CPD Team

You may – like me – have good and positive memories of the 2007 McKinsey report into the best performing school systems, which offered a very simple solution to school improvement, “It’s the teacher stupid.” The authors reached the conclusion that “the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers”, and this acknowledgement of the central importance of professional learning and teacher development for school improvement has since been further explored in “Teaching Scotland’s Future”.

McKinsey et al have now produced a second report which looks at how systems continue and sustain improvement, regardless of their starting point. It considers the need to contextualise the practice of other countries to take account of local circumstances, and the need to select interventions based on where the system currently is located. It describes some of the “sources of ignition” that are present in every sustained improvement. There is an interesting section which explores the implications of Michael Fullan’s findings around “Collective Capacity” which “enables ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things” by developing a better understanding of effective practice, but even more powerfully by working together to generate commitment. “Moral purpose, when it stares you in the face through students and your peers working together to make lives and society better, is palpable, indeed virtually irresistible. The collective motivational well seems bottomless. The speed of effective change increases exponentially“. These findings are particularly interesting to the CPD Team in regard to the continuing and developing interest in Learning Rounds across Scotland.

Check out the full report here

The conference for the National CPD Network in Scotland will take place in Stirling Management Centre on 9th / 10th March. The theme is “Donaldson and us – to boldly go..,”. The conference will focus on building wisdom around the recommendations of the Teaching Scotland’s Future report and its recommendations.

The first day will provide opportunities for shared discussion and reflection on a range of the recommendations linked in particular to the four big themes of:

• building leadership capacity
• partnership working
• coaching and mentoring
• impact

On day two, Graeme Logan will be attending as a contributor and participant.  The focus on the second day will be to develop and share strategic planning proposals around the themes identified above.  These proposals will  be circulated to the Scottish Government, Teachers’ Division, GTCS and SEQIA.

 A number of colleagues will be offering their insights and current responses to Donaldson in five minute “thought pieces” over the two days.   

 The network meeting gives an exceptional opportunity for educators from all the interested parties to come together for an extended period to reflect on and offer ideas on the way forward, ensuring that our partnership working will be authentic and will have impact on learning.  

 The whole event will be supported by the CPDNet community on Glow, including a sharing tool specially devised to bring out practice, issues, ideas and insights around each of the recommendations. Participants will be using laptops throughout, so keep an eye on the #cpdnet11 if you cannot make the event.

The complete agenda

Day 1

0930 – 1000              Coffee and registration

1000 – 1200              Discussion groups on the big themes

1200 – 1300              Lunch

1300 – 1630              World Café – reflecting on shared perspectives

Day 2

0930 – 1000              Coffee and registration

 1000 – 1130              Graeme Logan – presentation and discussion forum

1130 – 1200              Strategic planning – setting the agenda

1200 – 1300              Lunch

1300 – 1500              Strategic planning – the finished product!