I’ve always been wary of centralised, SLT-led CPD and its usefulness for each individual in a school…………

INSET days, on the whole, left me cold and I didn’t look forward to them, further than thinking (and celebrating, many times) that I have an extra paid day to relax and talk (the real value of the days) with my colleagues and friends, as I didn’t have to teach. The talk was freedom! SLT could do the work (for once, I used to think!). Every now and then, something in the CPD on offer – sometimes the quality of the presenter; sometimes the content, which grabbed me – made the day/session very enjoyable but that was disappointingly rare. Most INSET days were entirely forgettable and I applied next to nothing from them to my own teaching. I carried on doing what I was doing, as I’d made judgements, often quickly, that what I’d seen would not be a help to me.

Standouts on school INSET days…….Honestly, in 22 years, I can’t think of one and even now I try not to lead them. If I’m asked to, I will use the session to facilitate talk and not use it as information-giving.

Conferences were OK. Different surroundings really helped but I can remember how the presenters/conference made me feel (the old truism) more than the content, or what was said. Often workshops allowed me to indulge myself in what I found enjoyable and the overall theme of the conference must have been attractive, if I had been allowed to choose the conference (and thus had been *allowed* to go). Some conferences I had to attend through my role and some were so dire, I was on a train home by first coffee-break. They must have been dire, as I eschewed a free lunch! The great thing was that I got to talk with individuals whom I would never have met, if it wasn’t for the conference. (Now, of course, I have Twitter. I don’t meet them in the flesh, but I do talk online and they have been hugely helpful and influential).

Four standouts: Mick Waters talking about the new secondary curriculum (in which DfE vault are his excellent “lenses”, with which to view the curriculum, stored now?); Dylan William talking about AfL; Andy Brumby, working with me at a middle leaders conference and talking with such lucidity about Pupil Premium pupils and how his teachers could address progress with vulnerable children. I’d have to go back to my Powerpoint to see exactly what I talked about at that conference! (Feedback was terrific, but I didn’t inspire myself!! – Odd) and then a saffron-coated leader of a Buddhist temple, telling us how he made bread, every day, with the novices, to break down barriers and be humble. That has stayed with me all through my work since. It’s not *me* that’s important and I always make it possible to make tea for other staff and the HT, in a new school, as early as I possibly can, to break down barriers in the same way. In each case, there was a fusion of: 1. a terrific and magnetic speaker; 2. fantastic, hugely interesting content; 3. a desire on my part to know more. With INSET/School-based CPD, over 22 years, that happened so rarely.

CPD was almost always *provided* and still is; I had little choice. I seldom had the freedom to choose any CPD path of my own, until I settled on MEd study and decided to inspect (with help from someone wise! – Thank you John Garnett). I seldom had an imperative to employ the CPD on offer, earlier in my career. CPD was being done to me through an agenda that wasn’t mine and it led me to being wary of the next session and cynical about its use. That’s a bad place from which to start!

If you recognise this in your own school, as a leader, or as a main scale teacher/TA; I’m a little sorry for you. It’s hard to break the cycle, I know. There are expectations from staff, to provide high quality CPD, which SLT feel they have to fulfil and expectations from SLT to provide high quality CPD, which, like my experience, may lead to dead ends, because the CPD just doesn’t go anywhere. It can be a horribly vicious circle which can be expensive and now effect school improvement.

I think most centralised CPD has had its day; just as with a one sized model of teaching, it does not reach every individual in the room. Often, it reaches just an already-interested few.

Lesson observation Since moving to a consultancy role, then inspecting, then running QA South-West, supporting teachers and schools, I’ve probably seen upwards of 4,000 lessons across all age-groups. It’s been fantastic PD. Amazing. Wonderful, Liberating. What I’ve seen in some classrooms has shown me how to teach – and I thought I was pretty good at it! Teachers blow me away with their inventiveness, creativity, relationships, humour, dedication and sheer hard work to construct all those lessons. A few; a *very* few, disappointed me and depressed me. Give me a context and I can remember most of the lessons I saw, because every single one was fascinating. I had no idea what I would see, but I learned hand over fist, taking away from each lesson, what would be personally useful to me. When I saw lessons with someone else, I learned far more, because someone else’s perspective was added to mine. What superb, personalised, tailored PD…………

<shout mode>                               BUT IT WASN’T ME WHO NEEDED IT!!!!!!                       </shout mode>

I got the most tremendous PD at a time in the career where the pupils in my classes couldn’t benefit from it. Yes; I could pass the ideas on to other teachers and have done in every school I’ve supported and even when leading inspections, but that can become CPD (see above). The people that would benefit most from doing what I’ve had the utter privilege to do, would be classroom teachers. To be able to talk to others, including to the teacher whose lesson is providing the spark for the discussions, whilst in their lesson, without the baggage of taking notes and giving feedback and with the spark him/herself is just the most fantastic CPD, except it is *not* CPD, because, as I’ve explained, CPD is *provided* by someone else and it is usually controlled by someone else’s agenda (even though that agenda may have excellent intentions). here the teacher takes what they want/need. They are in control of their personal professional development.

Time for the personal.

Instead of CPD, PPD instead. Instead of Continuing Professional Development, Personal Professional Development.

PPD, involves, indeed, requires, teachers to take control of their own Personal Development. Who needs a whole-school session on many topics any more when a) Many may not need it, or be terribly interested in the topic b) there is everything you ever needed to know on the Internet c) questions and ideas for resources can be answered and provided through  Twitter, Facebook and loads of other social networking sites and d) A supposed expert has to be found from within the school to lead the CPD. often from SLT and often someone who has had it foisted on them (been there; recognise that, any leaders? Bet you do), or thousands of pounds have to be spent on bringing (supposed) expertise in.

CPD has so manynegative connotations and there needs to be a change in language. I propose PPD and I propose that face-to-face PPD is the best form possible and that the best place for that is in classrooms.

Teachers: up to you to create the structures to make PPD happen in your schools. You are teachers; you can do anything!!