Accessing CPD by @FlyMyGeekFlag

Name: Sarah Bedwell
Twitter Name: @FlyMyGeekFlag
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught: Science
Position: Lead Learner – New Technologies
What is your advice about? Accessing CPD

1. Don’t just rely on schools to send you on CPD – it’s often not very good.
2. Decide on the key areas that you want to focus on in developing your professional knowledge and skills.
3. Join in on Twitter chats – there’s plenty for each sector and subject. They can be a wealth of information, advice and guidance – and networking.
4. Think about attending one or two Saturday conferences. Don’t overdo it, as your time is precious.
5. Read – read journals, blogs, books and whatever you can get your hands on. Ask others for recommendations and build you own professional library.

Great books for the sceptical teacher by @oldandrewuk

Name: Andrew Old
Twitter name: oldandrewuk
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Maths
Position: Teacher
What is your advice about? Great books for the sceptical teacher.

1. Seven Myths About Education by Daisy Christodoulou
2. Urban Myths about Learning and Education by Pedro De Bruyckere, Paul A. Kirschner & Casper D. Hulshof
3. Why Don’t Students Like School? by Danial T. Willingham
4. What Every Teacher Needs to Know About Psychology by David Didau and Nick Rose
5. Teacher Proof by Tom Bennett

5 things Einstein didn’t say (that you might hear during CPD or assemblies) by @JamesTheo

Name: James Theobald
Twitter name: @JamesTheo
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): English
Position: Teacher
What is your advice about? 5 things Einstein didn’t say (that you might hear during CPD or assemblies)

1. “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
2. “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
3. “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”
4. “I don’t need to know everything, I just need to know where to find it when I need it.”
5. “Please stop Google searching quotes by me to use for your presentation. I probably didn’t say what the internet tells you I said.”

CPD by @informed_edu

Name: David Weston
Twitter name: @informed_edu
Sector: Early Years,Primary,Secondary,FE,Special school
Subject taught (if applicable):
Position: Chief Exec, Teacher Development Trust
What is your advice about? CPD

1. Keep a folder of notes from any CPD, INSET or training you attend. Include a summary of reflections and action points.
2. Make notes in the diary at 2 weeks, 2 months and 2 terms to revisit the ideas and check your progress.
3. If you are given advice on ‘best practice’ then ask for the evidence base, where possible, and try and find alternative viewpoints before coming to a conclusion.
4. Before making a change in your practice, identify the difference you want to see in pupils (or colleagues) and where you can get follow-up advice.
5. After training, seek ways to objectively check if your learning has genuinely and objectively had an impact on pupils or if you’ve merely done something enjoyable/novel.

Dealing with mentors by @thefish64

Name: Fish64
Twitter name: @thefish64
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable):
Position: Head of department
What is your advice about? Dealing with mentors

1. Mentors vary – but they usually like to talk. Listen to them and you will get useful advice, but don’t necessarily always take everything they say as gospel
2. Mentors, like you, will be incredibly busy. They should make time for you, but be aware that unexpected events/SLT demands can lead to meetings being rescheduled
3. I remember seeing my mentor teach and thinking “I could have done it better”. Probably so could your mentor, had it not been for all their other commitments.
4. A good mentor will welcome your ideas, but will also warn you of possible pitfalls. Their advice on timing is likely to be spot on
5. Remember, mentors want you to do well – it is as much in their interest as yours that you are successful

Avoiding EduMyths by @greg_ashman

Name: Greg Ashman
Twitter: @greg_ashman
Sector:  Secondary
Subject: Maths and Physics
Position: Head of Maths
5 Bits of Advice About:  Avoiding EduMyths

1. Just because they told you it was true when your were training, it doesn’t mean that it is. Training colleges perpetuate all sorts of EduMyths.
2. Learning styles and brain gym are just the most *well known* examples of EduMyths.
3. A scientific theory is something that has been rigorously tested by experiment. An education theory is often just what someone reckons.
4. If you challenge EduMyths then be prepared for people going on about ‘ontology’, ‘post-structuralism’ and stuff like that. This can mostly be disregarded.
5. Read a myth-busting blog like mine!

Subject Specific Support and CPD for Science Teachers by @oboelizzie

Name: Liz Coppard
Twitter name: @oboelizzy
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Science
Position: Supply teacher and freelance curriculum developer
What is your advice about? Subject specific support and CPD for Science teachers

1: Join the Association for Science Education, the ASE, the largest subject teachers’ association in the UK. Visit their website at http://www.ase.org.uk

2: Join #asechat on twitter every Monday night between 8.00 and 9.00 pm. Attend the regional CPD events in your area and meet other Science teachers.

3: Attend the ASE Annual Conference held in January; this offers the very best value for money CPD and fabulous networking opportunities for science teachers of all disciplines

4: Start to think about your own ‘professional learning journey’, Look at what you need to do to achieve Chartered Science Teacher Status (C.Sci.Teach – all on the ASE website).

5: Remember you are not alone. The ASE offers support, friendship, resources, journals, books and high quality CPD opportunities at reduced rates.

Finding Ideas to Better Your Practice by @rlj1981

Name: Rachel Jones
Twitter name: @rlj1981
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Classics and Computing
Position: Assistant Director of Studies
What is your advice about? Finding ideas to better your practice

1: Pedagoo and staff.rm have some brilliant blogs that can inspire you. There are also a place for teachers without blogs to start blogging. Give it a go.

2: Have a look on the TeachMeet wiki and attend a local event. If you feel brave you might like to present an idea that has worked in your classroom.

3: A lot of teachers use social media to share ideas. There is obviously Twitter and FaceBook, but also have a look a Pinterest and Instagram.

4: Once you find some blogs that you find useful you might like to follow them, that way you get an update when there is a new post. Saves you hunting for new things to read.

5: I have found ‘talking’ to others rather than lurking more useful on social media. Do what you feel comfortable with and what will help you most.

Using Twitter for CPD by Webby

Name: Webby
Twitter name:
Sector: Secondary
Subject taught (if applicable): Maths
Position: Teacher
What is your advice about? Using twitter for CPD

1: Remember that 140 characters means that thoughts are usually expressed with greater certainty and fewer nuances than is genuinely the case.

2: Join in scheduled twitter conversations that are of interest to you (either by subject eg. #rechat or position in school eg. #nqtchat)

3: People tend to follow those who they instinctively agree with. Follow others too and actively engage in professional debate.

4: Remember you are publishing your thoughts publicly – don’t write something that would allow a student or colleague to be identified.

5: There are some very good ‘self publicists’ on twitter who may/may not have a back-story they are not telling! Lots of followers may not mean good advice!

Essential Survival Skills for the First Year by @MsHJS

Name: Anon
Twitter name: Ms HJS
Sector: Primary
Subject taught (if applicable):
Position: Leader for teaching and learning
What is your advice about? Essential survival skills for the first year

1: Magpie ideas. Visit other people’s classrooms, listen to conversations in the staff room and steal what works.

2: Spend 5 minutes at the end of the day identifying 5 things that went well. Choose one thing you will try to develop. Just one.

3: Ask questions. Schools are busy, complex organisations so you need to be proactive in seeing out information.

4: Think about your unique selling point. What is it that you bring to the classroom? Be proud of being you.

5: Pace yourself physically. Don’t say yes to everything, say I’d like to in the future.