Taking responsibility for professional development

Taking responsibility for professional development is one of the 12 professional practices in the British Council's CPD framework for teachers. It is about understanding your professional needs, interests and learning preferences in order to identify areas for development, defining short, medium and long-term career goals, understanding the developmental pathways available, using technology to facilitate professional development, staying up to date with developments in education in teaching and learning and being aware of, selecting and engaging in, appropriate professional development opportunities and resources to inform classroom practice.

Taking responsibility for professional development involves:
  • Understanding my professional needs, interests and learning preferences in order to identify areas for development.
  • Defining my short, medium and long-term career goals.
  • Understanding the developmental pathways available to reach my specific career goals.
  • Using technology to facilitate my professional development.
  • Staying up to date with developments in education in teaching and learning.
  • Being aware of, selecting and engaging in, appropriate professional development opportunities and resources to inform my classroom practice, including:
    • collaborating with colleagues and other professionals
    • reflective practice
    • teacher research and other forms of classroom enquiry
    • attending and presenting at conferences
    • participating in training
    • reading and publishing
    • joining teachers' associations
    • observing other teachers and being observed
  • Reflecting on and evaluating the benefit of my continuing professional development and its impact on my classroom practice and my learners’ achievements.
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