Archive for Conference 2011
The following questions and points were noted by facilitators of the ‘learning conversations’ which immediately followed Graham Donaldson’s keynote on his Review of Teacher Education in Scotland.
We are happy to share these questions and points, though note that they do not necessarily reflect the stance of ACTS and its committee.
Questions
How do we retain and support excellent teachers?
Do we support student teachers well enough to have them stay in the profession?
What are the job prospects for new teachers?
Why do we retain incompetent teachers, knowing that regardless of support and mentoring engagements, they often resist opportunities to ‘upskill’?
Chartered Teachers see their professional development as a lifelong process, so where to now? What opportunities will exist and how can Chartered Teachers develop to use their own skills base?
If local authorities select potential Chartered Teachers, how can equity be maintained between councils?
How can the best candidates be attracted to become Chartered Teachers, if the goal posts keep changing?
Who will be expected to study, and pay for, the new Masters?
Will the new Masters be worked towards at school or at home?
Who presently pays for a Chartered Teacher’s enhanced salary?
‘Extras’ (music, foreign languages etc) are vital to cognitive development, raising standards and economic investment. How can local authorities and government be persuaded to see these as valuable and not ‘cuttable’ in times of financial stringency?
“I have a young teacher in our school (reaching the top of the payscale, mid 30’s, excellent teacher). Where next for her?”
“My colleague wanted to go down the Chartered Teacher route. What do I tell him now?”
Graham Donaldson: Does your support for the concept and values of the Chartered Teacher programme translate into support for its current manifestation?
What will a Chartered Teacher be expected to do if there is a move from it being a status to it being a job or more defined role?
With the demise of the role of Principal Teacher in some local authorities, what will be the impact on Chartered Teachers?
How do we attract the right people into teaching given the changes ahead in the next 20-30 years?
How will policy (at national and local level) lead and support the aspiration to switch from ‘narrow accountant’ (and trust and autonomy) towards more meaningful professional responsibility based on autonomy?
What have been/are the factors at local authority and school level which have led to the effective engagement and implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence? What are the barriers, for example financial, organisational and cultural?
How do we promote genuine, effective professional collaboration?
Given current proposals and the financial situation, will Chartered Teacher continue to exist?
Without a Chartered Teacher programme and with fewer management posts in schools, what will be the career structure for teachers in the future?
Points raised
There is a current lack of analysis of the types of contributions that Chartered Teachers make. When this is evaluated, perhaps Chartered Teachers can be used for the greater good of their school.
Appropriate CPD is required for Chartered Teachers.
The proposal to increase the partnership between student teacher, university and school is welcome.
As there are no student teachers of Special Education, perhaps this should become a greater focus of the new undergraduate course.
Reductions in support staff is concerning.
A ‘third space’ could be created to allow for appropriate opportunities to have discussion at/between/across all levels, to enable understanding of policies and processes for taking them into practice.
Leadership should be focused on improving teaching and learning.
There is a conflict between schools focusing on skills and focusing on exam results.
Moving policy into practice is complex.
Policy should be critically reflected upon by all.
Inequality must be addressed in a systematic way. Dealing with the widening gap, socially and economically, is only partly within the remit of education.
Developing a learning ethos throughout schools will lead to a mindset change, raising expectations and standards.
There are many leaders in schools, often leading in different ways. This makes definition of leadership difficult.
The Curriculum for Excellence is often wrongly claimed to be ‘being done’. Chartered Teachers may be in a position to highlight this and move implementation forward.
As things are fast-paced just now, Chartered Teachers need to shout about where they see themselves fitting in the new era.
Chartered Teachers should share their expertise and be ‘co-problem solvers’.
The notion of the ‘expert teacher’ needs clarification.
Chartered Teachers could take a role within new mentoring arrangements.
Managers in schools and education establishments need to change their systems to allow Chartered Teachers to achieve the aspirations as identified by Graham Donaldson.
The reality of the Curriculum for Excellence is more complex and radical than it is generally portrayed. Where will the push or dynamic for change come from, given the influence of past practice on managers and teachers, and the constraints of short term bureaucratic school improvement cycles often based more on self justification than self education?
True collegiality means an open ethos that should encompass activist teachers playing a full part in developments.
Chartered Teachers are well placed to play a significant and supportive role in the new teacher education partnership model envisaged by The Donaldson Report.
Some noted the manner in which other professions used ‘Chartered ‘status and commented on the incongruity of education seemingly considering a move away from such a positive concept.
The following presenters have kindly provided ACTS with a copy of their Conference 2011 presentation. Click on each link below to open or save. Please respect that the content of each presentation belongs to the presenter.
Professor Christopher Day, University of Nottingham. Critical reflection on the conference
Christine Bruce, Chartered Teacher Parkhead Primary School West Lothian Council. Emotional literacy in the early years 3-8
Bob Cook and Catriona Oates, National CPD Team. Professional review and development: The wicked issue
Clare Bryden, Chartered Teacher, Oban High School, Argyll and Bute. Changing circumstances, changing approaches – the challenges of changing school and region as a Chartered Teacher
David Cameron, Independent Consultant. The big learning pathways
Donny Scott, Service Manager, Children and Families, City of Edinburgh. Non-aligned cultures: do some important keys to success lie outside the classroom?
Dr Alison Fox, University of Stirling. Leading collaborative professional enquiry in your own establishment: the costs and benefits
Joe McGeer, School of Education, University of the West of Scotland. The chartered teacher scheme in Scotland. Its creation and impact until 2010
Professor Ross Deuchar, University of West of Scotland. Learning to write again: Moving from thesis to publication
Sandra Nicol and Anne Halsall, University of Aberdeen. Leading for learning
Tom Hamilton and Rosa Murray, General Teaching Council Scotland. Chartered teacher and accomplished teaching
Inspiring Leaders of Learning
Thought – Change – Action – Impact
Saturday, 5th February 2011 at the Stirling Management Centre, Stirling
Click here to apply for tickets. Details of the workshops are here .
Sponsored by:
…………..
The 2011 ACTS Winter Conference will bring together up to two-hundred and fifty Chartered Teachers and other educationists with an interest in Chartered Teacher. The aim is to facilitate dialogue around the title of ‘Inspiring Leaders of Learning’, and within our three themes of: professional learning, leadership, and the curriculum.
The conference will focus on the roles and the learning of Chartered Teachers, within the context of the new curriculum, and the Donaldson Report on Teacher Scotland’s Future (recently published here). There will be opportunities for open discussion, reflecting constructively on experiences across stages and contexts.
Innovative approaches are planned to enhance the impact of the conference, including: structured learning conversations to increase engagement and sharing; the involvement through web conferencing of remote participants; and a visiting academic observer who will provide reflections at the conclusion of the day.
Aims: Delegates will
Possible Impact: Delegates may
Programme:
Friday evening: pre-conference dinner for invited guests (also open to conference delegates)
Saturday
9.00 – 9.45am Registration and refreshments
9.45 – 10.00am Music
10.00 – 10.15am Introduction, then conference address by Sean Stronach of the Scottish Government
10.15 – 10.55am Keynote: Graham Donaldson, Leader of the Review of Teacher Education in Scotland
10.55 – 11.40am Learning Conversations around the Report on the Review (including refreshments)
11.40am – 12.30pm Workshops
12.30 – 1.25pm Lunch
1.25 – 1.45pm Coffee, networking and SQA’s CfE surgery (optional)
1.45 – 2.15pm Keynote: David Cameron, Chartered Teachers leading learning through the new curriculum
2.15 – 2.55pm Workshops
2.55 – 3.15pm Refreshments
3.15 – 3.45pm Critical reflection on the theme of the conference from Professor Christopher Day, University of Nottingham
3.45 -3.55pm Closing remarks from David Noble, Acting Chair
3.55 – 4.25pm Panel discussion, featuring: Tom Hamilton (GTCS), Drew Morrice (SNCT), Sean Stronach, Annette McKenna (SQA), and David Noble. Chaired by David Cameron
4.30 – 5.15pm ACTS AGM with buffet
