the new scottish teacher education professional standards and the development of the professional...
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The New Scottish Teacher Education Professional Standards and the
Development of the Professional Update System
Tom HamiltonDirector of Education and Professional Learning
HoSS ForumJune 2014#gtcsPU #gtcsPL
History:• Set up by Act of Parliament in 1965: Non-Departmental Public
Body
• GTCS became independent April 2012: Professional Statutory Regulatory Body
Aims:• Contribute to the development of a world class education
system in Scotland.
• Maintain and enhance professional standards in schools and colleges in collaboration with partners.
• Be recognised as an advocate for the teaching profession.
The General Teaching Council for Scotland: Background
Independent GTCS Functions
• Keep a register of teachers• Establish and review the standards of education
and training appropriate to school teachers• Establish and review the standards of conduct
and professional competence expected of a registered teacher
• Investigate the fitness to teach of individuals who are, or are seeking to be, registered
• Maintain a scheme of Professional Update for teachers
Independent GTCS
It is for the GTCS to determine what constitutes a recognised teaching qualification for individuals seeking registration as a school teacher.
A determination may make such provision about the education and training required to attain such a qualification as the GTCS thinks fit.
TQFE: determination remains with Scottish Government
New Standards 2013
• The Standards for Registration (Provisional, Full)
• The Standard for Career-Long Professional Learning
• The Standards for Leadership and Management (Middle Leadership, Headship)
(Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland’s Colleges Scottish Government March 2012)
Aspects of Professional Development
Professional Knowledge and Understanding
Professional Skills and Abilities
Professional Values and Personal Commitment
Professional Values and Personal Commitment
• Social Justice
• Integrity
• Trust and Respect
• Professional Commitment
Professional values are also relevant to COPAC (Code of Professionalism and Conduct)
Uses of the Standards
• Providing benchmarks for entry into the teaching profession• Providing a benchmark for teacher competence (Standard for Full
Registration)• Providing a continuum for career-long learning and professional
development• Providing a framework for self-evaluation and reflection• Designing and assessing professional learning programmes, including
award bearing programmes• Assisting with recruitment and selection processes• Supporting teachers working in other educational settings, adapted as
appropriate• Informing discussion and debate about teacher standards and
professionalism• Informing Professional Review and Development (PRD) and Professional
Update• Informing discussion, debate and public expectations about teaching
standards in schools and the wider education system
Standard for Career-Long Professional Learning
• Optional and aspirational • A focus for teachers throughout their
careers (unless they move into leadership and management)
• Advanced professional knowledge and pedagogical expertise
• Reflective, accomplished, enquiring professionals
• Adaptive experts, open to change and engaging with new and emerging ideas about teaching and learning
• Fully capable of Educating for the Future.
Professional Recognition
Key Areas:
• Deepening subject, curricular and pedagogic knowledge
• Developing areas of expertise/accomplishment• Systematically examining and developing
practice and consideration of impact• Developing collegiality and working
collaboratively• Critically engaging with theory, research and
policy
Developments in Professional Recognition
• The accreditation of programmes leading to Professional Recognition
• Streamlining the process of application by making it online
Professional Update: All professions need to keep skills and knowledge up to date....
Professional Update
35 hours contractual CPD each yearAnnual Professional Review and Development interview
Standard for Full RegistrationCode of Professionalism and Conduct
Five year sign-off to GTC Scotland
Framework on Teacher Competence
Key principles of Professional Update: teachers will have.....
• a responsibility to consider their own development needs
• an entitlement to a system of supportive PRD
• confirmation that they are maintaining the high standards required of a teacher
Professional Update Working Group
Membership:
• Scottish Government• Directors of Education• Teacher Unions• Education Scotland• Parents• University Staff• College Staff• GTC Scotland
Professional Update Consultation, Development and Evaluation
• Regional Public Meetings• Online Surveys and Comment• Pilot Projects: Phases 1 and 2• Evaluative Research:
surveys, focus groups, etc
Comments from Phase 1 Pilot
"Teachers have a professional responsibility and accountability to provide quality education for our young people and this annual and 5-yearly process gives teachers the chance to show their commitment to career-long professional learning.” (Head Teacher)
“The purpose is to help manage our PRD, and to ensure we are taking
responsibility for it. It is not onerous or time consuming.” (Teacher) “It made me think a lot more about what impact the CPD I was
involved in would have and how it would benefit me, the school and my pupils. It has helped me and my colleagues to focus on identifying the most appropriate CPD.” (Teacher)
Some important starting points about Professional Update....
• Each PU scheme should be developed with professional associations and staff
• GTCS will seek to validate PU schemes to ensure fairness and consistency across Scotland
• Effective and supportive PRD is a key feature of this development. This process should: – be led by the teacher’s self-evaluation – be supportive, challenging but not threatening – help teachers keep their skills up to date
How should PRD work?
• PRD is not just a meeting. It is a supportive process which:‒ needs careful preparation, including:• training for all involved• an emphasis on coaching and mentoring support‒ builds on a teacher’s self-evaluation‒ should help teachers to:
• identify constructive ways to update their skills• gain access to opportunities which can address areas they have
identified as requiring support• manage change• focus on ways in which they can enhance their careers
What will happen in practice...?
• An annual update, involving submission to GTCS of changes in personal details
https://www.gtcs.org.uk/GTCS-login.aspx• Continuing engagement in the PRD process
and professional learning• Reflection against the appropriate GTC
Scotland Professional Standard• Maintenance of a professional learning record
and portfolio of evidence • A five yearly Professional Update procedure
Professional Update sign off process
• Teacher:I confirm that I have engaged in ongoing professional
development in line with the GTCS Professional Standards, maintained a CPD record and portfolio of evidence, and have discussed the impact of my professional learning with my line manager as part of my Professional Review and Development process.
• Line Manager:I confirm that..... has engaged in ongoing professional
development in line with the GTCS Professional Standards, maintained a CPD record and portfolio of evidence and has discussed the impact of this as part of the Professional Review and Development process.
National roll out August 2014
2014/2015 teachers with registration years ending in a 9 or 42015/2016teachers with registration years ending in 0 and 52016/2017 teachers with registration years ending in a 6 or 12017/2018teachers with registration years ending in 7 and 22018/2019teachers with registration years ending in 8 or 3 etc.
The big issues...
• Professional Update: perception and reality– Communication of key messages
• Improving PRD: – developing a scheme which will work for teachers– Emphasis on enhancing teachers’ skills, NOT
extending competence procedures
• Addressing – the needs of teachers not currently working in
schools– the role of Head Teachers and employers
