PATRICK WHIBLEY STAFF TUTOR, TEACHING MATTERS EDITOR
In her 2021 book The Next Big Thing in School Improvement , Becky Allen, who visits Dulwich College this coming academic year, makes a bold accusation: “teaching and learning has migrated from teachers in their departments to school leaders.” Perhaps schools have fallen for the allure of centralised professional development at the expense of teacher autonomy, genericised pedagogy at the expense of subject-specific expertise. Hopefully the range of articles in this journal serves as a kind of not guilty! plea, a claim that, as a school, we still see the value in allowing colleagues the time and resources to pursue their own professional curiosities and convictions. This collection is very much the tip of the iceberg, a mere sample from a plethora of initiatives fuelled by the interests of those working in and around the classroom. A word on the problematic nature of professional development. Education and ‘PD’ (the C in what was for a long time CPD has fallen from grace) have enjoyed a wholesome alliance – vague but virtuous, therefore somewhat immune from attack. As soon as we try to measure its worth, there is a temptation to scramble for outcomes (more than a euphemism for public examination grades? ). There is another way. We might consider whether an investment of time and resource meets one or more of these core purposes: to cultivate, to connect, to promote. Some further detail on each to avoid these being equally vague and virtuous:
cultivate: training and introducing colleagues to the values of the organisation and the key principles of good teaching and learning; committing time to personal and professional growth; specific training for excellence in pastoral care; connect: sharing expertise and culture at different levels – the department, the Southwark Schools Learning Partnership, the Dulwich College International family; providing opportunities for colleagues to learn within these diverse environments; promote: recognising and celebrating our colleagues, their expertise and their sense of initiative. When we cultivate a wealth and diversity of expertise, this anticipates a platform from which to inspire others, to stimulate discussion and debate, be it the short presentation, the peer training session or the conference workshop. Finally, an opportunity to thank those who have contributed to this collection, to saying yes! and sharing their experiences with an abundance of sincerity and goodwill. We hope that you enjoy dipping into their stories. If any of the articles inspires some reflection, perhaps emboldens your next step to pursuing an area of fascination, it will have been worthwhile.
Professional Development in the Dock A cross-examination of PD, its identity crisis and its future
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