Although you will be assigned a school mentor, you will be responsible for managing your own performance and training needs. If you identify any gaps in your training you will need to talk with tutors and your mentor about how you might gain the necessary experience. Your school mentor will carry out lesson observations and support you in your efforts to meet the standards required to achieve QTS. Before planning lessons, refer to the QTS criteria, which will increase your chances of delivering a higher-graded lesson.
The best way to learn about teaching is to get in the classroom. You will make mistakes but reflecting on what went well and what you can improve on is a crucial part of successful teaching. As well as reflecting on your own practice, you will need feedback from your mentor and other experienced teachers. While your mentor should highlight your strengths, he or she will also need to identify areas for development. It isn’t always easy to take criticism, but it is necessary if you want to develop as a teacher.
You may find yourself in the situation, however, where you feel the criticism is unjustifiably harsh or negative. If this is the case, you may wish to discuss this with your mentor or the observing teacher. If you decide to do this, it is vital to explain your position calmly and listen to what they have to say. They may well be unaware of how they are communicating and an honest chat may be enough to improve the situation. If the problem persists, you may need to discuss it with a senior member of staff or a tutor from your training institution.
If you are interested in school leadership the The National College for School Leadership website is a great place to start. The NCSL is responsible for developing excellent leadership in England’s 23,000 state schools through professional development programmes, strategic initiatives, support and networking opportunities.
The College exists to serve the development needs of school leaders – from aspiring school leaders to experienced headteachers and from school business managers to leaders of extended schools. For more information on the programmes available, visit the NCSL website.
Your Continuing Professional Development
Your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is about making progress in the teaching profession, increasing your teaching skills, knowledge and understanding as outlined in the professional standards for teachers.
CPD consists of reflective activity designed to improve an individual’s attributes, knowledge, understanding and skills. It supports individual needs and improves professional practice.
There are many possible sources of CPD. They may be included within your school or school networks, for example cross-school or virtual networks. They may involve other external expertise, for example FE colleges, universities or private providers. Some forms of CPD may encompass elements from more than one of these sources. For a full list of the opportunities available to you, visit the TDA website.
The Teacher Learning Academy (TLA, led by the GTC) can also be a useful resource who help schools and teachers to achieve professional excellence and gain recognition. It offers a personal programme for practice-based learning, supported by peers. As a teacher the TLA can amongst other things help to improve your teaching and classroom performance and help you to gain professional recognition with teacher qualifications. For further information on the TLA and how they can make CPD effective for you please visit their website.
Masters in Teaching and Learning
The new Masters in Teaching and Learning (MTL) is intended to develop and improve teacher quality. It is hoped it will build on the ‘New Professionalism’ agenda that the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) have developed with social partners.
The aim is that over time it should be open to all teachers and that it is expected that every teacher should complete it over the course of their careers. To begin with it will be rolled out mainly to teachers in the first five years of their careers to build on their initial teacher training and induction.
If you are interested in pursuing the MTL or would like any further information, read our facthsheet Masters in Teaching and Learning – Making teaching a Masters level Profession.
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