Teacher trainer Beena Menon takes a closer look at the role of teacher development and why a focus on this is crucial for teaching professionals.
‘Teacher development’, ‘teacher training’ and ‘CPD’ are recently introduced terms. Previous generations of teachers may not be familiar with them. Indeed, in the course of my work as a teacher trainer, I continually find that in parts of the Middle East, S.E. Asia and India, currently practising members of the profession are quite unaware of their responsibility towards CPD. There is usually a puzzled frown in response to the suggestion that teachers need be trained and in the continual endeavour of improving own performance.
CPD – the new buzz word
The last 30 years have seen a tremendous evolution in standards and expectations from professionals. Teachers can no longer afford to be complacent and secure within their comfort zones, unchallenged and unquestioned by students and colleagues alike. In the new order mere longevity in terms of number of years of service is no longer deserving of awards and medals. The teacher as the absolute, unchallenged, unquestioned entity, the store-house and source of superior knowledge is passé; rather, what’s desirable is an ever-evolving model. CPD challenges the teacher to reflect and assess own performance through which to smarten up and sharpen their skills and tools or lose their place as the guru. Today, education is fast becoming learner led – focussing on the learner’s needs, requirements and motivation.
Changing times
This is the era of information explosion and children seem to have easier access to updated knowledge reducing the dependence on teachers and textbooks. This is also the era of increased specialisation. Society today needs multi-faceted, multi-skilled, multi-talented professionals, qualified to handle new areas of work. Formerly, a Master’s degree in English could open myriad professional arenas viz. journalism, advertising, teaching, airlines, etc. Today, a Master’s degree needs to be supported by a specialist professional degree in Mass Communication to open doors to these fields. In keeping with these social needs, our academies now include specially designed course programs and faculty to train individuals in specialised areas of work.
In response to this societal change, we need teachers to have a fresh outlook, updated knowledge and the willingness to improve themselves continuously and consistently, to be in-step with the changing needs of their students who thirst for knowledge and information. Teacher development has hence emerged as an area of specialist work wherein professionals far more experienced in learner and learning-centred methodology and an eclectic experience of teaching in varied contexts lend a hand to less-experienced colleagues through mentoring and support.
Areas of focus
A lot of national and international organisations are now offering teacher training and teacher development programs across the world. The various focus areas are:
a) To aid the teacher to interpret a method or textbook and use it effectively in the classroom.
b) To help the teacher to think of creative and interesting ways to plan and deliver the lesson.
c) To help teachers focus on the learner’s ability to use the data/information the teacher and textbooks provide.
d) To make the teacher aware of their responsibility toward their learners – through endeavouring to develop continuously professionally.
Find out more about teacher development services at Cambridge.