Do you want an easy, effective, and affordable Professional Development? You can
1- Join University courses.
2- Read educational literature
3- Attend workshops
But those are probably the most common and traditional forms of professional development in our field. Let’s consider some other possibilities that can work well with tight budgets and busy schedules:
Talk with other teachers inside and outside your school. In school,there are many reasons why every school should provide teachers with a staff room. One reason is to provide a sense of unity. In some ways, our work can feel isolating because we continually stand alone in front our students to face the task of teaching. In the staff room we should find a source of support; with our colleagues we can share our excitement over a great lesson as well as our concern over a lesson that wasn’t as successful as we had hoped. Getting colleagues’ feedback on choices we made and hearing alternative approaches to teaching topics is highly valuable; we gain insight and affirm the idea that teaching can be a shared experience.
Observe other teachers. This may be uncomfortable at first especially for the one being observed, but there’s a reason why classroom observations are a key component of teacher training: learning through examples is effective. And for more experienced teachers? Classroom observations allow us to evaluate objectively the effectiveness of a particular approach and/ or strategy. We’re also given the opportunity to compare and contrast our teaching with others’. You can always return the favor by opening your door to your colleagues; strive to create a supportive relationship with other staff who teach other subjects .
Outside your school,tap into an online teaching community. Good for you! You’re already doing this. Professional support can be found beyond the staff room and on the Internet. Blogs and discussion boards can certainly expand a teacher’s knowledge and promote the development of his or her skills. Do you know a few good sites for English teachers? Share them with your colleagues.
Recommended sites:
eslHQ
TEFL.net
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day
Videotape your own classes. Not many people enjoy hearing a recording of their own voice let alone seeing themselves on video. I wish I've had the chance to do this in my class . I think that watching your own lessons as an observer allows you to be more reflective about your teaching. From your posture and movement to your use of the board, from your answers to students’ questions to your pacing of exercises and activities, observing your own classes will make you aware of all the elements that are needed to create a good lesson. Just be sure to explain to the students in advance the reason for videotaping a class so they know that you are the focus, not them, and that only you will be viewing the recordings. If you are allowed to video tape your class ,try making a vodcast. One great benefit is the pressure to “get it right” before you upload a new lesson for your subscribers. Unlike a lesson in real time, a vodcast is for posterity. Be careful that distribution your vodcast over the Internet can be very exposing, but by opening yourself up to the mix of positive and negative feedback, you become a stronger and more confident teacher. Start small, for example, by posting a private video for your own students. Invite their feedback.
All these proposals have the advantage of affordability and flexibility. I don’t present them as substitutes for the more traditional forms of professional development, but rather as additional ones. By finding some extra time in our busy schedules to develop our knowledge and skills, we renew our commitment to our students and our profession. I think we all agree that inside every teacher is an ever-present learner.
1- Join University courses.
2- Read educational literature
3- Attend workshops
But those are probably the most common and traditional forms of professional development in our field. Let’s consider some other possibilities that can work well with tight budgets and busy schedules:
Talk with other teachers inside and outside your school. In school,there are many reasons why every school should provide teachers with a staff room. One reason is to provide a sense of unity. In some ways, our work can feel isolating because we continually stand alone in front our students to face the task of teaching. In the staff room we should find a source of support; with our colleagues we can share our excitement over a great lesson as well as our concern over a lesson that wasn’t as successful as we had hoped. Getting colleagues’ feedback on choices we made and hearing alternative approaches to teaching topics is highly valuable; we gain insight and affirm the idea that teaching can be a shared experience.
Observe other teachers. This may be uncomfortable at first especially for the one being observed, but there’s a reason why classroom observations are a key component of teacher training: learning through examples is effective. And for more experienced teachers? Classroom observations allow us to evaluate objectively the effectiveness of a particular approach and/ or strategy. We’re also given the opportunity to compare and contrast our teaching with others’. You can always return the favor by opening your door to your colleagues; strive to create a supportive relationship with other staff who teach other subjects .
Outside your school,tap into an online teaching community. Good for you! You’re already doing this. Professional support can be found beyond the staff room and on the Internet. Blogs and discussion boards can certainly expand a teacher’s knowledge and promote the development of his or her skills. Do you know a few good sites for English teachers? Share them with your colleagues.
Recommended sites:
eslHQ
TEFL.net
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day
Videotape your own classes. Not many people enjoy hearing a recording of their own voice let alone seeing themselves on video. I wish I've had the chance to do this in my class . I think that watching your own lessons as an observer allows you to be more reflective about your teaching. From your posture and movement to your use of the board, from your answers to students’ questions to your pacing of exercises and activities, observing your own classes will make you aware of all the elements that are needed to create a good lesson. Just be sure to explain to the students in advance the reason for videotaping a class so they know that you are the focus, not them, and that only you will be viewing the recordings. If you are allowed to video tape your class ,try making a vodcast. One great benefit is the pressure to “get it right” before you upload a new lesson for your subscribers. Unlike a lesson in real time, a vodcast is for posterity. Be careful that distribution your vodcast over the Internet can be very exposing, but by opening yourself up to the mix of positive and negative feedback, you become a stronger and more confident teacher. Start small, for example, by posting a private video for your own students. Invite their feedback.
All these proposals have the advantage of affordability and flexibility. I don’t present them as substitutes for the more traditional forms of professional development, but rather as additional ones. By finding some extra time in our busy schedules to develop our knowledge and skills, we renew our commitment to our students and our profession. I think we all agree that inside every teacher is an ever-present learner.
