4 Your development needs
Now read through the Standard for Chartered Teacher document, linked below, and look at the different components of the Standard identified (pp. 1–2). These may be helpful in considering your development needs. Some of these will be obvious – for example, becoming familiar with a new reading scheme. Some may be imposed, such as the need to meet new curriculum requirements. The next activity aims to help you rationalise your priorities. It builds on the work you carried out in Activity 1.
Click on the link below to open the Standard for Chartered Teacher document (15 pages, 874 KB).
Standard for Chartered Teacher document [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]
Activity 5
Return to the notes you made in Activity 1 which helped you identify the challenges and opportunities in your role. Then open Template 1.3, ‘Development needs’ (linked below) and print it. In the column headed ‘Need’, list the things you would like to learn more about, or learn to do, or experience for the first time. Under ‘Reason’, note down why you feel this is necessary. Finally, use the column headed ‘Priority’ to help you identify whether the need is a medium or a high priority.
Click on the link below to open Template 1.3
Here is an example to help get you started:
| Need | Reason | Priority (ranking) |
|---|---|---|
| To update my subject knowledge in Science work on earth and space. | Changes in curriculum requirements. New opportunities are presented by the use of the internet. | Medium. |
Discussion
Listing your needs is the easy part. Working out how to meet these needs can be harder. Various options include:
attending staff development activities in your school or elsewhere, for example:
'shadowing’ someone who already knows how to do it;
working collaboratively with someone more experienced;
getting a colleague to help.
learning on your own – for example, using a software manual or self-tuition program to learn how to use presentation software;
learning by simply tackling the task – for example, agreeing to research and write a study guide in order to learn more about study skills.