development The importance of professional development

It does not really matter in what line of work we find ourselves; all of us are expected to continue learning about our field and doing our jobs to the best of our abilities. Regular professional development ensures that a teacher’s academic qualifications, as well as their practical teaching methodology, do not become outdated or obsolete. Teachers that continually engage in professional development activities stay abreast of the latest trends and ensure that they frequently upskill or reskill.

Professional development

• is about your obligation to your own continuous learning

• is a personal responsibility to keep your knowledge and skills current

• inspires you to look forward and recognise opportunities to:

– learn about the latest methodologies

– revive knowledge and skills, and keep up to date with the latest trends in your profession

– learn new concepts, or just refresh existing (sometimes forgotten) knowledge.

This could include professional development courses, such as:

• the wide range of courses that Macmillan Teacher Campus – an accredited training provider – offers

• educational conferences

• online or face-to-face training workshops

It can also take place informally, such as

• discussions between colleagues

• independent reading and research

• observing a colleague’s lesson

• learning from a peer.

Professional development is not just a formal qualification, it is a journey of continually improving your skills and capabilities, not only to improve workplace performance, but also so that you can climb the ladder of success –opening up future career prospects.

Sometimes you will undergo professional development without even realising that you’re doing it and other times you will have a planned approach to your development.

Professional development is successful when it is done in a methodical and purposeful manner. You need to set goals and reflect on:

• what you hope to get out of your development activities, and

• how you will go about reaching those goals.