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What is Teacher Professional Development and why it is being Practiced

What is Professional Development and why it is being Practiced

EducationGhana| September 1| What is Professional Development and why it is being Practiced

THE CPD FRAMEWORK – WHAT IS IT?

The CPD Framework was designed by the National Teaching Council to serve as a guide for teachers and service providers to plan, design and implement appropriate Professional Development (PD) plans and programs.

It is a document that highlights professional development activities, processes, procedures and products that define teacher career growth.

WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD) ?

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD) refers to the process by which teachers maintain and enhance their knowledge, skills and experiences gained as they work, beyond any initial training.

Furthermore, it is a record of what teachers experience, learn and apply.  It includes training and education programs organized within or outside the school environment that NTC approves as being relevant to the teaching profession and meet prescribed standards.

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RATIONALE FOR INTRODUCING PD ACTIVITIES 

  1. To provide guidance for teachers to continue to improve their competencies to maintain the integrity of the teaching profession and improve their professional status.

2. It is envisaged that going through the listed accredited PD activities would help maintain and enhance the knowledge, skills, attitudes and experiences gained after the initial training of teachers.

3. It is essential for teachers as professionals to preserve their professional integrity by updating their knowledge and skills to keep them abreast of contemporary issues and approaches in education.

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Why Continuous Professional Development (CPD)?

Knowledge is constantly evolving, new discoveries are made every day that challenge our convictions, what we know, and how we do things.

The following are evidence of a change in daily activities that caused a change in ideology:

 Atomic theory

 Solar systems

 Rotation and revolution

 Geocentricism and heliocentricism

 ICT migration

 Issues of gender & sex

 

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The diagram below illustrates why the need for CPD

What is Teacher Professional Development and why it is being Practiced | 1

 

OBJECTIVES OF  PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PD

PD for teachers is intended to:

i. Provide a forum for harnessing ideas and experiences to improve professional competence and
commitment.

ii. Offer intellectual, emotional and social engagements for the teachers to enrich their experiences.

To teach for better understanding, teachers must be intellectually engaged in their discipline and work regularly with others in their field.

iii. Maintain high competence that results from life-long learning.
iv. Demonstrate social responsiveness by encouraging members of the teaching profession to collaborate as a community of experts (Professional Learning Community – PLC), be current, skilful and knowledgeable in their practice.

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v. Keep teachers in good standing and be abreast of time.
vi. Maintain professional excellence.

vii. Make available prospects to supplement the initial training of teachers and improve their knowledge, skills, attitude and practices to meet diverse learners’ learning needs. viii. Assist teachers to adapt, contribute, think critically and participate actively in addressing challenges associated with teaching and learning and implement recommendations.
ix. Augment teachers’ commitment to their chosen profession.

ACTIVITIES THAT CONSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PD

  1. Self-directed training using tools like the EmoEles self-directed learning tool/system (self-studying a course text from journals, books etc, self-studying professional videos, professional audios, etc).

2. Engaging in group activities either with professionals or learners (eg. Meetings, research, writing of a book, attending conferences or seminars, taking learners on excursions, presenting at workshops etc).

3. Receiving training or education from experts (eg. SBI/CBI /DBI).

4. Performing duty-related activities (lesson or learning notes preparation, scheme of learning/scheme of work preparation of action plan, writing of reports, conducting of assessment etc.).

 

TYPICAL MODES OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ARE

  1. Individual reading/study/research.
  2. Study groups among peers focused on a shared need or topic.
  3. Observation: teachers observe other teachers.
  4. Coaching: an expert teacher coaching one or more colleagues.
  5. Mentoring of new educators by more experienced colleagues.
  6. Team meetings to plan lessons, problem solve, improve performance

    Check Also:

    How to write and Address a Letter of Sponsorship as a School in the GES HERE

    How to write and address any form of Letter to the Ghana Education Service HERE

    How to write and Address an Application for Car Maintenance Allowance as a Teacher HERE

    How to write and Address an Application for Responsibility Allowance as a Teacher HERE

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