Teacher Training and Development Programs

Want to think smarter about teacher development? Imagine it like a burger: ↓ Getting better as a teacher (or helping others to get better) is not an easy task. This is due to things like the paradox of expertise (the best teachers make it *look* easy), the knowing-doing gap, and habit inertia. To give ourselves the greatest chance of success, we must invest heavily in 'what works' when it comes to professional development (PD) and ignore almost everything else. So... what works? Instructional coaching? Learning communities? Lesson study? Well, it actually doesn’t make a lot of sense to ask whether things like instructional coaching are effective. It's like asking if a burger is healthy. It depends on what they contain. Like a burger, any PD is only as good as its *ingredients*. And so, what are the 6 essential ingredients of effective PD? If any of the following are absent, change is unlikely to happen: 1/ GET IT → Helping teachers to develop an understanding of the science of teaching and learning. 2/ SEE IT → Helping teachers to develop a bank of strategies of what the science looks like in practice. 3/ TRY IT → Engaging in rehearsal to help teachers contextualise these strategies for their subject(s), students, and selves. 4/ KEEP IT → Helping teachers to build fluency in these strategies and embed them in the routines of their work. 5/ FIT IT → Tailoring development to the contexts and needs of teachers and, where possible, their teams and schools. 6/ OWN IT → Motivating teachers to invest effort in all these processes and follow through with any commitments they make. NOTE GET IT and SEE IT can be done in either order, but both must come before TRY IT, which must come before KEEP IT. FIT IT and OWN IT should be considered before and throughout the PD experience. The 'IT' in each case refers to the content of each activity. And so, while the nature of these ingredients is generic for all teachers, their content should be specific to the subject, age range, or even culture each teacher operates in. All in all, this is how we end up building the domain-specific knowledge necessary for expert teaching. 🎓 For more, check out this systematic review and guidance report on effective professional development. https://lnkd.in/eyikK9mj SUMMARY To get better as a teacher (or help others get better), we need these 6 ‘essential ingredients’ to be present: → Understanding the science → Seeing examples of practice → Rehearsing → Building habits → Tailoring to individual needs → Securing motivation 👊

What happens when you design a teacher development course WITH teachers, not just for them? You build trust. You become relevant. You sow the seeds of change. In this edition of the Beaj Education #Newsletter, our phenomenal Coach Sameen Shahid shares reflections on developing a WhatsApp-based coaching course for teachers in Pakistan - rooted in respect, relevance, and inner growth. Some highlights: ✅ Meet teachers where they are We built content around real challenges teachers raised in Beaj communities through dozens of questions, rather than assuming we knew what they needed. ✅ Respect is non-negotiable This wasn’t a “fix the teacher” model. It honored teachers as people shaped by lifetimes of constraints and difficult experiences, and offered support with humility and care. ✅ Agency is central Instead of prescribing solutions, we helped teachers reflect on their own patterns, challenges, and aspirations, then define goals and strategies that made sense for them. ✅ Growth starts inside Through tools from emotional regulation, attachment theory, and reflective practice, teachers were invited to build confidence from within. 💭 Sameen’s approach embodies one of her favourite quotes: “Yesterday I was clever, so I tried to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” – Rumi Delivered via WhatsApp through short videos, group chats, and an AI-powered voice chatbot that personalized the experience, our course made space for voice, emotion, and self-direction - rare ingredients in most professional development programs. We’re super proud of this work and honestly blown away by how much love it’s receiving from teachers (Teacher reflections coming soon!) 📖 To conclude: read the article! #Newsletter #ProfessionalDevelopment #Teachers #Pakistan #Edtech

👓 A New Report "Professional Development for Teachers in the Age of AI" 🚌 The European Schoolnet Academy Thematic Seminar Report delves into the professional development of #Teachers in the era of artificial intelligence (#AI). It emphasizes the importance of professional development programs in supporting teachers amidst rapid technological changes, highlighting their role in addressing AI-related concerns and fostering a community of teachers actively engaged in enhancing their practices. The report, authored by experts like Mutlu Cukurova and Lidija Kralj, discusses the need for evolving teacher training activities to incorporate AI and support from AI tools. It stresses the significance of educators acquiring competencies spanning ethics, AI fundamentals, and #DigitalPedagogy to effectively integrate AI in education. The report also touches on the potential challenges and ethical considerations associated with AI implementation in teaching. .......................... #DigitalPedagogy focuses on the pedagogical use of digital technologies, emphasizing how technology can transform teaching and learning practices. It involves critically evaluating digital tools from a pedagogical perspective and aligning technology use with educational objectives. 💡Implementing #DigitalPedagogy requires that educators: a. Understand digital tools available for education. b. Align technology use with pedagogical goals. c. Engage in continuous professional development. d. Collaborate with peers and share best practices. e. Focus on student engagement and personalized learning. f. Utilize digital tools for assessment and feedback. g. Be adaptable and flexible to meet evolving educational needs. ......................... What are the recommendations? The European Schoolnet Academy Thematic Seminar Report suggests several strategies for teacher trainers to effectively support teachers in integrating AI into their teaching practices: 1. #ConductPracticalActivities: Encourage hands-on tasks, either online or onsite, using AI tools to enhance understanding and produce tangible outputs for analysis, fostering peer collaboration. 2. #ImmediateImplementation: Advocate for the immediate implementation of learned skills and developed activities in the classroom to reinforce retention and practical application. 3. #Build a #ProfessionalCommunity: Foster a collaborative environment by developing a professional community that encourages peer collaboration, peer learning, and the development of AI literacy skills with a focus on pedagogy and aligning educational methods with teaching and learning principles. 4. #EmphasizePedagogy: Maintain a consistent focus on pedagogy throughout the training process, aligning educational methods with teaching and learning principles to ensure effective integration of AI in education. https://lnkd.in/eHxbZS82

🎓 English Teachers — This One’s for You! 🌍 The British Council has pulled together a treasure trove of FREE resources to support your teaching, inspire your planning, and boost your professional development. Whether you’re in the classroom, online, or designing training materials—there’s something here for you. From lesson plans and teacher development courses to research and practical classroom tips, these links are pure gold! 💡✨ 📚 Here’s your curated list of must-visit resources: 1. Teacher Essentials: https://lnkd.in/dfSGXf_E 2. Adults Teaching Resources: https://lnkd.in/dQ_nmUiG 3. Teens Teaching Resources: https://lnkd.in/d2RSVFrQ 4. Primary Teaching Resources: https://lnkd.in/dysYwkXN 5. Teacher Development Courses: https://lnkd.in/dH4XqdA8 6. CPD Framework & Self-Assessment: https://lnkd.in/dr_XBmNH 7. Teacher Educator Resources: https://lnkd.in/dqdjHJf5 8. TeachingEnglish Podcast: https://lnkd.in/dd-2SiBn 9. TeachingEnglish Webinars: https://lnkd.in/dFPVFWH8 10. Global Teaching Community: https://lnkd.in/dH9KsKGe 11. Publications & Research: https://lnkd.in/d6wYy5G2 12. Development Pathways: https://lnkd.in/dSB8SVHW 🎯 Whether you want new ideas for tomorrow’s class or you’re planning your next step in your teaching career, these links have something powerful to offer. Save this post 🔖, share it with your fellow teachers, and let’s continue growing—together! #EnglishTeachers #BritishCouncil #TeachingEnglish #ProfessionalDevelopment #CPD #ELT #TeacherSupport #UnmutedVoices

The British Council’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework for teachers describes the professional practices that are considered relevant, along with professional qualifications, to promoting good teaching across different contexts.   Although the CPD Framework is primarily intended for English language teachers and subject teachers who teach through the medium of English, most of the 11 professional practices are also relevant to teachers of any subject area.   It’s been designed to be a flexible, practical tool to help you to reflect, to observe, to research and to engage in professional development activities by providing guidance, ideas and a structure around which you can organise and plan your professional development journey.   Teachers: you can use the CPD Framework at any stage of your career to assess your own teaching practices and identify areas that you would like to develop on your own, with other teachers informally or as part of a more formal CPD programme.   Find out more about the CPD Framework and download a copy here: https://lnkd.in/ey9nXr7g

I had a fascinating chat with a school leader this week about "Comprehensive AI training for teachers". My brain immediatelly went to project-based learning, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. So I wrote this... Technology in education isn't so much about learning acronyms, or even mastering every single platform or memorising every feature. For me, it's a slow release. A teacher-centered learning experience. I have worked as a digital integration specialist before, and I learnt early that death by powerpoint 'workshops' are not effective at all. Putting pressure on those to 'get with the times' was also not a good approach. I needed to create Innovation Hubs, that were PBL based. I pose this question.. What if instead of overwhelming teachers w/ 20 hours of generic AI training, we let them pick ONE project their passionate about? Maybe using Claude for making creative writing workshops, or exploring how ChatGPT could transform book club discussions. Let them build confidence naturally, at a pace that works best for them. I wrote up a comprehensive blog on this often messy challenge- how we can shift from those painful traditional tech trainings to something that actually works. Because lets be honest, if were gonna make AI in education work, we need to stop treating teachers like their just another user manual to update. Co-Created Project-Based Professional Development within Innovation Hubs will lead to better digital literacy. Thom Markham, Ph.D. Dan Jones Kyle Wagner Al Kingsley MBE Vera Cubero Austin Levinson, Ed. M. Nick Potkalitsky, PhD Mike Kentz Professor Sean Wiebe Dan Thomas #AIinEducation #TeacherPD #ProjectBasedLearning #EdTech #FutureOfLearning

Differentiated Instruction is key but what about differentiated PD and assessment? In education, we often champion differentiated instruction to meet diverse student needs. However, are we applying the same principle to how we develop and assess our teachers? Imagine a professional development program tailored not just by subject area but by teaching experience, individual goals, and preferred learning styles. Consider assessments for educators that evaluate them in ways that reflect their unique classroom environments and challenges, rather than a one-size-fits-all rubric❗️ 🔹️Here’s why Differentiated PD and Assessment matter: 🧠 Personalized Growth: Teachers are at different points in their careers—new teachers need different guidance than veteran educators. 🔧 Relevant Skill Development: PD can be customized to focus on the areas teachers actually want to grow in, making it more meaningful and impactful. 📊 Fair and Comprehensive Evaluation: Differentiated assessment allows teachers to demonstrate their expertise in varied ways, recognizing that effective teaching isn't a single, narrow standard. It’s time to bring differentiation into every layer of education not just for students, but for the educators who inspire them. How can we rethink PD and assessment to truly support teacher growth? Let’s share ideas! 💡 #DifferentiatedInstruction #ProfessionalDevelopment #TeacherAssessment #EducationInnovation #PDforEducators

🚨Strengthening the Texas Teacher Pipeline: A Call for Regional Collaboration🚨 House Bill 2 has launched the Preparing and Retaining Educators Through Partnership Preservice (PREPP) Program, an ambitious statewide initiative aimed at revitalizing Texas’s teacher workforce. Through strategic partnerships between Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) and school districts, this initiative provides practice-based pathways into the teaching profession—ranging from traditional to residency-based and alternative certification models. 🎯 Why it matters: With districts across Texas facing certified teacher shortages, PREPP offers a real opportunity to address local staffing needs by providing structured support, paid classroom experience, and robust mentorship for future educators. 💰 What's in it for districts? The program will include stipends of up to $10,000 for teacher candidates, up to $2,000 for cooperating teachers, and up to $2,000 for district discretionary use, helping to both attract and retain high-quality educator candidates. 💰 What's in it for EPPs? The program will include up to $10,000 for candidate tuition, candidate coaching, and admin costs. In addition, at least $1,000 is allocated for mentor teachers, and up to $1,500 is available for district discretionary use, helping to both attract and retain high-quality educator candidates. 🤝 Mutually Beneficial Partnerships are essential. The path forward requires intentional collaboration among higher education institutions, school systems, and regional partners. Let’s design partnerships that are responsive to local needs, center student success, and ensure every candidate gets the mentorship and training they deserve. 📢 Your Turn: If you’re an EPP, district leader, or education advocate—how are you thinking about partnership and pipeline development this year? What innovative models are working in your region? #TexasEducation #TeacherPipeline #PREPPProgram #HB2 #EducationWorkforce #GrowYourOwn #EdPrep #RegionalCollaboration #FutureTeachers #TeacherResidency #AltCert #TASB https://lnkd.in/gfXwUAKy