Importance of Professional Development - Essay Example

Professional Development Professional Development Roles and responsibilities The research presented today at the British Educational Research Association Conference (2007) suggests that while relative progress in each year of school is important, the earlier years are the most crucial. One of the main roles for teachers is to focus on the early year’s stage of the National curriculum and following the EYFS (Early year’s foundation stage), this will provide practitioners with the correct way of meeting the needs of all the children and ensuring they are in a safe environment. In every setting, there are health and safety policies and procedures, which should be kept up with, at all times. This is crucial everywhere, especially at children’s settings as they are the practitioners’ responsibility. Therefore as a teacher, it is crucial to provide a supportive classroom environment suitable for children to engage in learning through creation of more lasting memory arising from brain involvement (McGaugh, 2003). In engaged learning, the focus of the teacher should be to connect new information to what is known already instead of teaching pupils in isolation (Helm, 2008, p. 2). Helm (2008) also reveals a project approach as one of the means of engaged-learning that enables students to bond the convention knowledge and skills with the world they live. According to the national Union of Teachers (2012-13), the professional duties of teachers are set out in detail in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document. It requires teachers to undertake a wide range of duties including in particular planning and teaching lessons, reporting on pupils’ progress, maintaining good order and discipline, preparation of pupils for examination, collaborating with colleagues, safeguarding pupil health and safety. Practitioners need to provide various methods of effective learning as all children’s have different needs to be met. This can include singing, classroom toys, various games and physical movements. The role of the teachers is to help the child reach the milestone and reach their development stage. To do so it is essential to have a strong relationship with parents where they can communicate regarding the child’s feedback on their progress, share observations and discuss what can be done further. Entry and training Current research from the Department of education (2013) (see appendix 1) shows that as of November 2012, there were 442,000 teachers - 4,000 up on November 2011. That is 7,800 higher than in 2005, and 36,200 higher than in 2000. , therefore the expectations for applying for a teaching job has exceeded. The entry requirement for a teaching job requires at least a grade C or equivalent in Math and English therefore to become a teacher these grades are essential. This should be followed by a completion of a degree awarded by a UK university at the start of the teacher-training program or anything equivalent. ‘Increasingly, the teaching workforce is highly skilled - with 96% of teachers now qualified to degree level or above.’ (A spokesperson from the Department of education). The UCAS site states that one of the requirements is having two weeks of classroom experience beforehand and fulfilling defined non-academic requirements in medical health, and free from criminal records (UCAS, 2014). This opportunity can be used to observe the schools and routines However, being a teacher means being in form and active all day. Therefore, before completing the training course participants will have a medical test to ensure they are in good health and if SEN adjustments are needed. According to Education Gov, once you have completed your initial teacher training (ITT) and achieved (QTS), you can expect to start as a newly qualified teacher (NQT) in England and Wales on a minimum of £21,804 a year with 12 weeks of holiday within the year. In addition to basic salary, you will be eligible for a range of benefits and pension to those who it is relevant to for example teachers who work additional hours. However teachers do become stressed, which can lead to being ill and taking days off work. According to the NUT (2012-2013)To make sure you secure your sick pay entitlement, you should do all you can to inform your school as soon as possible that you will not be at work. In opposition to that, as easy as it may sound teachers do struggle. ‘Firstly theres the having to drag yourself out of your sick bed in order to write cover lessons which always seems like a terrible imposition. I dont know about anyone else but planning cover always seems at least twice as difficult (and definitely takes twice as long) since planning a lesson for when I know Ill be present to deliver it.’ (Secret teacher, Guardian 2010)This should be considered as a professional in order to success as a teacher. Key issues The two issues identified as key to affect teachers are disruptive students and teacher-pupils ratio. The findings from a survey conducted by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) revealed that the number of children with emotional, mental, or behavioral health issues was gradually increasing according to teachers’ reports. For a teacher, it is essential to consider the needs of all the children while teaching, however having a child with disruptive behavior can make this difficult to achieve since the student demonstrates behaviors like offensive operations on social site and violent assaults that occur outside the classroom. According to Liber, et al. (2013, p. 975), disruptive behavior adversely impacts the life of a child resulting prolonged negative consequences like dropping out of school early, and crime and vandalism as well as deteriorated relationships with parents. For instance, if a child starts showing disruptive behavior while the teacher is carrying out a class activity, the teacher will then have to focus on the particular child to draw his attention to classroom work and this could negatively affect the children and the teacher relationship. A survey in the Guardian shows 90% of the school staff has dealt with extreme behavior in the last year and such behavior alarms the teacher, parent and children (Todras, 2008, p. 50). It is vital to reflect on the outcomes of disruptive student behavior on teachers, as student behavior is often identified as a key variable that affects teacher stress, well-being, and confidence (Chan, 1998). The greatest fear trainee teachers have is that they will not be able to manage disruptive behavior and this could result to ceased learning for the rest of the students as well as a cause of teachers leaving the profession (Charlie.T 2012). This is reinforced by findings that 72% of a group of 60 experienced teachers indicated that they were under prepared or not prepared at all to manage behavior problems following their initial teacher training (Little, 1999). Teachers also complain about the current teacher to child Ratio. In a class of 28 children, some teachers may be left alone which can affect their teaching. For instance if an incident or an accident occurs then the teacher will have to focus on the child rather than the whole class. This does not align with the Department for Education (2014, p. 22) requirement that there has to be a staff member for every three children under two years, one staff for every four children aged two years, and one staff for every thirteen children aged three years and above. In all cases, there has to be one staff in possession of complete and pertinent three years qualification. However, according to the BBC (2013) the ratio of children to carers can only be raised if the carers qualifications meet new standards failure to which critics warn of impending compromise on the quality of care. The government policies Every child matters, Published in 2004 focuses on the outcomes, which should be met. Schools have an important part to play in achieving the aims set out in Every Child Matters teachers will need to work in partnership with other services to tackle the barriers that stop children realizing their full potential. This will mean identifying those children who need additional support and ensuring that the school works closely with other services to provide personalized support for them and their families. Understanding the information flow, to who, from whom and for what purpose – is a crucial part of your role as a teacher. First, every child requires safeguarding and protecting (Cheminais, 2008, p. 26). Teachers should always be on the lookout for harm against children’s health, environment, and life. Consequently, the teacher is expected to listen to the all children and consider all views seriously. Failure to listen to the needs of children could result to neglecting psychological needs and this could translate to serious impairment on a child’s development. A teacher should also ensure that every child’s health is observed during classroom and outdoor activities. During sports or other outdoor activities, the teacher should ensure that the environment is free from harmful items like stones, sticks, or other objects. The classroom should also be a supportive environment where each pupil is free to talk and raise each issue or report bullying or other incidents affecting him or her such that it can be dealt with effectively. In this case, a teacher should ensure that children enjoy their lessons and achieve new concepts through engaged-learning opportunities. In order to support the students in achieving various concepts, the teacher should organize creativite actions like extra curriculum activities that capture children’s interests and motivate them to achieve (Cheminais, 2008, p. 26). Additionally, the teacher can promote achievement through the application of different learning styles. Through different learning styles, learning incorporates inclusive education where each age-appropriate child receives the necessary support to learn and has the opportunity to participate and contribute to all school life activities. Conclusion The discussion in this paper evaluates professional development as a teacher in early learning. The teacher is a crucial pillar in molding pupils’ achievements, particularly by building relationships based on trust for the child’s well being, safety, achievement, and health. Bibliography Cheminais, R., 2008. Every Child Matters: A Practical Guide for Teaching Assistants. eds ed. London: Routledge. Department for Education, 2014. Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage: Setting Standards for Learning, Development and Care for Children from Birth to Five, London: Department for Education. Education.gov, 2014. School-led teacher training. [Online] Available at: http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/teacher-training-options/school-based-training.aspx [Accessed 12 August 2014]. Helm, H. J., 2008. Dont Give Up on Engaged Learning. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web, pp. 1-9. Liber, J. M., De Boo, G. M., Huizenga, H. & Prins, P. J. M., 2013. School-based intervention for Childhood Disruptive Behavior in Disadvantaged Settings: A Randomized Controlld Trial With and Without Active Teacher Support. Jounal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 81(6), pp. 975-987. McGaugh, J., 2003. Memory and Emotion: The making of lasting memories. eds ed. New York: Columbia University Press. Todras, P., 2008. Teachers perspectives of disruptive behavior in the classroom. Eds ed. Ann Arbor, United States: The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. UCAS, 2014. Teacher Training: Entry requirements. [Online] Available at: http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/teacher-training/entry-requirements# [Accessed 12 August 2014]. Read More