give you an honest feedback about your teaching if needed. Invite experts

Antje Mueller

for discussion rounds of various fields to your school (e.g. differently abled students) and improve your knowledge in specific areas. For me it is important to use every opportunity that comes in your way as a learning opportunity. Dont be afraid of new and unexpected things but curious to explore them. The more teachers know and learn the more their self-esteem improves and the more they can support students in achieving their goals and learning outcomes and make them ready for the big world out there. Taking away ignorance and fear of our students and changing it into knowledge and comfort is for me the key to an effective and good teaching. This should be at the heart of every teacher. Professional development of teachers and maintaining of professional knowledge and skills plays an important role on that!

Courses /Workshops

Qualification Programs

Conferences/Seminars

Observation of other classes/schools

Informal dialogue with peers

Mentoring/ Peer observation/ coaching

Teacher network

Research

Reading professional literature

Figure 2: Forms of Professional Development (OECD) 2009

Antje Mueller

REFERENCES: Bell, B., Gilbert, J., (1994) in Evans, L., (2002) What is Teacher Development?, Oxford Review of Education, Vol. 28, No. 1, Carfax Publishing, Taylor & Francis Group Black, P., Harrison, C., (2001) Foundation Strand materials and Assessment, National Secondary Strategy for School Improvement Questioning Unit [Online]. Available from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0C CMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nsead.org%2Fdownloads%2FEffective_Questionin g09_(2).doc&ei=tWAJU_jtJKW1iQfn1IGAAQ&usg=AFQjCNFEEQGYNaYdJDsFKapIAM J0jhU9fg&bvm=bv.61725948,d.aGc, (Accessed: 15 February 2014) Crosswell, L., Elliott, B., (2004) Committed Teachers, Passionate Teachers: the dimension of passion associated with teacher commitment and engagement, [Online] Available from: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/968/1/cro04237.pdf (Accessed: 10 February 2014) Evans, L., (2002) What is Teacher Development?, Oxford Review of Education, Vol. 28, No. 1, Carfax Publishing, Taylor & Francis Group Francis, D., (2014) Foundations of Teaching for Learning 2: Introduction, Week 1, Lecture 3, Commonwealth Education Trust, Coursera.org website Havinghurst, R., (1952) Human Development and Education [Online] Available from: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Havighurst,+R.,+(1952)+Human+Development+and+E ducation&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=QKQ3U5CeKs3tiAet44HAD A&ved=0CCgQgQMwAA MacBeath, J., (2012) Future of Teaching Profession, Education of Research Institute, Cambridge Perkins, D., in MacBeath, J., (2014) Foundations of Teaching for Learning 1, Week 2, Lecture 2, Commonwealth Education Trust, Coursera.org website Resnick, L., (1967) in MacBeath, J., (2014) Foundations of Teaching for Learning 2, Week 2, Lecture 3, Commonwealth Education Trust, Coursera.org website Southworth, G., (2000) in in MacBeath, J., (2014) Foundations of Teaching for Learning 1, Week 1, Lecture 4, Commonwealth Education Trust, Coursera.org website