HOW WAS THE LUNCH? - In Search of Perfect Professional Development
Teacher quality is a vastly complex issue to analyse, and judgements about the effectiveness of teachers is hard to measure. Some evaluation models may focus on an examination of student outcomes through assessment data, whereas others may assess teachers’ classroom practices. Whichever method is employed, it is clear to principals, parents and educators that some teachers are able to distinguish themselves through dynamic and evolving practice, where others remain stagnant in their pedagogical approach. One way in which teachers set themselves apart from other teachers is by focusing on becoming expert teachers rather than experienced teachers. This concept is achieved by accessing appropriate professional development opportunities. According to Huber (2011, p. 842), professional development opportunities take the form of one of the following: feedback (self-assessment strategies); courses (internal and external); selfstudy, collegial experience (learning communities); or concrete experiences (simulation or practice). Indeed, most literature suggests that professional learning opportunities in schools provide one of four major functions within a school: enhancing teacher capacity; combating ineffective teaching; enabling change; or creating new policy (Blandford 2000, p. 11). High quality professional development in schools is central to a successful classroom, in that it enables teachers to have a positive impact on not only the students through their learning outcomes, but also on their own self-concept and sense of proficiency as educators. It is unsurprising that research on the impact of professional development in schools suggests that improvements in education almost never take place in the absence of professional development (Gusky 2000). Therefore, the effective implementation of quality professional development is essential to any school’s development. Yet while there is common agreement about the importance of professional development and the core fundamentals which underpin it, such as performativity, reliability and accountability (Day & Sachs 2005), there is much debate within educational literature on how best to effectively implement it across schools.
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As educators, we hold a shared belief in the value of learning, one that extends past the school yard gates. In order to establish a culture that places value on such a mindset, a love of learning must be contagious throughout a school; however, this is not always the case. In past teaching contexts, teachers upon returning from professional development, would not be asked ‘What did you learn?’ or ‘What will you implement as a result of what you learnt?’. They would simply be asked: ‘How was the lunch?’ In other words, professional development was perceived widely by educators as a chance for a free meal – not an opportunity to reflect on and develop their practice.
Tom McCormick Acting Dean of Studies
