Thoughts on Professional Development (including Performance Management and Faculty Review)

Professional development may be divided into two overlapping generic concepts, the skills based and the
philosophical i.e. the presentation and/or discussion of ideas prior to their practical implementation. To date
the School has overemphasized the philosophical latter with little attempt at achieving discernible results.
This is an observation, not a criticism given that the School, previously lacking in any professional
development whatsoever, has to its credit begun a professional development programme albeit in an
embryonic form. Peer observation, although promoted, is not formalized, and both performance management
and Faculty review, largely owing to time constrictions, withered before taking root. This is not a reflection of
the validity of such schemes but, in these cases, more consideration must be given to the planning and time
scales involved.
Proposal #1: Faculty review should be formalized as follows:
Each Faculty will be reviewed for a two day period towards the end of Term 2, HOFs to be advised of that
fact by the end of the previous academic year at the latest. The review, carried out by a HOF from another
Faculty, should inter alia cover the following aspects:
domestic
 administration and accessibility of information
 record and accessibility of resources
 financial planning
 staff accessibility
 development plans
 schemes of work
 policies
 curriculum plans
 lesson planners (including attendance and homework records)
Such foundations are essential in any professional organization; we would expect, as we are wheeled into
an operating theatre, for the surgeon to know where the scalpels are, and not be searching desperately for
the anesthetist.
academic
 lesson observation of all Faculty members with individual feedback
 use of ICT
 differentiation
 awareness of audio, visual and kinesthetic methods and, wherever possible, the implementation thereof
Proposal #2: Performance management and internal Faculty review should take place in the first term prior
to the formal event in term two allowing all faculty members to be observed by the HOF, feedback to be given
and, if necessary, targets to be set. Furthermore, this is an opportunity for HOFs to establish individual needs
for professional development. Internal review is a similar opportunity for the Faculty, should it be required, to
get its house in order. If anything the School has been somewhat liberal in its approach to these key elements.
Consequently, we must firm up what we want and, specifically, when we want it.
The philosophical elements of professional development to which I alluded at the outset have little effect
unless they are brought into discernible practice. This is not an easy task, especially for those who have
soaked the children in the same academic washing powder for twenty years and are now, it appears,
expected to use the new improved whiter than white methods. Recalcitrance and indifference are the most
significant drawbacks to real development in this area. Yet audio visual and kinesthetic approaches to
teaching and learning have enormous implications not only for how we teach but, indeed, what we teach.
Were we to take the new thinking to its logical conclusion, it could dismantle our entire curriculum, which may
unnerve the gnomes of the DFEE. And so it is fashionable to talk about it, and do a bit of it but not too much.
Proposal #3: Audio visual and kinesthetic approaches to education must be examined thoroughly,
presented lucidly and (1) tasks set, within each Faculty, whereby discernible change in, for example, a whole
class approach to teaching, or a differentiated programme for individuals/small groups is at least attempted,
(2) reviewed and, in a later whole school plenary session, (3) cascaded.
 Skills based professional development brings considerable advantages both to the School and to the
individual. As a staff we are rich in knowledge and experiences and yet to what extent are the skills which
are not in regular use, if in use at all, positively exploited? I focus momentarily on my own Faculty:
Julie Anderson: speaks Malay. It has been suggested that she teach some KS3 Bahasa. Furthermore, she
has expressed a willingness to progress to teaching KS4 German.
Edith Forget: currently studying Mandarin. I have tentatively suggested that, were Faculty funds available,
she could embark on a course whereby her knowledge of the language would be sufficient to teach the
youngest classes.
Bruce Bawden: maintains his knowledge of Spanish by teaching an extra-curricular class. He is intending to
attend a course outside school. Could we wholly or partially finance this?
Elizabeth Loh: By default is teaching Mandarin but is clearly inspired by this new aspect of her job and is
currently engaged in independent study.
What I have personally observed is that all four members of the Faculty talk of these challenges
with enthusiasm, which, surely, is the baseline characteristic required for true professional development to
be effected.
In my own case, since my arrival here, I have:
 taught drama
 passed IGCSE Malay
 taught Bahasa to Years 7-9 inclusive
 produced three text books
 learned the techniques of website construction and produced a wide ranging MFL website
Next year I set myself the further challenge of teaching Year 10 Bahasa. Arguably it is wrong to use myself
as an illustration, but the key point here is that personal development may be self-generated with little, if any
cost incurred. Aligned with this is the increase of in-house resources for professional development and the
availability of on-line courses. These, however, should not be random; identification of need combined with
careful research are crucial for such resources to be of benefit.
Proposal #4: Moving Faculty members into new and more challenging areas, where hitherto untapped skills
are fully utilized. Indeed, such movement may not be restricted to within the parent Faculty. Martin Collard
has expressed an interest in teaching German. Do we let him? Alan Crombie holds the diploma of Associate
of the London College of Music and yet has never taught a music lesson in his life. Do we let him?
ICT, beyond SIMS and elementary word processing, is a cornerstone of 21st century teaching, and yet there
remains huge variation in the skills of staff in this area, partly owing to insufficient time being allocated to in-
service training in this field.
Proposal #5: ICT training should be an ongoing element of professional development, each Faculty trained
independently in the skills it needs. But such training cannot be a one off. If possible, identification of the
needs of individuals could be reflected in timetabling whereby a specific period each week is allotted for
personal ICT development, a development which is monitored and brought to a discernible conclusion. Again,
I refer briefly to in-service needs for MFL; now that the website has been created, all members of the Faculty
must be trained on (a) how to access the site and, crucially (b) how to develop it themselves by including
their own material. Stewart Edmonds has already agreed to lead this session, but it will serve little long term
purpose unless the momentum is maintained by me.
Untapped skills are not confined to what a member of staff can use for his/her personal benefit.
Proposal #6: INSET led by our own staff, cascading of knowledge, even at the most basic of levels, can be
hugely beneficial especially as, unlike guest speakers, the member of staff is still there the following day for
follow-up discussion. A staff leader of INSET does not necessarily have to be the unassailable expert in the
topic, but can act as a facilitator, as the presser of the on button, for group/Faculty discussions. Do all
members of staff know how to create and effectively use PowerPoint? It is a small, but significant example,
where any ICT literate member of the School could run sessions on the use and advantages of PowerPoint.
Annie English, whose dedication and professionalism in dealing with children with special educational needs,
is to be greatly admired. But those children are in our classes also. INSET with Annie English, where she
presents her methods of dealing with these children and suggests ways in which we could try to support them,
is one example of where an individual staff member could significantly influence our understanding of and
relationship with children who are struggling.
Guest speakers naturally form part of the professional development equation and can bring valuable insight
into current educational issues and/or new trends in teaching and learning. Proposal #7: However, prior to
their arrival, discussions should take place as to ways in which the information they provide is capitalized
upon e.g. working parties or task based assignments. I am doubtful that, after the speaker has left, a take it
or leave it concluding message to the staff will produce anything but the latter effect.
Financing: for some staff professional development invariably equals a course and a course equals money.
Until my reference to guest speakers, none of the proposals involve any major financial outlay. Nevertheless,
there will be genuine need to attend courses, either in the region or in the U.K. The School should make little
apology for a degree of pragmatism in the financing of such initiatives.
Proposal #8: Finances are limited and any application must be clearly justified, by specifically indicating:
 to what extent will the individual/School discernibly benefit
 to what extent the member of staff will cascade the information on an individual, group/ Faculty or whole
school basis
 to what extent attendance on the course is essential at that given point
 to what extent the information/skills provided by the course are unobtainable by any other means
In the four years I have been here, I have never once had any professional meeting with any MFL teacher
from another school in KL. My recent attendance at the course in Bangkok Pattana brought tangible benefits
in the sharing of experiences, discussion of resources and the establishment of contacts within the region.
The course at Pattana is a large affair, but such inter-school contacts can be equally effective at a lower level.
Some schools in KL may wish to remain isolated, but some may not, and while in this respect we are planting
an acorn, if we do not try we will never know.
Proposal #9: Visits to other schools on an informal basis by Heads of Faculty to discuss any appropriate
matters dependent upon individual needs.
Shadowing: There are staff who wish to climb the professional ladder, and we have a responsibility to facilitate
such an aim. Therefore, Proposal #10: Where timetabling permits, members of staff with a desire to reach
middle or senior management level should be given the opportunity to shadow, or even assist, the relevant
line manager in his/her duties, thereby gaining first hand insight into the demands of the position to which
they aspire.