InTuition, Summer 2014, IfL

For teachers and trainers committed to excellence Issue 17 Summer 2014

InTuition

The journal for professional teachers and trainers in the further education and skills sector

Mr Drew’s views TV’s Stephen Drew argues for professionally trained teachers Opinion p8 Welcoming your feedback on this edition – see page 3

The pressure to pass learners at any cost News p4

Operation education: how the British Army trains its trainers

Making sense of FE’s new professional standards for teachers and trainers

Feature p12

InPractice p24

Educators against climate change Geoff Petty p30

www.ifl.ac.uk

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Supporting excellent teachers and trainers As an IfL member, you can access a range of benefits and services to support you in your professional practice.

Continuing professional development (CPD) improves and enhances your skills and knowledge for the benefit of your learners.

Have you achieved QTLS or ATLS status yet?

IfL is the only organisation that confers the professional status of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) and Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS).

More than 15,000 IfL members have achieved QTLS status since its introduction in 2008.

What are the benefits of gaining QTLS or ATLS status?

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QTLS status is recognised in law as equal to QTS for teaching in schools

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Career progression: QTLS and ATLS status demonstrates your commitment, skills and knowledge to employers

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Recognition of your status as a professional teacher or trainer

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Valuable continuing professional development (CPD) that builds confidence and enhances your skills

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The opportunity to be listed on IfL’s professional status register; a mark of up-to-date experienced professionals

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Members with QTLS or ATLS can use these initials as a designation.

Find out more at www.ifl.ac.uk under CPD and QTLS.

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Resources to support your CPD IfL supports your CPD wherever you practise and at every stage of your career with:

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IfL’s series of “InTuition Live” webinars

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Geoff Petty, IfL patron, answers your questions on teaching and training in his regular ‘Ask Geoff’ column

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a growing online library of resources including research on effective teaching and training.

help in organising and managing your CPD via , IfL’s online personal learning space and portfolio

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Welcome

Let’s celebrate the vital work of all our teachers and trainers

Contents This edition features a few different faces – and some you may recognise.

Dr Jean Kelly, who you may be familiar with from CPD Matters,

was appointed IfL’s chief executive in the spring, following Toni Fazaeli’s retirement. You can read about Jean’s vision for IfL and the teaching profession on page 10.

Also new this month is our policy column, ‘Shane explains’, where policy officer Shane Chowen gives an overview of the latest policy updates that have an impact on FE and skills. You can read Shane’s policy news in more detail on the IfL website under ‘Our work’. Then, there’s Stephen Drew of Educating Essex and Mr Drew’s school for boys fame, who adds his views to the qualified teacher debate on page 8.

We also look at the new professional standards for teachers and trainers in FE and skills, which were launched in May. Alan

Give us your feedback on our latest issue

Thomson reviews the standards and what impact they will have on teachers and trainers. We’ll be asking you how you are applying the standards to your professional practice in the

For more information visit www.ifl.ac.uk Or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter

coming months.

many awards in FE and skills, IfL believes that there aren’t and trainers. You can read about Katy Graham, the winner of the inaugural VQ Newly Qualified FE Teacher of the Year Award, sponsored by IfL, on page 5. Katy, along with finalists Lee Elgy and Paul Blakemore MIfL QTLS were recognised at the VQ Awards event held in London in June.

Balmer MIfL QTLS, who has won the IfL category in this year’s Transforming Lives Awards, supported by IfL, Niace and NOCN as part of Adult Learners’ Week 2014. You can read more about Robert, who trains in the armed forces in the next edition.

As with every edition of InTuition, do keep in contact and let us know your thoughts on this edition at editor@ifl.ac.uk.

Marie Ashton Managing Editor

InTuition EDITORIAL

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Opinion Stephen Drew Tom Starkey

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Interview Dr Jean Kelly

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Feature Not so basic training

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CPD Matters Critical reflection Professional identity Active learning

15

Research 23 Pedagogic research forum InPractice Professional standards

24

InSight Time on the ‘shop floor’

26

Geoff Petty Let’s save the planet

30

Books

32

InFocus Pedagogue column

34

Noticeboard

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Editorial board

Also, just this edition goes to print, congratulations to Robert

editor@ifl .ac.uk InTuition , Institute for Learning, 49 – 51 East Road, London N1 6AH

Letters Your views and input

Finally, congratulations to two teachers who have recently been recognised in awards supported by IfL. While there are enough that celebrate the vital work undertaken by teachers

Contacts

News 4 FE’s unearned qualifications

Managing Editor: Marie Ashton Editor CPD Matters: Jean Kelly Editorial support: Michelle Charles Publishing and Editorial Adviser: Alan Thomson www.ifl .ac.uk/intuition

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in this publication are not necessarily those of IfL or members of the editorial board.

Registered office: First Floor, 49 – 51 East Road, London N1 6AH Published: April 2014 ISSN: 2050-8950

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News

IfL members expose FE’s unearned qualifications Initial findings from a survey of IfL members show more than half of respondents have witnessed manipulation of data to maximise funding By staff reporters Further education teachers and trainers are under growing pressure to ensure learners are awarded qualifications they have not earned, research into quality assurance practices suggests.

A survey of IfL members suggests that teachers and trainers are deeply uncomfortable with a fundingdriven approach to quality assurance in FE that they say leads to the manipulation of student success rates in order to maximise the funding received by providers.

One IfL member reported managers saying that they “can’t afford to let anyone fail”.

Another said that many learners gained qualifications that their skill levels did not warrant, while a third teacher admitted doing the exam for a lot of learners.

They are among initial findings from ongoing research being carried out

by Dr Rob Smith, a principal lecturer and research fellow in post-compulsory education at the Centre for Research and Development in Lifelong Learning (Cradle) at the University of Wolverhampton.

Dr Smith’s work builds on his earlier research into quality

assurance which, he argues, provides evidence of the negative impact of managerialist cultures and a funding methodology based on ‘success’ rates and, more recently, retention.

“These features of the FE landscape have led to practices like teaching to the test and, worse, to the awarding of unearned qualifications to students for the purposes of harvesting maximum funds for colleges,” Dr Smith told InTuition.

“Where this takes place – and my research shows it is widespread – it throws into question the value and authenticity of some of the qualifications being awarded to students in FE.” Dr Smith’s findings are based on earlier research, which he outlined in InTuition last year (Data-driven quality versus ‘real’ quality in FE, issue 14).

In this article he appealed to IfL members to complete a survey on quality assurance.

Seven out of ten respondents to the survey, which so far has attracted more than 50 responses, did not value the quality assurance processes used by their employers while 64 per cent thought that performance data did nothing to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

More than half (56 per cent) of respondents said they had witnessed examples of the manipulation of data to maximise funding.

Dr Smith is appealing for more IfL members to help with his ongoing research by completing his QA survey at bitly/RSmithQA To read a paper by Dr Smith on the survey, go to www.ifl. ac.uk/cpd-and-qtls/resourcesto-support-your-cpd

We have seen significant policy initiatives implemented in our sector this year.

For 16-19 year-olds, the first full year of study programmes is now coming to an end. We know at IfL that this policy has meant that teachers and trainers have had to work hard to collaborate in new ways across teams at your institution – for instance in planning and delivering English and maths – and with employers in curriculum development, assessment and work experience.

Hopefully, adult learners are beginning to feel the benefits of a greater emphasis on

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English and maths in their learning too. However, we are acutely aware of the concerns among teachers and trainers around the practicalities and relevance of embedding GCSE English and maths qualifications into already busy learning programmes.

In apprenticeships, the government is reforming funding arrangements so that employers have more control over the learning they want to deliver. The government believes this will increase demand and quality of apprenticeships. But many in the sector, including the Association of Employment

IfL

Shane explains: what does policy really mean?

and Learning Providers, say that forcing employers to make an up-front cash contribution to the cost of training will turn them off apprenticeships.

Also, new apprenticeship ‘trailblazer’ standards,

phased in over the next few years, will see grading in apprenticeships as well as end-point summative assessment for the first time.

In teaching and learning, Ofsted has announced that it is to trial an approach that sees an end to grading individual lesson observations.

We know that providers take their cue from Ofsted inspection practices, so we could see a significant shift in the way that teaching, learning and assessment is monitored and evaluated.

Watch this space.

Shane Chowen is policy officer at IfL

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IfL’s Toni honoured by accolade The Women’s Leadership Network (WLN) has presented its Inspiring Leader Award 2014 to Toni Fazaeli, who retired as IfL’s chief executive in April.

The WLN paid tribute to the leadership Toni had shown throughout her career as a teacher, senior civil servant and in her seven years as chief executive of IfL. “Throughout her career, Toni has focused on teaching and learning, quality and equality and the leadership of learning,” the WLN said.

Toni, who received the award at the WLN conference held in May, said she was honoured.

“I am proud to be associated with WLN and its work in encouraging career progression and in raising awareness of the need for equality of opportunity throughout a sector where nearly two-thirds of teachers and trainers are women,” she said.

Former policewoman Katy Graham has won the inaugural VQ Newly Qualified FE Teacher of the Year Award, sponsored by IfL. Having left the force, Katy is now learning area manager for art, music and performing arts, sport and uniformed public services at Bishop Auckland College.

She received her award from IfL’s chief executive Jean Kelly at the Annual VQ Day Awards ceremony held in London in June.

Katy said: “I’m elated and very humbled to be named as the winner of the VQ Newly Qualified FE Teacher of the Year Award 2014.

“I enjoy teaching so much and I sincerely hope my work has given my students the skills and inspiration to pursue their chosen careers with confidence – and that it will continue to do so for many years to come.”

Katy completed a Level 4 qualification in policing skills at Bishop Auckland while in the police service. When she decided to retrain as a further education teacher, Katy continued her studies completing her PGCE in post-compulsory education and training in 2010,

IfL at a glance Years in membership 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 >8

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Katy (right) with Jan Hodges chief executive of the Edge Foundation

THE EDGE FOUNDATION

IfL

Katy Graham wins award for NQT of the Year 2014

awarded by the University of Sunderland.

Jean said: “Katy’s successful journey from police officer to highly effective teacher highlights the importance and value of initial teacher training.

“Katy has shown her dedication to achieving the best outcomes for her learners, constantly trying to improve herself through professional development, creating successful education projects and working with others to share effective practice. She is a worthy winner of this new VQ award.”

The award ceremony, hosted by the Edge Foundation, coincided with the publication of a report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), also funded by the Edge Foundation.

The report, Winning the Global Race? Jobs, Skills and the Importance of Vocational Education, shows that the demand for teachers and education professionals is set to rise to meet the demand for high-quality vocation education.

Read the report at www.ippr.org/publications

Member poll What is the main way in which you support new teachers and trainers at work?

94%

3%

● Promoting initial teacher training ● Formal coaching or mentoring ● Informal support

Next issue Teaching tribes: teacher, trainer, tutor, lecturer, assessor – which are you?

Keeping it professional in the Facebook age Contact editor@ifl.ac.uk

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News & Views

• Ear to the ground: Jean Kelly, IfL chief executive

ALAMY

Let’s finally recognise the importance of ‘teacher as researcher’, says IfL’s new chief executive

I’m listening to the buzz of conversations about the use of research in excellent teaching and training. It really is music to my ears.

Maintaining and updating knowledge of educational research to develop evidencebased practice is an integral part of the 2014 professional standards published last month; BERA-RSA have just completed an inquiry into the role of research in teacher education (see news in brief, page 7) and the Learning and Skills Research Network has confirmed itself as the ultimate sector survivor with its latest conference on teaching professionalism.

The importance of evidence comes out in every survey and focus group that we run at IfL with you in mind, but there is as yet still no coherent plan in the sector for teacher research and development.

In each of our annual CPD reviews we have called for the teacher as researcher to be recognised, but it is a long time coming – why? Let us know your views on this at editor@ifl.ac.uk We have also been involved in other kinds of conversations. The 157 Group, in partnership with the ETF, has been inviting views about leadership: what it means, what it looks like and how it will look in the future.

IfL believes that leadership runs

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“The seminar was oversubscribed and we had some excellent discussions on the development of teachers as leaders” throughout an organisation and that it is crucial that it is recognised at every level.

The leadership of teaching and training is one of our presidential themes this year, in partnership with the University of Cambridge.

IfL held a seminar at Wolfson College in Cambridge (pictured) earlier this month and IfL’s chair of governors Sue Crowley and I spoke on this topic. It is obviously important to many of you too, as the seminar was over-subscribed and we had some excellent discussions on the development of teachers as leaders.

This will form the basis of a think-piece to be published soon and a further seminar on the way, so keep a look out if you are interested in being part of this debate.

• Your letters

The real life of an assessor I found Jim Douglas’s article (“A coaching approach to work-based assessment”, InTuition, Issue 14) very interesting, but I do feel compelled to comment on what was not in the article.

I have been an assessor for some years now and here are some of my experiences; 1. Some learners are somewhat negative – and occasionally hostile – to the fact that they have been instructed to do the NVQ. In one case, the learner was due to retire within a short time.

2. A likely cause of the above is that employers are ‘ticking boxes’ by placing employees on such courses.

3. Language difficulties can make for a very difficult time for the assessor. I’m inclined to think that, for many, their grasp of the English language means they should not be enrolled on the course.

4. The most important aspect is that there were people who really wanted to participate in learning, often seeking to progress beyond their Level 2 award, but there was no support from management for them to continue their studies.

Nick Stokes

Pick of the Tweets Shane Mann @shanermann Really pleased to see @ IFL_Members have created a new award for #VQday recognising newly qualified teachers Matt O’Leary @drmattoleary Following @LFitzjohnOfsted recent news about piloting ungraded #lessonobs in FE Inspections, here’s a timely paper goo.gl/los7GB

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Hidden agenda in gender As a lecturer and therapist, I found the article “Levers of change” (InTuition, issue 16) thought-provoking. It is certainly inspiring to read about women who have the courage and the drive to venture into – and then be successful in – previously “mostly male” zones.

But, sometimes, I think we confuse equality issues with gender preferences. Men and women will always be different.

Engineering has not traditionally been a career of choice for women, any more than caring professions (especially at the most basic levels) are generally first choice for men. Why do we get so worked up about what we call “gender imbalance”? Are there are other forces at work?

Jennie Cummings-Knight

A senior service?

I write in response to “Making the leap into management”, (InTuition, issue 16).

I was concerned by the assumption that many teachers and trainers are obliged to move into management in order to further their career, gain job satisfaction and enjoy increased remuneration.

Why can’t the next ‘natural career move’ be that of senior teacher or senior trainer? This would ensure that learners receive a continuous quality education by experienced and capable staff, without having to be taught by a succession of newly qualified staff.

It could be argued learners do not need managers, only teachers and trainers. Learners seek to gain knowledge, skills and insight and for these purposes do not need to come into contact with a manager.

Dr Alec C Carrotte

News in brief

‘Consumers of research’ Teachers, trainers and teacher educators should be creators and consumers of research and use it to inform and improve their practice, according to a report.

Learner outcomes are likely to improve where professional teachers and trainers engage in research, says Research and the Teaching Profession, published by the British Education Research Association (BERA) and the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).

The report states that education leaders have a responsibility to develop research-rich learning environments and that inspection frameworks should explicitly recognise the importance of research to practitioners professional identities and practice.

Jean Kelly (pictured), IfL’s chief executive said: “IfL fully endorses the view that enquiry-based practice should start with initial teacher training and extend throughout a teacher’s career, so that innovative and collaborative practice is embedded in the institution and becomes the normal way of teaching and learning, driven by teachers.”

Read the full report at bit.ly/1oMKxQu European funding Funding opportunities are available for teachers and

trainers through the Erasmus+ scheme.

The seven year €14.7bn scheme aims to foster co-operation between education, training and youth organisations and to bridge the worlds of education and work to tackle skills gaps in Europe.

Sheila Thorpe, professional development manager at Chichester College and a member of IfL’s editorial board, said: “I have just welcomed back seven teachers from Finland. This was the third of similar trips, one to the Netherlands and another to Denmark.

“During each visit, teaching strategies were shared widely by hosts and participants. New friendships and collaborations have been forged, for example joint virtual collaborations, plans for student placements and investigation into the potential for joint learning.

“The programmes and the generosity of our hosts allowed flexibility so that staff could take every opportunity to investigate anything new they had seen.” http://ec.europa.eu/ programmes/erasmus-plus/ index_en.htm Resources available New resources are available for teachers and trainers via the Traineeship Staff Support Programme (TSSP).

The Education and Training Foundation made £715,000 available last December to fund 14 projects, looking at ways to improve the quality of teaching in English, maths, employability and basic occupational skills; supporting staff to engage with employers; supporting the development of robust initial assessment processes to ensure appropriate learner enrolment; improving the quality of provision for learners from vulnerable

and excluded groups.

Full details are available at www.traineeship-staffsupport.co.uk/about-us RSA Fellowship offer For more than 260 years, the RSA has been finding practical solutions to social challenges.

Working with 27,000 global Fellows, the RSA is committed to learning and innovation. RSA Fellows enjoy access to a huge, international resource of expertise and experience and, as an IfL member, you can join the RSA Fellowship network, taking advantage of a reduced fee and fasttrack application.

To request a joining pack, please contact Alex Barker at the RSA on 020 7451 6896 or email alexandra. barker@rsa.org.uk Comparing performance Data on qualification outcomes for learners and their destinations postqualification are included in a new online comparison tool launched by Ofsted.

The Further Education Data Dashboard allows people to see how an individual provider compares against national averages.

Ofsted says it is aimed primarily at governors and sector leaders to help them measure performance and drive improvement. Teachers and trainers may also find the dashboard a useful tool. http://dashboard.ofsted. gov.uk

Send us your views Email us at editor@ifl.ac.uk or tweet us at twitter.com/ IfL_Members #IfL_InTuition.

Please note that letters may be edited for publication.

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Views

Opinion Just because it ticks boxes and is easy doesn’t make it right

By Stephen Drew

It is natural to be attracted to solutions to problems that seem to be simple, quick and money saving. When faced with the need for a qualified teacher or tutor for our students, leaders in education can experience that moment of blind panic when finding a scientist, engineer or mechanic with the right qualifications and experience seems impossible.

How good would it be if someone could come up with a way to get around this problem? We all know it exists and we need to make sure we don’t pretend that it doesn’t.

Fixating on the fact that the person who is teaching students is trained to teach is surely no longer something we can afford to do. If the trained and qualified teachers are not available, then make it easier for those with the required knowledge and experience in the subjects to come into schools and colleges.

It surely makes sense to focus on the actual skills needed in terms of academic and vocational knowledge and make these the core of what decides who is employed to fill the position, so that our students do not miss out on a course that they need access to.

It sounds very much like a simple, quick and probably money-saving solution.

It is – in the short term. However, what it fails to recognise is that teaching is a craft, a skill set and an art form. Teaching is not something you can just do. It is something you can just do badly with devastating effects on students.

The fact that someone is a brilliant scientist, engineer or mechanic does not

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RICOCHET TV

Teachers are not born with their skills or magically acquire them – they are trained professionals

make them capable of teaching. Teaching is so much more and to say that you can do it well without proper training is insulting to students.

Teachers are like the plate spinners who we used to see on the TV variety shows. The actual knowledge of the subject is perhaps five out of the 50 plates that need to be spun.

An effective teacher is a mixture of many roles: public speaker, trainer, counsellor, rule-maker, rule-enforcer, rule-breaker, carer, psychologist, medic, surrogate parent, travel agent, mystic and life coach.

Effective teachers learn these skills

from proper training. We are not born with them and we do not magically acquire these skills. We learn them through training and experience.

I understand that allowing people with relevant subject skills to come and teach without training is a quick solution to the crisis we face in schools and colleges.

However the fact it is easy and seems to tick the necessary boxes does not make it right. Sometimes the right thing to do is actually the hard thing to do.

Instead of seeking short cuts why not ask why it is hard to get people to enter the profession? Perhaps if a bit more time was spent improving the working

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Opinion All change: CPD has a platform alteration

By Tom Starkey Could meeting other teachers and trainers in a pub via Twitter be the future of professional development?

experience, image and conditions of teachers in schools and colleges then more of the brilliant people with relevant skills who want to teach would be attracted to train to do so and everyone would be better off.

My mum bakes brilliant cakes and wonderful roast dinners. Regardless of how much I love her, I do not think she would be a great teacher!

Stephen Drew is head teacher at Brentwood County High School and starred in two recent Channel 4 TV programmes: Educating Essex and Mr Drew’s School for Boys

Following a quick suggestion to some Twitter friends – who I’ve only ever seen as tiny icons accompanying their online profiles – a couple of months down the line I find myself in a mock Tudor pub on a Saturday afternoon discussing many of the different pressures of teaching with some fabulous practitioners.

Primary, secondary and further education are all represented and the good folk sitting around me run the full gamut of roles from classroom teacher to senior management from across the country. It’s a great afternoon – information is shared, problems that previously were assumed to be unique to one organisation turn out to be horribly universal and some fantastic ideas are discussed with like-minded people who, without the use of social media as an organisational tool, I almost certainly wouldn’t have met.

This was a less formal and focused version of what is increasingly happening across the country where practitioners have started to use platforms such as Twitter to make contact with each other and then meet up in self-organised groups to share good practice, compare notes and break through some of the detachment that often goes along with this hallowed profession of ours.

In this, we are seeing engaged professionals reach out to each other across a virtual space in an attempt to heighten their own practice and share the great things they are doing to a wider audience, as well as utilising the wealth of resources and thought already out there.

This serves as a contrast to the more traditional forms of ‘in-house’ professional development that perhaps, due to the logistics of provision for a great many staff, can sometimes resemble a ‘one-size-fitsall’ approach and lose meaning in the process. Truly valued professional development that engages must have relevance – and what better way to ensure

this than to trust our professionalism and allow teachers at all levels to seek out their own instead of committing to a rigidly prescribed agenda that may offer little of use or interest.

For me, self-organised meet-ups and the sharing of ideas and resources through social media (interesting in itself as a conscious move by ‘chalk-face’ practitioners away from the competitive business model that is so prevalent in much of FE) represents a desire to go past the rigid hierarchical structure of single isolated organisations to a more fluid state that places import on good ideas, no matter where they come from.

Although in less formalised environments (a pub with some exceedingly suspect furnishings, for instance), the recognition of fellow colleagues’ professionalism and the fact that we all have something of value to share comes to the forefront – and with it the expectation and desire for progress and improvement.

Tom Starkey teaches English at Leeds City College and set up his first teacher meet-up in a pub in April. You can follow him on Twitter @tstarkey1212 and read his teaching blog at stackofmarking.wordpress.com

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Interview

Talking loud and clear In her first InTuition interview, IfL’s new chief executive, Jean Kelly, shares her vision for IfL and the further education teaching profession. Interview by Alan Thomson Just weeks into her new role as chief executive of IfL, Jean Kelly reflects on the recently published professional standards for further education teachers and trainers.

“To me, the standards are about teachers and trainers taking collective ownership of their professionalism,” says Jean, who took over the role when Toni Fazaeli retired at the end of April.

Jean’s appointment more or less coincided with Education and Training Foundation’s publication of the standards which were the outcome of widespread consultation with FE practitioners and representative bodies, including IfL. The result, a set of guidelines and expectations that fits on to two sides of A4, is a far cry from the 14-page 2007 professional standards that they replace.

Might the new standards be a case of less is more?

“The standards are brief, not prescriptive and give teachers and employers the chance to work together to create a nationally coherent discussion about professionalism in FE teaching.

They are a starting point not an end point,” says Jean.

“IfL will be working alongside teachers, the ETF and other sector bodies to support research into how the standards are being used so that they can become a catalyst for a new, more dynamic articulation of professionalism in FE: one in which teachers and trainers are trusted, supported and rewarded as the professionals they are.”

Jean points to the changed landscape around FE teaching professionalism.

The 2007 standards were introduced at the same time as statutory regulations to ensure that all FE teachers were trained and qualified. The 2014 standards are unveiled to a sector in which there is no longer a national requirement for teachers to be trained or qualified.

“I want the standards to help everyone understand what it means to be a professional teacher. It’s about sharing the

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Jean Kelly: pen profile Education: Cert Ed in 1972; PhD thesis in 1997, exploring the concept of intertextuality, specifically the influence of Ovid on Chaucerian writers (well, you did ask).

Career School teacher from 1972-1990; taught English in higher education 1990-97; FE teacher (English and teacher education) from 1997-2007; associate lecturer for the Open University (foundation courses and Shakespeare) from 1999-2009.

Early impressions To me, what was different about the 1960s was the utter conviction that you could do what you wanted to do in life and that tremendous sense of empowerment has never left me.

Essential reading Although I’m a medievalist at heart, I try to keep up with contemporary fiction.

Musical ambitions If I could, I’d play folk songs on the guitar. I’m still a hippy with flowers in my hair.

Film favourite In Bruges, it’s funny, tragic, dark and witty.

What would you say if one of your grandchildren wanted to be a teacher?

I would be excited, but I’d say only do it if you are really, demonstrably passionate about learning and don’t ever think about it as a ‘teacherly’ role.

That’s the difference between performing and being true to yourself.

language, the knowledge and the history of the teaching profession,” says Jean.

“All professions have common, shared histories that help give them their professional resilience, their independence and their capacity for ongoing improvement based on evidence.

“I worry that deregulation could mean we lose that shared history. It has the potential to create fracture lines in FE.” Jean speaks with huge passion about teachers and teaching and with great experience. Having qualified as teacher (Cert Ed) in the early 1970s, she has taught in schools, higher education and FE where she delivered initial teacher education courses.

She says: “Currently, in England, we have highly regulated school and university systems, each underpinned by their own strong professional ethos.”

“Then we have FE in the middle and my fear is that, one day, if we’re not careful, it will disintegrate into its constituent parts, each with their own professional practices and standards. I don’t think that’s what learners need, what we want as a society or what we need to deliver on economic strategy.”

Surely prudent providers would want to employ trained and qualified teachers to lead their teaching and learning, knowing that Ofsted’s common inspection framework has, since 2012, put providers’ teaching, learning, assessment practices and outcomes under the microscope?

“There are a lot of excellent employers that will embrace the professional standards; will continue to insist upon trained and qualified teachers; and invest in professional development. But let’s not kid ourselves about the financial

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pressure providers face,” Jean says.

“IfL is working more closely with FE employers and its other partners to help our sector deepen and embed the professional standards and practice. This is so they work for teachers and learners and thereby help providers drive up the quality of education they provide.”

This, Jean says, can be achieved only if employers meet teachers half way in helping to create the sort of expansive workplaces that professors Alison Fuller and Lorna Unwin at the Institute of Education have described and which support a learning environment for all.

“IfL exists to support teachers and trainers develop their practice and careers as professional educators.

IfL will help its members embrace and build on the professional standards

to further improve their practice and career opportunities,” Jean says.

“But without reciprocal recognition and support for professional teaching practice from employers the full potential of the professional standards will be unfulfilled.

“Leaders and senior managers must keep teaching and learning at the heart of education and training. Part of that means supporting training and development for teaching staff.”

Jean wants IfL and its members to be in the vanguard of a new, more proactive teaching profession: one that is more confident in speaking its mind on issues of teaching and learning as well as being more involved in shaping the direction of education and training in England and improving its delivery and outcomes.

“Teachers are a key part of society in

whatever bit of the education system they are teaching. In addition to its pedagogic importance, there is a huge social and moral dimension to teaching,” Jean says.

“FE teachers have industrial representation thanks to the unions and the social values they support.

FE leaders and managers have their own representative bodies that voice their values and concerns.

“IfL represents the voice of the teaching and training profession: its collective knowledge, its values and its history. At a time of change and uncertainty there has never been more need for teachers and trainers to make sure that their collective professional voice is heard loud and clear.”

Alan Thomson is the publishing and editorial adviser at IfL

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Feature

Basic training?

Not for British Army trainers

It is the second day of an intensive programme of initial teacher education.

I arrive shortly before 4pm to join the penultimate session of the day.

The energetic debate, twinned with determined note-scribbling by every student, gives no hint that this group has been in classes since 8am.

Following a discussion on Kolb’s learning cycle, the topic moves to the notion of perception and assumption.

The trainer asks the group a question: What would they think if one of their own trainees turned up on the first day in jeans and a hoodie, when most arrive in a suit?

“Hadn’t made the effort.” says one.

“Lazy? Not taking it very seriously,” says another.

The rapport between the trainer and his students is palpable. They await his response.

“What if...” says the trainer, “What if the one in the hoodie has scrimped and saved to buy what they’re wearing? What if their cheap hoodie is the best they can do? You’ve already thought of them as lazy, as rubbish. How will they feel if you impose your perceptions onto them?”

The room is silent. One young man (and they are all men) nods thoughtfully.

The trainer continues. “Perceptions are thoughts and ideas without evidence to back them up. It’s lazy. Don’t do it.”

I consider my own perceptions of what I thought my day at this training school would be like. Joyless? Vaguely sinister?

I was lazy. I shouldn’t have done it.

In my own defence, it had proved a challenge to research the Army Training Centre in Pirbright, Surrey, without becoming immersed in the events surrounding the unresolved deaths of four young soldiers at the neighbouring

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Deepcut Barracks between 1995 and 2002. The Armed Forces Recruiting and Training Directorate (ARTD) Staff Leadership School (ASLS), was born out of the recommendations following the Deepcut Review, however it has grown to become an elite teacher training and leadership college with an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ to prove it.

The group I joined is on an eight-day intensive course to achieve a Level 3 Award in Education and Training.

Trainers will go on to instruct everything from basic soldiering skills – feet on the ground attacking the enemy – right the way through to vehicle mechanics, aircraft technicians, tank commanders or logistics specialists. The Royal Engineers alone operates more than 52 trades.

It is expected that the soldiers will progress to a Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training and a Diploma at Level 5. In addition to these qualifications, all of which have civilian accreditation, there is a strong emphasis on coaching and mentoring, with courses available up to a master’s degree level.

Colonel Andy Deans, MBE, Assistant Director Learning Strategy, tells me: “If we’re not on operations, we’re training.

The centre of gravity in the training world is the focus on improving instructors in terms of skill-set, knowledge, attitude and experience.”

The armed forces are the largest apprenticeship provider in the UK, but the number of skilled instructors required is also growing due to the British Army’s increased involvement in defence engagement; training military in other countries in order to create security in their own region.

Colonel Deans explains: “Certain units

IMAGE BY CPL SI LONGWORTH © CROWN COPYRIGHT 2014

The British Army is arguably the best in the world and much of this is down to first-rate training. But who trains the trainers and how? Sarah Simons finds out

will be told ‘you are going to go to...’ wherever it might be in the next 10 years, but they all need that ability to train others. So there’s going to be more of an emphasis on training and we will need to create that capability.”

If Staff Sergeant Tye Vallely’s class, which I joined, is any reflection of the Army’s efforts to improve the standard of instruction, I would say it’s a battle they are winning.

Staff Sergeant Vallely, a Member of IfL, has been in the Army for over 20 years and held a number of positions, but it was after a particularly long day that he realised how much he enjoyed teaching.

He says: “I was an armoured engineer, so working on tanks. I used to do bits and pieces of teaching around that but it was more low-level stuff. The epiphany

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happened when I was teaching at Deepcut. It was about 8.30pm and I was driving home thinking ‘this is ridiculous, it’s so late. I can’t do this for two years.’”

He continues: “I did some reflection to work out why I was this late... Someone had delivered a lesson and some of the students hadn’t got it. I’d gone back in to

Modelling behaviour and practice is a key responsibility for all teachers, but in the military the stakes can be much higher

see if I could aid the understanding.

“I tried teaching the same bits and pieces in three or four different ways so that everyone could understand it. That was when I went: ’actually that feels really quite good... So although it’s late at night, I’ve walked out of that classroom and everybody knows exactly what they need to know. I quite like this. This is what I want to do.’”

He now has a plethora of high-level teaching, coaching and mentoring qualifications and is exceptionally committed to his own continuous professional development, embarking on many hundreds of hours per year.

He says “I’m a Member of IfL and I did my QTLS in 2012. I enjoyed writing about my journey. It was cathartic. ‘Look where I’ve got and look what I’ve done.’”

I assume (again lazily) that he’ll go into teaching in further or higher education when he leaves the Army. Wrong again.

“My gold-plated outcome is to go into primary teaching.”

My surprise is obvious.

“What we do here is shaping individuals. We take them from civilians to soldiers. We’re enhancing values and beliefs. That’s what primary education does too at a much younger age. It gives them an education but also has an input into developing their potential.”

Modelling behaviour and practice is a key responsibility for all teachers, but in the military the stakes can be much higher. Lieutenant Colonel Steve Berry is the commanding officer at the ASLS. He explains the impact the instructors can have.

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He says: “When training people who have just joined the Army, the function is as much about being a role model and demonstrating effective leadership skills as it is about instruction. The instructors have very young impressionable soldiers who are looking at everything they do.

They believe what they see is the right thing to do and therefore will copy that.”

The absence of outside influences on new recruits intensifies the duty the instructors have to ‘be the best’ in every sense. Lt Col Berry continues: “Often, what young soldiers see is never going to be re-taught so it’s got to be done properly the first time. It creates a lasting impression of what good looks like.”

The working day is sometimes 16 hours long (longer during operational activity) and with less than half of that as formal delivery of instruction, the concept of teacher as mentor and role model is significant. Lt Col Berry says: “I recently had lunch with a mentor of mine who is 94. I asked him if he remembered his basic training. Quick as a flash he was telling stories about it.

Those days stay with you for the rest of your life. We stress to the guys coming through the ASLS that they will be remembered. So what do you want them to remember you for?”

Personal qualities of instructors are key, but their currency of skills and knowledge is placed in similarly high esteem. As operations and procedures regularly change on the ground, the most effective way to maintain relevance is by rotating the instructors; they usually return to their Army ‘job’ after a couple of years teaching.

Lt Col Berry says: “If we want them to be credible instructors they have to be credible soldiers. We don’t want our instructors going back to the Army less capable than when they left because that would be doing them a disservice.”

This efficient commitment to dual professionalism is admirable but it seems this wasn’t always the case.

Martin Doel OBE is chief executive of the Association of Colleges. Prior to his career in FE, he spent more than 20 years in the Royal Air Force. As Air Commodore Doel, he was Director for Training and Education over all three armed services and was involved in the Deepcut Inquiry.

He says: “What we found at Deepcut was that some of the people that were sent to be trainers were the ones who they didn’t think could do the job on the front line. They were the last people you want to be training the next generation of people in the armed forces.”

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IMAGE BY CPL SI LONGWORTH © CROWN COPYRIGHT 2014

Feature

ONE WAR VETERAN’S LEARNING JOURNEY Roy Broadley left college in 1942, aged 17 and three months, with the ambition of learning to fly. When he applied for air crew training, it was the middle of World War II. Roy says: “At that time, bomber crews were lasting about nine trips. You knew you were dicing with death, but it always felt like it would happen to someone else.”

He completed his training, becoming an air crew cadet and being sent to Arizona to complete his instruction. Roy was almost at the end of his time in America when on 6 August, 1945, the news came that a huge bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima. Three weeks later Roy arrived back in England.

With the war over, he returned to college to complete his qualifications. He went on to become a lecturer in civil engineering drawing, continuing his career in FE until retiring from Worthing College in 1986, where he was head of department.

He says: “My time in the RAF shaped my career in education by giving me a high level of respect for other people’s knowledge and points of view. There is always something to learn, always.”

The failings of the past and protracted media focus on them have clearly given the armed forces an imperative for vast improvement in terms of increased professionalisation of training and instruction. However the core ethical values of integrity, courage, respect for others, loyalty, discipline and selfless commitment are centuries old.

Martin explains: “A lot of people talk about values-based education and training and I see a lot of it going on in colleges, but in the military it’s the absolute centre of all training and all education.

“It underwrites the technical training.

The core value is the ability to trust those that work with you, for you and that lead you. You live those values at every level of the organisation.”

I wondered to what extent obedience rather than trust is the driver.

Martin says: “I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I’ve given

direct orders. It’s more about the external imperative: the feeling that you’ve got a job to get done. To do that job you’ve got to trust in people and you’ve got to have shared values when you’ve to go about doing some difficult things. That’s what drives people together.”

I return to the train station after a day where my perceptions have been changed. My views on education and training in the armed forces are now based on evidence of good practice.

Exceptionally good practice.

A polite young man dressed in a suit which looks like it was bought to grow into approaches me on the platform.

He proudly tells me he’s from the barracks and looking at his timetable, asks if I think he’s going in the right direction.

“I think you are,” I say.

Sarah Simons is a writer and lecturer and is a Member of IfL

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CPDMatters Promoting ideas to teachers and trainers in the further education and skills sector

On reflection, it’s critical to excellent professional practice Dr Jean Kelly Chief executive This is a special edition of CPD Matters, as all three pieces are abridged versions of successful final assignments written for for a University of Wolverhampton/IfL programme called ‘Sustaining criticality beyond initial teacher education’.

It might not be the snappiest title for a master’s module, but I would argue that the intention behind this rather dry description of study is absolutely fundamental to the achievement of excellent professional practice.

The CPD Matters section offers IfL members a selection of scholarly and accessible articles, aimed at supporting and enhancing professional knowledge and practice.

Articles are not refereed.

Participants on the programme need to have completed a teaching qualification and Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS), but it is a deeper engagement with professional development that takes it beyond those thresholds of practice.

There is an alternative argument that reflective practice is another (often derided) facet of ‘progressive teaching’, that it is self-satisfied navel-gazing and not at all critical.

But look at these three papers and see what colleagues say about the dynamism and developmental nature of reflection as a pedagogic approach.

It is for you to decide, but sustaining a level of thinking and analysis on an everyday basis is an essential part of professional identity for these three teachers and trainers.

If you are interested in the master’s module, please go to www.ifl.ac.uk and click on the ‘IfL CPD certificated programmes’ option under the ‘CPD and QTLS’ heading.

CPD Exchange Don’t forget, if you want help with your own academic or action research, or to share information and data with fellow IfL members, you can visit www.ifl.ac.uk/ cpdexchange

If you would like to contribute to or ask a question for a future edition of CPD Matters, please email us at editor@ifl.ac.uk for further details InTuition

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Brilliant teaching and training does not happen by accident…

By Gail Lydon The journey to becoming a charismatic, caring and inspirational teacher requires the use of critical reflection as a pedagogic approach This paper, abridged from my full paper (see link, page 22), outlines the development of my teaching identities and values; and how I have sought to develop my practice. I aim to link these to appropriate theories.

“Brilliant teaching and training does not happen by accident… Brilliant teachers and trainers can adjust their teaching approaches and mix of techniques flexibly and rapidly, based on their professional judgments about what will work best.” (IfL, 2010 p4) I was taught at primary school by a charismatic, caring and inspirational teacher. I wanted to be like him and I recognise that he is the metaphor I use to describe the teacher I would like to be. I was influenced by the values he modelled, which are discussed by Coffield (2009); for example, how we acquire intelligence.

By the age of 16, some of this positive thinking had been knocked out of me and I studied business instead, but I was rather disillusioned. Following graduation, I worked for a number of blue-chip companies. Having children sparked an old flame and I reinvestigated teaching.

I have been teaching and supporting learning for 20 years, working in all areas of the sector.

Teaching identities Associating with others – in other words being involved in various communities of practice (CoP) – has been an important aspect of my work. I have found, as Bathmaker and Avis (2005) did, a range of cultures within the further education sector.

For example, as an improvement adviser for the Learning and Skills Improvement Service, I found that departments, sites and faculties have their own culture, which can challenge management action.

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The professional identity of an FE teacher, as presented by IfL (2013a), resulted in a structure for continuing professional development (CPD). The requirements to be qualified and to offer evidence of CPD were greeted with hostility by some when instigated in 2008. The issue of whether being qualified would improve performance was debated in many a staff room.

Centre (NRDC, 2005), whose research linked teacher qualifications to learner achievement.

It may be that, for some FE teachers and trainers, the lack of a teaching qualification or a professional body does not stop them from having professional identities. The communities of practice associated with their vocational area may be sufficient through ‘occupational socialisation’ (Jephcote and Salisbury, 2009) by internalising these identities.

Perhaps the qualifications were too closely related to roles rather than identities? However, being qualified is linked to how I visualise (and describe) myself as teacher.

Critical reflection IfL (2013b) lists a range of CPD activities and, while it does not specifically mention critical reflection, it does acknowledge critical incident analysis. I have used this approach but find that sometimes it is the mundane rather than the critical that stimulates my reflection. As Bolton (2010) contends, it is sometimes the incidents we forget which need to be examined.

For me critical incidents require reflection in action perhaps followed by reflection on action.

I agree with IfL when it says: “Teaching and training in FE and skills is not an amateur exercise where some skills are picked up as you go along or through an induction process.” (IfL, 2013a p5).

But Goodson and Hargreaves (cited in Jephcote and Salisbury, 2009 p968) suggest we need to distinguish between ‘professionalism’ and ‘professionalisation’ and perhaps much of what I gained from my qualifications was due to my reflective practice rather than the make-up of the courses themselves. Theory is useless to the teacher if they cannot (or do not) relate it to their practice or indeed make theory practical (Lucas et al, 2012).

Others have championed the need for qualified teachers in FE, for example Jephcote and Salisbury (2009) and the National Research and Development

This success was also in part due to teamworking and staff understandings, values and beliefs (highlighting the importance of CoPs). The writers also stated that all teachers should be confident in their literacy and numeracy skills.

The Kolb Learning Cycle made sense during my initial teacher training, but was theoretical. In practice, I found the process was not always linear: I have sparks of insight here and there.

Afterwards I can reflect, perhaps attempting to ‘see though student’s eyes’ (Brookfield, 1995 p10) and this is where insight into the mundane might lie.

I have also engaged in critical reflection linked to peer-to-peer observations and as a team leader giving feedback to my staff. The work of Joyce and Showers (1996) outlined five-stages that need to be present for CPD to be effective. These stages require that new approaches are not only explained but justified (1. theory), then demonstrated (2. observation), practised (3), fed back upon (4) and discussed with a colleague (5).

It is likely that peer-to-peer observations

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I love Bowman’s metaphor of learning and teaching as a journey and that teacher and student are travelling companions. I hope that being critically reflective will help me take ‘informed actions’.

also support the development of CoPs, rather than a ‘them and us’ culture between observer and observed.

The IfL CPD list also includes mentoring.

Since my first teaching role I have not had a mentor but research can proxy a mentor, encouraging the formulation questions to ask myself and so aiding my reflection on my practice. For example, reading Winter (2003) encouraged me to reflect on how I support my higher education students and formulate their assessments particularly as they are not traditional HE learners.

Research also puts me in the role of learner. Winter (2003 p12) comments about the ‘mysterious’ rules of essay writing and I can fully understand this as I struggle to develop this style of writing.

The funding of FE organisations has an impact on teachers’ practice and so I may be a ‘democratic’ teacher (Sachs, 2001 cited in Bathmaker and Avis, 2005, p6), but I think I can only maintain this by not teaching in one organisation full-time.

I am able to maintain my values by working for a number of organisations, as this helps me to ‘stand outside’ my practice in each, by making comparisons, reflecting and maintaining perspective.

I hope to develop this further and become a more reflexive-minded practitioner (Bolton, 2010). But as a natural multi-tasker, becoming reflexive will be a challenge.

Conclusions IfL (2010) noted that, in order to support ‘brilliant’ teaching, innovation must be supported and that learning must be central to the organisation’s principles.

But funding issues and their impact on management decisions may reduce flexibility by discouraging risk taking and innovation. As stated by VilleneuveSmith et al (2009 p12), in order to deal with a ‘policy-rich environment’ upskilling teachers is key (ie dealing with ongoing change).

The FE sector is a complex one and the

teachers within it are diverse (one of the strengths of the sector). Structuring qualifications to suit this is a challenge.

The 2008 requirements had only just become established when they were removed. Whether they were appropriate and/or if they had any impact is open to debate (Lucas et al, 2012).

References

But the challenge of supporting FE teachers to develop still exists and encouraging trust in the reflective process (Bolton, 2010) so that it becomes a habit may be part of the answer and may also support the morale of the FE workforce (Brookfield, 1995).

To do this they must see reflection as a pedagogical approach rooted in the ‘public and political’ (Bolton, 2010 p5).

“General and subject pedagogic knowledge is a complex and interconnected one,” (Lucas et al, 2012 p689) and perhaps using reflection as a pedagogical approach might link the two more effectively.

• Bolton, G. (2010) Reflective practice: writing and professional development.

London: Sage.

The primary teacher I use as my metaphor is still central to my philosophy of good teaching. But the teaching environment is different today and the metaphors used by government and Ofsted to set targets and methods of measuring our performance are then interpreted by senior managers who influence classroom practice.

I love Bowman’s (1997) metaphor of learning and teaching as a journey and that teacher and student are travelling companions. I hope that being critically reflective will help me take ‘informed actions’ (Brookfield, 1995).

I have reflected in writing and have used Moon’s (2001) model of writing and rewriting to get different perspectives.

Whether this approach produces academic style writing I am not sure. I think I have not written in the past because I wanted to write what is ‘true’.

But what is true is relative: changing according to your perspective. I now plan to write into the unknown (Bolton, 2010).

• Bathmaker, A.M. and Avis, J. (2005) Is that tingling feeling enough? Constructions of teaching and learning in further education.

Educational Review , 57 (1). pp3-20. [online].

[Accessed 3 January 2014]. Available at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/001 3191042000274150#.UsaoTf1hi-Q.

• Bowman, M. A. (1997) Metaphors we teach by: Understanding ourselves as teachers & learners. [online]. [Accessed 5 January 2014]. Available at: http://ucat.osu.edu/ OSU_users/essays/v8n3.html.

• Brookfield, S. D. (1995) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

• Coffield, F. (2009) All you ever wanted to know about learning and teaching but were too cool to ask. London: Learning and Skills Network.

• Institute for Learning (IfL) (2010) Brilliant teaching and training in FE and skills: A guide to effective CPD for teachers, trainers and leaders. London: IfL. • Institute for Learning (IfL), (2012) Just suppose this man ran education. [online].

[Accessed 7 November 2013]. Available at: www.ifl.ac.uk/publications/intuition/ editors-piece-marie-ashton2/interviewfrank-coffield.

• Institute for Learning (IfL) (2013a) Should teaching qualifications be left to chance? [online]. [Accessed 3 January 2014].

Available at: www.ifl.ac.uk/newsandevents/ latest/itt-initial-teacher-training/shouldteaching-qualifications-be-left-to-chance.

• Institute for Learning (IfL) (2013b) Teaching and learning CPD. [online].

[Accessed 4 January 2014]. Available at: www.ifl.ac.uk/cpd/cpd-guidance-andresources/teaching-and-learning-cpd.

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• Jephcote, M. and Salisbury, J. (2009) Further Education teachers’ account of their professional identities in Teaching and Teacher Education 25 (2009) p966-972.

• Joyce, B. and Showers, B. (1996) The Evolution of Peer Coaching in Educational Leadership, Vol. 53, No 6, pp12-16.

• Lucas, N., Nasta,T. and Rogers L. (2012) From fragmentation to chaos? The regulation of initial teacher training in further education in British Educational Research Journal Vol. 38, No.4, August 2012, pp677-695.

• Moon, J. (2001) Reflection in Higher Education learning PDP Working Paper 4, University of Exeter.

• NRDC (2006) You wouldn’t expect a maths teacher to teach plastering…

Embedding literacy, language and numeracy in post-16 vocational programmes – the impact on learning and achievement [online]. [Accessed 3 January 2014]. Available at: www.nrdc.org.uk/ publications_details.asp?ID=73.

• Villeneuve-Smith, F., West, C, and Bhinder, B. (2009) Rethinking continuing professional development in further education: Eight things you already know about CPD. London: Learning Skills Network.

• Winter, R. (2003) Contextualising the Patchwork Text: Addressing problems of coursework assessment in higher education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, Special Issue, Vol. 40, No. 2, May 2003.

A critical reflection on my own professional identity

By Jess Underhill The developmental process that shapes a further education teacher is a continuous one and there is always more to learn about ourselves, students and the world around us Establishing one’s professional identity has been well researched within the realms of both developmental psychology and social psychology (Côté and Levine, 2002).

My aim in this article (see link to Jess’s full paper on page 22) is to critically refl ect upon my own professional identity as a further education teacher and the developmental journey that has shaped this so far.

Simons (2013, p9) reports that “FE practitioners need to possess vast specialist knowledge of their fi elds,” however, “the professional identity of FE lecturers is characterised by their perception of themselves as professional educators rather than subject specialists,” (Wilson, 2013, p20).

Gail Lydon Gail teaches English and maths alongside her writing, project management and practitioner research. She is a Member of IfL and central to her approach is the sharing of materials and good practice www.great-learning.co.uk

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This challenges an earlier culture where accepted teacher training for FE and the subsequent teacher identity was formed on subject expertise and vocational experience alone (Robson, 1998). It therefore seems fitting to incorporate both dimensions, as a teacher and as a subject specialist, in my own refl ections.

Having spent several years as an outdoor professional, guiding and instructing, I feel that this took away some of the initial barriers I might

have faced as a new teacher because I had, to some degree, been working within an educational environment for several years. Applying coaching theory from paddlesport (kayaking and canoeing) to the classroom has been one of the challenges that I have particularly enjoyed.

For me, teaching my lessons and being a tutor was the easy part initially: it allowed me to feel comfortable working in allegiance with my former occupational identity (Robson, 2008).

I felt prepared in the contexts of subject specialist and teacher because I could draw upon my previous occupational experiences to inform my teaching (Jephcote and Salisbury, 2009).

But Anhorn (2008) refers to the need for new teachers to have access to an adequate wider support network and it was this that I found most diffi cult during my initial year of teaching. It was Rushton and Suter’s (2012) third dimension of policy and context that I needed to seek the support network on which Anhorn places such great importance. I am now in my third year of full-time teaching in FE and feel that it is only now, having recognised the importance of the right question to the right person at the right time, that I have become comfortable and familiar with this dimension.

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Although I now have QTLS, so am technically qualified, I see all of my current practice as part of the process to becoming a qualified professional in the lifelong learning sector.

It is recognised by many that the wider social circumstances of a teacher’s life has a dramatic impact upon their professional identity as a teacher (Jephcote and Salisbury, 2009, Day et al. 2006 and Larrivee, 2000).

I felt that I had a strong professional identity within my former occupation as an outdoor professional and I wasn’t prepared for the way that FE teaching – largely because of policy – would challenge this.

“Sometimes… our beliefs are thrown into doubt without… prior deliberation on our part” (Kerdeman, 2004, in Dunne and Hogan, 2004, p145) and it could be argued that in this instance I was ‘pulledup-short’. Although this was very much unexpected at the time, I now realise that this has allowed me to consider and engage with others’ perspectives and perceptions of me to allow me to be critical in my own reflections.

Sleegers & Kelchtermans (1999) recognise that professional identity isn’t solely formed by reflections on teaching and personal life but also by the “interaction between the personal experiences of teachers and the social, cultural, and institutional environment in which they function on a daily basis,” (in Day et al. 2006 p603).

It is this interaction that has had the biggest impact upon my professional identity, forcing me to realise that, as a teacher, I will have a different professional identity to the one I held previously. It has also allowed me to recognise that my professional identity isn’t fixed and will continue to develop during my career.

On reflection, I feel that working with a teaching and learning coach when I was first appointed to post, only focused on me as a professional educator: Wilson’s (2013) primary indicator of professional identity. This part of the process neglected Rushton and Suter’s (2012) other two domains of policy and context and subject specialist.

The advice I received after my first formal observation neither reassured me nor filled me with confidence about the ‘policy and context’ domain.

Simultaneously, it forced me to question my own understanding of the ‘teaching and learning’ domain.

Rushton and Suter, 2012, p4) wrote: “Teaching and learning can be developed, and often improved, as a result of pondering, thinking and meditating on experience” and therefore, since feedback on my lesson was contradictory, I began to reflect more regularly upon my teaching.

Bolton (2001) recognises five key areas that reflective practice should enable us to realise and one such area is to “face problematic and painful episodes” (p14). It is only now that I can appreciate that this seemingly negative experience has allowed me to become a stronger person with a clearer professional identity and ultimately a better teacher with grade-one observations.

“The teachers of these outstanding sessions demonstrated not just their excellent ‘observable’ teaching skills but also the knowledge, values and beliefs that has shaped their practice” (Harper, 2013, p17). For me this just emphasises the importance of critical refl ection and the importance of carrying values and beliefs as a part of professional identity.

Brookfield’s (1995, p1) opening statement, “we teach to change the world” is something I agree with and something I would argue shaped my identity in the outdoors and still shapes my identity within FE. There were a number of occasions where I have questioned if this is true of all my colleagues, as I’d assumed it was. I’ve found it difficult to accept that, in my experience so far, it is not.

Initially, I felt very threatened by the numerous challenges my new life as an FE teacher placed upon my own

personal and professional identity and I wanted to question the status quo.

Having begun to learn ways of doing this I now no longer feel threatened but have accepted that a multiple identity, as an outdoor professional and an FE teacher, isn’t possible and I have had to modify my former identity as an outdoor professional.

Taking risks, considering multiple aspects and challenging one’s own assumptions are seen as essential elements of critical reflection (Brookfield, 2005, Beaty, 1997, Roffey-Barentsen and Malthouse 2009 and Larrivee, 2000 and Bolton, 2001).

Larrivee (2000, p299) suggests that: “By challenging themselves to create a new vantage point, teachers can assign new meaning to the classroom situations they confront.”

However, as Jephcote and Salisbury (2009) highlight, Larrivee’s (2000) statement isn’t wholly true: reflection does not just bring new meaning to my classroom but to me as a person. It is only now that I have recognised how much my professional identity has changed since I entered FE. Although I now have Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS), so am technically qualified, I see all of my current practice as part of the process to becoming a qualified professional in the lifelong learning sector.

I intend to continue with autobiographical reflection and to develop my professional identity as I continue to experience more in teaching and the world in general. As Ghaye (Ghaye and Ghaye, 1998, p118) said: “Reflection on practice needs to be seen as a continuous process of knowledge construction.”

As a continuous process I do not intend to break it. I strongly believe that “there is always more to learn about yourself, your students and the complexity of the world in which we live” (Beaty, 1997, p7).

As I am close to the end of one path, which path do I choose next?

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References • Anhorn, R. (2008) The profession that eats its young, the delta kappa gamma bulletin [online] Spring 2008 pp15-26 [Accessed 26 December 2013] Available at: http://dothan. troy.edu • Beaty, L. (1997) Developing your teaching through reflective practice, Birmingham: SEDA • Bolton, G. (2001) Reflective practice writing and professional development, London: SAGE • Brookfield, S. D. (1995) Becoming a critically reflective teacher, California: Jossey-Bass Côté, J. E. and Levine, C. G. (2002) Identity formation, agency and culture, Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates • Day, C., Kington, A., Stobart, G. and Sammons, P. (2006) The personal and professional selves of teachers: stable and unstable identities, British Education Research Journal [online] 32 (4) pp601-616 [Accessed 28 Dec 2013] Available at: http:// ehis.ebscohost.com • Dunne, J. and Hogan, P. (2004) (eds.)

Education and practice upholding the integrity of teaching and learning, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing • Ghaye, A. and Ghaye, K. (1998) Teaching and learning through critical reflective practice, London: David Fulton • Harper, H. (2013) Outstanding teaching – the reality, InTuition 15, pp16-17 • Jephcote, M. & Salisbury, J. (2009) Further education teachers’ accounts of their professional identities, Teaching and Teacher Education [online] 25 (7) pp966-972 [Accessed 26 Oct 2013] Available at: www.sciencedirect.com • Larrivee, B. (2000) Transforming teaching practice: becoming the critically reflective teacher, Reflective Practice [online] 1 (3) pp293-307 [Accessed 01 Dec 2013] Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com • Robson, J. (1998) A profession in crisis: status, culture and identity in the further education

Jess Underhill Jess works as a programme manager, tutor and lecturer for level 2 and 3 BTEC Sport (outdoor adventure) courses at Petroc’s Barnstaple campus in North Devon. She is a Member of IfL.

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‘A dynamic developmental process has occurred’

By Lisa Williamson A criticism from an Ofsted inspector that an FE teacher’s practice was ‘non-traditional’ led to an in-depth reevaluation of ‘what is active learning?’

I always wanted to be a teacher.

I wanted to make a real difference, not to “change the world’’ as suggested by Brookfield (1995, p1) but to provide real encouragement and hope. I found that I developed a real passion for working with challenging behaviour students, pre- and post-16. I currently work in a further education college teaching functional skills (entry-level to level 2) and GCSE English language.

The ‘Sustaining criticality beyond initial teacher education’ module (7PC001) has built upon the process of professional formation. I revisited my original SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis and professional development plan (PDP). While I successfully achieved most of my PDP, worryingly, I found that aspects of the SWOT were unchanged (see link to Lisa’s full article on page 22).

Personal study has enabled me to critically reflect (to consider what skills need to be learned, used or mastered) on my journey as a new teacher and consider how I wish to steer my future career path. ‘‘A dynamic developmental process has occurred’’ in line with Bolton’s definition of conducting reflective practice (2010, p1) but, in being constructively critical,

my personal reflection occurred at a much deeper level than at professional formation; to examine personal beliefs, attitudes and values as well as examining student responses within my learning environments.

The module has therefore enabled me to participate in further scholarly activity and allowed me to engage critically with wider literature (through blended learning activities), blog conversations and emails with fellow peers.

I became an e-portfolio learner, which presented the opportunity to explore new ways of online learning. Blog space provided lively discussion to readily share thoughts, opinions, feelings and experiences. Mutual trust and respect was established among the cohort.

A real community of active peer learning, encouragement and support was established.

My reading of Brookfield (1995) encouraged me to take risks and try out experimental techniques within lessons. In trying to become a critically reflective practitioner, I tried to see myself through the eyes of my students and was inspired through wider reading, including Kolb (1984) and Bonwell and Eisen (1991), to create experimental, collaborative and active learning

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www.ifl.ac.uk

My personal reflection occurred at a much deeper level than at professional formation; to examine personal beliefs, attitudes and values as well as examining student responses within my learning environments.

environments. Such a view surprisingly moved away from the systematic planning for provision of different VAKT (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic and tactile) learning styles, which was also deeply criticised and deemed unreliable by Coffield (2008, pp31-32).

I encountered my greatest challenge professionally on the 22 November 2013, following routine inspection.

Enthused and confi dent as a result of continually providing for active learning environments, as a result of critical refl ection, the Ofsted inspector criticised my practice as being ‘nontraditional’ even though students were motivated, engaged and learning from a range of embedded and contextualised resources.

This led me to question my understanding of ‘what is ‘active learning?’ In my attempt to be flexible and adapt as a critically reflective practitioner, I found I had not considered the management constraints of routine observations and how subjective they are. In readily testing theories as part of a personal drive for excellence in teaching and learning, it led me to question how up to date the observer was and caused me to reflect on the research by O’Leary (2012) who recommends improvements to the current FE approach to classroom observations.

I have an in-built desire to be the best possible teacher and role model I can be. I have a real passion for excellence in teaching and learning. Why do I hold these beliefs and feelings? I believe Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) has had a considerable impact on my development as a new teacher.

It set the necessary professional standards needed for FE teaching and learning.

I demonstrated my personal commitment and dedication by compiling a portfolio

of evidence to show my areas of strengths and weaknesses as well as qualifications attained at the time.

For me, QTLS provided a foundation to continually build and evolve upon; through self-reflection, experience and further study. This is how and why I am the teacher I am.

Teaching identities Hextall et al. (2007) consider teaching identities are shaped by a combination of factors such as our beliefs, personalities, personal values, attitudes and assumptions. It also depends on the experiences, support, social relationships, continual training and personal learning journeys or opportunities encountered following our development as new teachers. It seems the process is complex and ever-changing.

To establish an awareness of teaching identities, becoming a critically reflective professional is needed. Larivee (2010) defines this as being a culmination of critical enquiry and self-reflection, building on the view by Brookfield (1995) that the best teaching is provided through critical refl ective practice owing to the constant scrutiny of assumptions, values and beliefs about the learning environment and the conditions for fostering learning.

My reading of Brookfield (1995, pp2-6) especially set me on a process of selflearning, awareness of identity and personal change. I found that my assumptions impacted my learning environments and blog conversations provided a real asset when considering theoretical perspectives. The process of becoming a qualified professional in the lifelong learning sector has been subject to dramatic change.

The Wolf Report (2011) proposed that FE teachers with QTLS status should be recognised to teach in schools (with even a welcome policy decision from

Michael Gove MP, secretary of state for education on 3 March 2011, to accept Professor Wolf’s recommendation, with immediate effect). But the interim and final Lingfield Reports (2012) wrongly removed the legal requirement for teachers in the sector to hold a teaching qualification (following the review of the Further Education Teacher Regulations (England) Regulations 2007).

Qualifications for teaching will in the future be at the discretion of employers.

It conveys a lack of professionalism status in FE. Yet, senior managers will still expect high levels of performance.

Surely the quality of fully trained teachers outweighs reduced staff costs to employers? With QTLS being referenced in school legislation, it now remains the only reference point for parity of professional esteem between the lifelong learning sector and school teaching.

Conclusion Being a critically reflective practitioner is the key to sustaining beyond initial teacher education. As a powerful tool, it allows examination of self-beliefs, attitudes and values as well as development of professional practice informed by reference to theorists.

It provides challenges and provides a platform by which to move forward, on both a personal and professional level.

A real need is established for assessment for learning based on joint practice development for both the practitioner (involving awareness of teaching identities) and the student.

It is based on a trusting relationship involving a professional exchange of knowledge by the practitioner with fellow colleagues.

FE provision is under ever-increasing scrutiny by management to ‘perform’ despite the complexity of government funding cuts, evolving of new priorities and informing of strategies such as

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advised by Coffield (2008, pp45-48) in the need to create a demand for skills among young people.

References

We therefore need to re-align government policies for teaching in the lifelong learning sector. Teaching qualifications should be regulated.

Professional formation is a necessity.

Other professions have to be suitably qualified, so should ours.

• BIS (2007) Research paper 66, Evaluation of FE teachers’ qualifications (England) Regulations 2007. London: BIS.

• Back, L and Puwar N (ed.) (2013), Live Methods. London: Wiley.

• Bonwell, C., Eison, J. (1991). Active learning: creating excitement in the classroom, AEHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 1.

Washington DC: Jossey-Bass.

• Bolton, G (2010) Reflective practice: writing and professional development. 2nd ed.

London: Sage.

• Brookfield (1995), Becoming a critically reflective teacher, San Francisco CA: Jossey-Bass.

• CAVTL (2013) It’s about work… excellence in adult vocational teaching and learning: the summary report of the Commission on Adult Vocational Teaching and Learning. London: Learning Skills Improvement Service.

• Clegg, S. (2008) Academic identities under threat, British Educational Research Journal.

34 (3), pp329-345.

• Coffield (2008) Just suppose teaching and learning became the first priority, London: Learning Skills Network.

• Day, C., Kingston, A., Stobart, G. and Sammons, P. (2006) The personal and professional selves of teachers: stable and unstable identities, British Educational Research Journal. 34 (32), pp601-616.

• Department for Education (2010), The importance of teaching. London: HMSO.

Lisa Williamson Lisa qualified as a primary teacher in 2005, having attained BEd (Hons) with full Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). She was awarded Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS) in 2010.

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• Hextall, I., Cribb, A., Gewirtz, S., Mahoney, P. and Troman, G. (2007) Changing teacher roles, identities and professionalism, an annotated bibliography, London: TRLP Research Programme.

• Honey, P. & Mumford, A. (2006). The learning styles questionnaire, 80-item version, Maidenhead: Peter Honey Publications.

• Hughes, J. and Purnell, E. (2008)) Blogging for beginners? Using blogs and e-portfolios in teacher education. Lecture 2. Blended Learning. [online]. [Accessed 12 December 2013. Available at http://wolf.wlv.ac.uk/ .

• Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

• Larivee, B. (2010) Transforming teaching practice: becoming the critically reflective teacher, New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis.

• Lea, M. & Stierer, B. (2011) Changing academic identities in changing academic workplaces: learning from academics’ everyday professional writing practices in Teaching in Higher Education.

16 (6), pp605-616.

• Ofsted (2013) The Report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Further Education and Skills, Ofsted Annual Report 2012-13 Further Education and Skills Report. London: HMSO. • O’Leary, M. (2012) Time to turn worthless lesson observation into a powerful tool for improving teaching and learning. InTuition [online] 4, pp15-18 [Accessed 23 December 2013]. Available at http://ifl.co.uk.

• Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) (2012) Professionalism in further education: final report of the Independent Review Panel. London: BIS.

Read the full articles

• Department of Business Innovation and Skills (2012) Evaluation of FE teachers’ qualifications (England) Regulations 2007.

London: BIS.

To read the full papers produced by our CPD Matters authors as part of their masters’ modules please go to www.ifl.ac.uk/cpd-and-qtls/ resources-to-support-your-cpd

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ResearchDigest Academy’s learning coaches are ‘outstanding’

Forum encourages CPD

By Yvon Appleby and Ruth Pilkington

By staff reporter

ALAMY

Managing professional development – as both an individual and an organisation – in a way that is enabling and positive for teachers is a significant challenge.

A central theme is the idea of learning spaces and enabling structures that can be embedded in organisational practices and used to frame targeted learning opportunities for teachers.

A pedagogic research forum (PRF) that adapts this model has been created at the University of Central Lancashire (Uclan, pictured).

The PRF is a community of practice that draws together practitioners and academics who are interested in teaching and learning; and developing practice using research,

scholarship and evidencebased approaches.

The PRF includes members from partnership colleagues and allows participants of formal educational learning programmes to become part of a wider education and research community.

The PRF offers regular monthly lunchtime seminars, workshops and ‘teaching and learning exchanges’,

Book offer Yvon and Ruth discuss many of these issues in their new book Developing critical professional practice in education, published

by NIACE. IfL members can claim a 15 per cent discount (excluding P&P) when ordering from shop.niace.org.uk and using discount code NEIFL14. Offer valid until 31 December 2014.

where colleagues use short presentation slots to share practice.

We also organise an annual ‘Sharing Practice’ conference where members and external staff are invited to present for 15 minutes. We have also offered reading groups, run writing events and we have an open site on our Blackboard environment which offers a further resource.

For more details visit http:// uclanprf.blogspot.co.uk Yvon Appleby and Ruth Pilkington are freelance education consultants and were previously lecturers at Uclan

Meet the ‘connected professional’

By Jim Crawley, Fellow of IfL I am completing a four-year study into teacher education and have developed a positive and potentially sustainable way forward for teaching professionals called the ‘connected professional’.

The approach draws on some of the most helpful thinking in the public domain and involves working with other professionals and the wider community to achieve change from the bottom up.

In particular, by developing the connections that bring us together. The model has four ‘connections’: • The ‘practical connection’ of practical teaching skills, knowledge and understanding • The ‘democratic connection’ of involvement in democratic action • The ‘civic connection’ of active engagement with the wider community • The ‘networked connection’ of using many forms of networking including those

supported by technology to develop and sustain active engagement with other professionals and the wider community.

InTuition will feature more on my research later in the year.

Jim Crawley is a senior lecturer and teaching fellow in the School of Education at Bath Spa University and outgoing chair of the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers’ (UCET) Post-16 Committee

A college-backed academy in the Midlands has successfully introduced a coaching approach to teaching and learning, which means all members of staff are mentors to either learners or their staff colleagues.

The Midland Studio College, sponsored by North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, has both learning coaches (all are qualified teachers) and personal coaches (not necessarily qualified teachers), who offer high-level skillsets that allow them to support learners.

Dan Rosser, executive principal of the studio college, which was judged ‘outstanding’ following an inspection in February this year, said: “The reason we take a coaching approach is because we are all lifelong learners. It is about supporting that self-discovery and the development of independent learning skills.

“All teaching and support staff are now coaching.

Staff have time built into the timetable for personal coaching and also being part of the Midland Academy Trust means they have other opportunities for staff training and development.”

The Midland Studio College opened its doors in 2012 and will have 300 learners when it reaches full capacity. It is one of five schools in the trust, which was established

by North Warwickshire & Hinckley College.

For more details contact Dan.Rosser@msc.leics.sch.uk

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“Professionalism is not the job you do, it’s how you do your job,” according to one online aphorism.

It’s not a bad maxim, particularly because of its emphasis on you as a professional. Professionals surely need to feel that sense of ownership over the standards by which they operate.

The Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers in Education and Training – England, published in May by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), are the result of a significant consultation exercise in which many hundreds of teachers, trainers and organisations took part.

Individual teachers and trainers and their representative bodies, such as IfL and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, helped shape them and, surely, own them too.

Yet further education has been here before, most recently with the Overarching professional standards for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector, published following extensive consultation with the sector in 2007 by the former body Lifelong Learning UK. In the event, the 2007 standards proved unwieldy and failed to gain traction across the sector.

How can the 2014 standards avoid the same fate? Jean Kelly, chief executive of IfL, said that as part of the ETF steering group on the standards, IfL consulted members on what they thought should be included and would be of most use for dual professionals in this sector.

“The question is standards, whose standards? They could be the starting point for a new era in CPD but it will be important to critically evaluate just how they are being used right across the sector,” Jean said.

“The 2014 standards not only provide an excellent foundation for professional conversations about learning and development; in their apparent simplicity they also recognise the importance of an individual teacher or trainer being able to have ownership over what is meaningful and relevant to them in their practice.”

Norman Crowther, ATL’s National Official for Post-16 Education and a member of the ETF’s expert panel for professional standards and workforce development, said: “What standards cannot do is implement themselves.

“The 2014 standards promise much but are equally beholden to FE employers to change practices and affirm the aspirations of the standards.”

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TAMSIN MAE REED

InPractice

Professional standards will need senior buy-in FE teachers and trainers have a new set of professional standards to work with, reports Alan Thomson Patricia Odell, adviser to the ETF for the review of professional standards, said: “Central to our approach in developing the standards is a belief in professionalism which recognises the importance of teachers and trainers being responsible for and owning their professional learning.

“Over the next few months the ETF will be working with teachers and trainers across the sector to monitor how the standards are being embedded. Case studies will be available in spring next year that will illustrate how a range of organisations are using the standards.”

At least the new standards are brief, occupying only two sides of A4 (supplemented by guidance) compared with 20 pages back in 2007. They are also aspirational.

The introduction puts it well: “Teachers and trainers are reflective and enquiring practitioners who think critically about their own educational assumptions, values and practice in the context of a changing contemporary and educational world.

“Teachers and trainers are ‘dual professionals’; they are both subject and/ or vocational specialists and experts in teaching and learning.”

The new standards also explicitly support initial teacher education (ITE) and are intended to provide a reference point that organisations can use to support staff development.

What concerns many is how the new standards can flourish in an FE sector where there is no national expectation that teachers are trained or qualified at all. Can professional standards take root in a professionally deregulated environment?

Rob Smith, a principal lecturer and research fellow in post-compulsory education, at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “For a start, existing and influential employers’ organisations within the sector – the Association of Colleges, the 157 Group and ETF among others – need to throw their weight behind them.

“A jointly-agreed set of guidelines

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What the professional standards say about you General • You are a dual professional with specialist knowledge in your subject and/or vocational specialism plus an expert in the theory and practice of teaching and learning.

• You are a reflective and inquiring practitioner able to think critically about your assumptions and draw on relevant research to inform your practice.

• You act with honesty and integrity and maintain high standards of ethics and professional behaviour in support of learners and their expectations.

Your professional values and attributes • Reflect on what works best for learners • Evaluate and challenge your practice, values and beliefs • Inspire, motivate and raise aspirations of learners • Be creative and innovative in your practice • Value and promote diversity, equality of opportunity and inclusion • Collaborate with colleagues and learners

The standards’ triple impact

Professional Professional skills values and attributes Professional knowledge and understanding

The professional standards are set across three sections each of equal importance. Each links to and supports the other sections.

on how best to implement them within each college might be a way forward.”

Dr Smith, a member of IfL, also said that change was required in the funding arrangements for FE to free teachers from the time spent on administrative tasks relating to performance and funding metrics.

Like Rob, Anne Groll, senior research manager for the Centre for the Use of Research & Evidence in Education (CUREE), is pleased to see the standards link research and professional practice.

“The 2014 standards link research and practice as two halves of the same coin, so

Your professional knowledge and understanding • Maintain and update your subject and/or vocational knowledge • Develop evidence-based practice • Apply theory of effective practice in teaching, learning and assessment • Evaluate your practice with others and assess its impact on learning • Manage and promote positive learner behaviour • Understand the teaching and professional role and your responsibilities Your professional skills • Motivate and inspire learners to achieve and progress • Plan and deliver effective learning programmes • Promote the benefits of technology and support learners in its use • Address maths and English needs and work to overcome barriers to learning • Enable learners to share responsibility for their own learning and assessment • Apply appropriate assessment and feedback supporting progression and achievement • Collaborate with employers to maintain and update your teaching expertise and vocational skills • Contribute to organisational quality and development through collaboration with others that professional learning is informed by a critical evaluation of evidence,” she said.

“So there is potential for the new standards to support a pro-active and empowered sense of professionalism across the sector.”

Anne called upon leaders and managers in FE to create a supportive environment for evidence-based professional learning.

There are encouraging parallels between the new FE standards and the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), published by the Higher Education Academy (HEA), which sets out expectations for professional practice in higher education.

Harriet Harper, a partnership manager with the HEA, said: “Experience in HE suggests that it can’t just be left to

‘champions’ who tend to be in middlemanagement type roles. To be successful there needs to be buy-in from senior managers within institutions.

“The standards need to underpin strategic plans, quality enhancement and staff development plans, appraisals and lesson observations.”

Alan Thomson is publishing and editorial advisor to IfL

Downloads Read the professional standards here and watch an introductory video: bit.ly/IfLprofstandards

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InSight

Keeping your feet on the floor Spending time back on the ‘shop floor’ is one way that teachers as dual professionals can keep up to speed with developments in their subjects and specialisms.

Neil Merrick reports teachers to spend two paid days per year in care homes or nurseries so that they are up to date with what is happening in their sector.

According to Harris, the visits mean that she sees first-hand how legislative changes, such as giving clients personal care budgets, make a difference to the way services are delivered.

“For a long time it was about service users being sent somewhere for care,” she says. “The agenda has changed; ‘ownership’ is with the client and we can bring that into lessons.”

Janet Curtis-Broni, the college’s director of human resources and development, says encouraging staff

Here’s the splash: subs sink without trace Something was missing - the sub-editors. Along with many other local newspapers, the Portsmouth News no longer employs ‘subs’ to check reporters’ stories before they are printed and, if necessary, rewrite them.

This change, which puts more pressure on journalists to get things right in the first place, was revealed to me last autumn when I began teaching on a National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) course run by Highbury College, but based at the newspaper’s offices in Cosham, on the outskirts of Portsmouth.

I have been teaching media or journalism for just over a year, both at Highbury and Southampton City College. Prior to that, most of my recent experience came as a freelance journalist.

When I took my City College students to the Daily Echo (Southampton’s daily paper), a few weeks before I started teaching at the News, it never occurred to me to ask if the Echo still uses subs. I mean, why would you?

My discovery at the News meant that I was able to tell my other students about this change to the way papers are produced and build it into an assignment on page layout and design.

Teaching in a busy newspaper office remains challenging, but not only are my students more in touch with the 21st century newsroom, so am I.

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GETTY

Micheala Harris is no stranger to Lilliput’s, a residential children’s home in Essex.

Prior to teaching at Barking and Dagenham College, where she is team leader for health and social care, Harris worked at Lilliput’s for 10 years, the final two as training manager.

Nowadays, Lilliput’s brands itself as a children’s service for 5-to-18 year olds with learning difficulties and challenging behaviour. Harris still visits its centre in Hornchurch at least once a year, but she is interested in far more than just keeping in touch with former colleagues.

Along with the other staff in her department, she takes advantage of the fact that Barking and Dagenham allows

to go into the workplace benefits teachers and students. Visits are in addition to the time that staff spend in the workplace assessing learners. “Dual professionalism means keeping up to date with industry,” she says.

Teachers record workplace activities in professional development folders and cascade what they learn to the rest of the team. They can spend more of their own time with employers if they wish, possibly at weekends, adds Harris, who joined the college five years ago.

Walsall College sets aside a week in July for staff to arrange visits to employers or find other ways of ensuring their skills and knowledge are not out of date.

If teaching commitments permit, they can do this type of continuing professional

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www.ifl.ac.uk Things move quickly in the world of work, so it’s important to spend time keeping up with developments

students suddenly ‘get it’,” says Hussey.

Elsewhere in further education, most teachers only set foot in the workplace if they give up their own time or fund any visits themselves.

Recent research by the Institute of Education (IOE) – Inspite of, not because of: what stops vocational teachers from maintaining and developing subject and occupational expertise, a submission to the Commission on Adult Vocational Teaching and Learning, written by Janet Hamilton Broad – shows CPD for subject and occupational development is not seen as a priority by many providers. Many expect teachers to catch up with what is happening in their sector on a voluntary basis, with teachers reporting that “funding for CPD for subject and occupational purposes has gone from very little to non-existent”.

A tricky task

development (CPD) at other times of the year, but the designated week helps staff to focus on the issue, says Louise Fall, Walsall’s head of professional development.

New information Last summer, staff in the building services and construction departments visited the National Build Centre in Swindon to look at new techniques and developments, such as renewable energy. They also visited firms such as Jessop’s.

Andy Thompson, curriculum manager for building services and engineering, has taught at Walsall for nine years. Prior to this, he worked in the construction industry for 15 years. While some things, such as laying bricks, rarely change, there are always new tips and pieces of

information staff can pick up.

“As teachers we do a lot of research, but going out and physically seeing or doing something gives you more in-depth knowledge to pass on,” he says.

All staff at Highbury College, Portsmouth, are offered secondments or equivalent opportunities by their departments.

Debra Hussey, a lecturer in early years education, says that working in a nursery last year not only showed her how staff were working with the early years curriculum, but helped her rediscover her passion for teaching: “It gave me back the reason I teach, my passion for seeing that ‘light-bulb’ moment with children gave me the joy again to come back into the classroom and strive to achieve the same moments where

The IOE’s findings, including the fact that some teachers offset self-funded CPD against tax by describing it as ‘consultancy work’, were reported last year to the Commission on Adult Vocational Teaching and Learning.

With colleges employing increasing numbers of associate or casual staff, much of the sector seems to have effectively passed the onus onto individuals to prove that they have the subject expertise to embark on a teaching career and also continue working in the sector.

Things are no better in work-based learning. Mike Smith, curriculum development manager at Eagit Training and a member of the commission, says independent providers face an even trickier task ensuring staff have up-todate vocational skills and knowledge.

This is because providers cannot afford to arrange cover while trainers undertake CPD. The only advantage for independent providers, he adds, is that many courses are designed through staff working with employers to arrange bespoke training.

It also helps if a trainer is a member of a professional body that keeps members up to date with the skills needed and any other developments.

“You generally find that teachers are doing this in their own time, rather than funded by their organisation,” says Smith.

Freelance writer Neil Merrick teaches journalism and other subjects

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Together we are stronger for the teaching and training profession

Your IfL needs you!

IfL is only as strong and influential as the support you give it. In these challenging times for the further education and skills sector, we need your support more than ever.

CPD

STATUS

VOICE BENEFITS

RECOGNITION

CAREER

SUPPORT

Want to support IfL but not sure how?

Whether you have just a few minutes or extra time to spare, there’s a lot you can do to support your professional body.

Spread the word!

Get involved

The more members we have, the more we can provide the services that you value, represent the voice of teachers and trainers and raise the status and profile of the profession.

There are a number of ways you can contribute to the work of IfL in whatever way suits you. Here are just a few suggestions:

Here are a few ways in which you can share the benefits of professional body membership: • Do you have colleagues or friends working in further education (FE) and skills who are not yet members of IfL? Why not share the benefits of IfL membership and refer a member today.

• Posters and leaflets are available for you to download and distribute to colleagues or display at events or your place of work • Proud of the profession: let others know why you’re a member of IfL via the website or social media.

• Send us your blog or contribute articles to InTuition, CPD Matters or the IfL website • Arrange IfL network events either in your local area or online. Let us know your plans and we’ll share these with members via the website and Update enewsletter.

• Share your continuing professional development (CPD) resources by contributing to IfL’s library of online CPD resources • Join the discussion and spread the word on IfL via Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Do you have other ideas? Let us know - we welcome your involvement.

Find out more at www.ifl.ac.uk

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Training

www.ifl.ac.uk

Lots of plusses for maths CPD By staff reporters Early feedback from the Maths Enhancement Programme (MEP) shows that the state-subsidised professional development scheme is a resounding success among further education teachers.

Up to 2,000 maths, functional skills and numeracy teachers took part in the initiative, which began last September and offered six days of training designed to support the teaching of GCSE maths across FE. Participants paid just £100 each for the government-funded scheme.

The scheme was delivered by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics in partnership

with Centres of Excellence in Teacher Training (CETTS) and the Education and Training Foundation (ETF).

Diane Thurston, manager of the Success North CETT based in Newcastle College School of Education, said: “It is clear from feedback that this is a quality programme.

Many delegates commented that it was the among the best continuing professional development they had ever done.”

Diane said there were wider benefits for FE and skills including the formation of maths enhancement strategic hubs to inform policy and the establishment of provider networks to support future maths development.

A spokesperson for the ETF said it

was hoped that the MEP would be run again next year. Pilots of the English Enhancement Programme are underway and the scheme, which will be similarly subsidised, is due to be rolled out nationally in the autumn.

Diane Thurston and Paula Jones, the chair of the Association of CETTS based at Learning South West and the South West CETT plan to write a more detailed account of the MEP feedback later in the year.

Information on how members can apply for all enhancement programmes will be posted as it becomes available on the IfL site: www.ifl.ac.uk/cpd-and-qtls/ pd-and-qtls/ resources-to-support-your-cpd d

ALAMY

Learning circuits

Beasts and beauty: CCN trains on domestic abuse

By Steve Smethurst City College Norwich has introduced a new training module for its 260 hairdressing and beauty therapy students: domestic violence.

The profession is seen as vital in terms of spotting abuse. At least one in four women experiences domestic violence in their lifetime and the police receive more than a million calls a year relating to it.

The training is run in partnership with Norfolk Constabulary and the aim is to create a generation of beauty professionals who are equipped to advise clients on where to find help.

Jock Downie, safeguarding officer at CCN, says that the 90-minute session comes near end of training. He says: “Students get a warning beforehand that it might not be the most comfortable lesson.”

Amanda Murr delivers the training to students. The briefing and development officer, vulnerability and partnerships, at Norfolk Constabulary has worked with CCN for a number of years.

She says: “Women use therapists as someone to talk to, so we need to ensure that therapists are aware of referral pathways. It’s about how to spot signs – for example, a client may have bruising, or bald patches from hair pulling.”

Amanda urges therapists to talk to victims and get them to report abuse to the police – or if they don’t want to, let them know there are national and local agencies that can help them,” she says.

National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247 Website: www.nationaldomestic violencehelpline.org.uk

In a ‘learning circuit’, you set et up a series of ‘learning stations’ around the room. Each learning station has information on the same topic, but students are learning it in a different way.

For example, students learning about the impact of smoking on the body are put into four groups and have 10 minutes to work on each station. The teacher has given them questions that need to be answered, but they also need to find out additional information.

• Station 1: YouTube clips containing positive and negative perspectives on smoking • Station 2: data presented in spreadsheets and graphs on the impact of smoking • Station 3: learners test their lung capacity and then compare readings with research findings • Station 4: focused internet research Learners then summarise their findings in groups and then prepare a ‘sales pitch’ designed to stop people smoking. The circuit can be adapted depending on your resources, the time available and what you want to achieve. For example, learners can travel around the circuit as a single group.

Jackie Rossa, is managing director of Learning Central UK Ltd and the author of The Perfect FE Lesson.

Jackie is a Member of IfL

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Geoff Petty

The risk of climate catastrophe is very real, says Geoff Petty. It’s our duty as teachers and trainers to educate the next generation about its threat. Geoff is the author of Teaching Today and Evidenced Based Teaching, and has trained staff in more than 300 colleges and schools.

Geoff is a patron of IfL.

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Did you know that an enormous ice sheet is slipping off the rocks of West Antarctica into the sea? There it will slowly melt and raise sea levels by about three metres over the next few centuries. That’s three metres more than current United Nations (UN) predictions. This event is irreversible and many coastal cities are already vulnerable to sea-level rises; storm surges raise water levels five metres above normal high-tide levels as it is.

Antarctic explorer Robert Swan has said that the greatest threat to our planet is the belief that “someone else will save it”. My belief is that while earlier generations had to face fascism or the great depression, climate change is our generation’s monster and we must show at least the same resolve because its potential dangers are very much greater.

As teachers and trainers, it’s important that we’re not scared of the topic. For one thing, it is not as contentious as the media likes to portray. A recent Scientific American blog reported that in one year there were 9,136 peer-reviewed publications arguing that climate change is happening and man-made; and a single scientist arguing to the contrary.

Also, our students will be grateful.

A recent poll by Unicef found that 75 per cent of young people are worried about climate change. As teachers, we are in a uniquely influential position to address these fears. We are trusted for the most part; considered an authority in our curriculum area and, unlike the media, we are ready to answer questions.

However, we must use this trust responsibly and we certainly cannot sit by and do nothing without betraying our responsibility to students.

The starting point is to find a place in your scheme of work where the topic crops up naturally. In doing this, you

ISTOCK

Creating a climate for change

should expect some students to deny the science. Don’t worry, http://realitydrop. org/#myths will sort them out. It uses good science to address more than 100 arguments. Our students need to learn that their own intuitions are not reliable guides in understanding something as complex as the climate. After all, if 99 per cent of experts told you that the plane you were about to board will crash, would you rely on the one per cent who say: “No, it won’t,” and board the plane?

But let’s hear some good news.

Research reviews are the most authoritative source of information and the most rigourous research review ever carried out is by the UN’s International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Its most recent report says that it is still possible to limit global warming to 2°C. Above this temperature there is a risk of a runaway climate catastrophe.

It is much cheaper to prevent global warming than it is to deal with the consequences of it, as the 2006 Stern Review report showed. So, action makes sense. Clean energy production has already boosted the global economy by £1.5 trillion; within six years it will be £3 trillion. Germany, for example, already

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Arctic melting: happening 30 years ahead of the IPCC’s early estimates

generates 25 per cent of its energy from renewable sources, and in good weather that rises to 75 per cent. The cost of solar panels has fallen so fast that they will soon be a cheaper source of electricity than burning the fossil fuels that destroy our climate.

I believe many teachers want to do something about climate change, but they’re not sure what. One thing is clear: we can’t afford to be timid. An expert writes in Scientific American that we only have until 2036 to ‘decarbonise’ our economies (stop releasing greenhouse gases). If we don’t deal with things by then, climate change will be unstoppable and we will face environmental ruin.

When should I teach about climate change?

Arguably, climate change should only be addressed in the classroom when it comes up naturally, or when addressing it can help meet the objectives that you would be teaching anyway.

However, most teachers will be able to find a place for it and it need not take long. Subjects like science, geography, economics, and politics can address the issue pretty directly. Other subjects can

use it as an example of another issue they are looking at, for example psychology teachers look at ‘denial’ and ‘helplessness’, and climate change is a useful illustration of these concepts.

Vocational teachers will find it easiest to make space for climate change. No vocation is left untouched by the carbon economy. For example, there are huge benefits in energy conservation in every vocational area. There are also issues specific to certain vocational areas such as ‘food miles’ in catering. Vocational teachers can show students how to ‘decarbonise’ the way they work.

Perhaps you can raise the issue as a task in an assignment, or in a class discussion or debate?

How much our climate changes is up to us Students need to understand and be convinced of the dangers of climate change, but at the same time believe in our capacity to deal with them. Only then will they act responsibly as citizens, and in their future work. Creating this understanding and self-belief is, at least in part, a teacher’s duty.

There are some key messages that

teachers can get across when they touch on our changing climate, and it need not take long: 1. The situation is not hopeless. But we need immediate and concerted action.

Every individual, every human activity, every vocational area and every subject specialism needs to play its part.

2. Students need to understand global average temperatures, as these are deceptive. Global average temperatures are at present only 5°C warmer than they were in the last ice age 14,000 years ago.

So 14,000 years ago your back garden was under a kilometre of ice. A 5°C drop in average temperatures makes that much difference.

Over 150 years, these global average temperatures have increased by 0.85°C. This is predicted to double because the greenhouse gases already released into the atmosphere will continue to warm the Earth for centuries. Their effect is delayed, but inexorable.

Even if we entirely stopped releasing greenhouse gases such as CO2 right now, warming by 1.7°C is inevitable.

If global warming rises above 2°C then ‘runaway warming’ may occur, which could lead to 5°C warming or even more.

This would be a climate cataclysm. Life everywhere would change enormously – and almost always for the worse.

3. Last, students need to know that the IPCC reports so far have been cautious and most of their predictions have occurred earlier than they forecast. For example, Arctic melting is 30 years ahead of the IPCC’s early estimates, which did not take account of runaway effects, such as the melting of ice-sheets, because these can’t be quantified.

All statements in this article are referenced at: www.ifl.ac.uk/cpd-andqtls/resources-to-support-your-cpd

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Books

• Editor’s pick

A useful resource for newcomers and experienced practitioners Excerpt: What makes an inspiring and great teacher’ (p63, chapter 4) Be clear and concise Remember this is not about you; ensure you make it as easy as possible for a student to learn and scaffold their knowledge.

Be organised When organising your lessons think about the sequence of the full programme (scheme of work). Start with consideration of what you want to accomplish overall.

Be adaptable and resilient You may consider carrying out practitioner research to build up an evidence base that shapes your lessons and allows you to be an active player in change while generating your own knowledge.

How to be a Brilliant FE Teacher: A Practical Guide to Being Effective and Innovative

By Vicky Duckworth.

Routledge: paperback 978-0-4155-1902-1 The title of this book draws you in immediately. Whether you’re embarking on a career in lifelong learning or you’re an experienced practitioner looking to improve on your delivery of learning skills, this book is a useful resource for practitioners working across several disciplines in the lifelong learning sector.

Duckworth identifies that even though the sector is vast, it is often overlooked when it comes to research and literature aimed at developing and supporting those who teach and train in post-

• Other new

publications Seven Myths About Education

By Daisy Christodoulou Routledge: paperback 978-0-4157-4682-3 As Professor Dylan Wiliam states in his foreword, mythbusting books are apt to create straw men – bogeymen created by authors so they can destroy them, but which nobody actually believes in.

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compulsory education.

The book addresses many of the reccurring issues thrown up by further education teachers and trainers, including conflicting and changing policy and the implications on educators and their institutions.

The second chapter sets out to disseminate current and historical policy in lifelong learning, providing a concise insight into recent changes and political stances within the sector.

Duckworth achieves this by breaking down the main findings and recommendations of the most poignant and prominent policy changes of the last decade in a readable, non-jargon way.

Duckworth offers many useful tips and advice on how to address those difficult questions we all ask as

educators, questions that aren’t always answered through ITT courses… ‘how do I ensure my lessons are inclusive?’ and ‘how can I promote equality and diversity within my teaching?’

There are several insightful case studies from teachers and trainers working across the sector who have contributed stories and shared good practice for this book.

There is also informative discussion and definition around learning difficulties and a wealth of suggestions and strategies for working with individuals and groups of learners.

There is a great deal of knowledge and advice here for all FE teachers wishing to improve and reflect upon their practice, although in terms of subject specifics it is probably most appropriate for those

teaching basic skills and humanities.

This book is supportive and based on first-hand experience, trial and error, collaborative approaches to learning and the sharing of practice in the lifelonglearning sector.

In the event, Wiliam praises Christodoulou’s book for tackling real and widely-held educational myths such as: facts prevent understanding and teacher-led instruction is passive.

IfL members will decide for themselves the extent to which Christodoulou’s myths ring true and their responses to questions such as: “If it really were possible to learn independently, why would we need teachers and schools?”

Member offer

principles,” writes Quinlan in the first chapter to this refreshing and readable text.

This 150-page book offers a largely theoretical discussion that, as the title suggests, aims to get educators thinking about the principles that inform and underpin their professional teaching practices and that improve learning outcomes.

Early on, Quinlan argues for professionally qualified

IfL members can claim a 20 per cent discount on all featured Routledge books when ordered directly from www.routledge.com. When ordering, use the code INT14.

Valid until 31 December 2014.

The Thinking Teacher

By Oliver Quinlan Independent Thinking Press: paperback 978-1-7813-5108-6 “Education is a field built from

Sophie Nickeas is a senior tutor for vocational training at YOI & HMP Bronzefield, a PhD researcher at the University of West London and Fellow of IfL

Member offer IfL members can claim a 20 per cent discount on all featured Routledge books when ordered directly from www.routledge.com When ordering, use the code INT14. Valid until 31 December 2014.

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An ‘accessible, practicable, potent and inspiring read’ Excerpt: Using the Research Lesson (RL) (p30) A group of teachers plan a session delivered by one of them and observed by the others.

They then discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the session, also involving learners.

A second session is planned and perhaps three ‘case pupils’ representing high, middle and low attainment groups are chosen for the teachers to observe. After delivering the session the group again discusses the strengths and weaknesses, again including the learners. The process is repeated until all are satisfied with the lesson.

Beyond Bulimic Learning: Improving teaching in further education

By Frank Coffield, with Cristina Costa, Walter Muller and John Webber. Institute of Education Press: paperback 978-1-7827-7073-2 Professor Frank Coffield is in serious danger of acquiring national treasure status among educators; an epithet the straight-talking, Glasgowborn academic would surely reject, not least because it’s a title sometimes applied to those whose best work is behind them.

Beyond Bulimic Learning (the title refers to cramming learners with facts they regurgitate for exams, a process that ultimately leaves them educationally

teachers. He writes: “Ask yourself whether, if you had something important that needed to be done, would you rather a professional or an amateur undertook it?”

Member offer To claim your 20 per cent discount on this title visit www.crownhouse.co.uk and use promotional code ‘InTuition’ when prompted.

This offer is valid until 27 June 2015

malnourished) is proof that Coffield remains at the height of his powers.

Dedicated by Coffield to committed classroom teachers and workshop tutors Beyond Bulimic Learning is a hugely accessible, practicable, potent and inspiring read.

With chapters from collaborators Cristina Costa, Walter Muller and John Webber, it is a useful (it’s well-furnished with exercises) and thoughtprovoking handbook for educators looking to reflect upon and improve their own teaching practice.

Costa discusses the responsibilities of educators to promote contemporary forms of learning and she offers practical case studies. Muller outlines the threats to self-regulated and differentiated learning in Germany and Webber explores studentship, including

ways to stimulate learners’ thinking and questioning.

Coffield, emeritus professor of education at the Institute of Education, examines types of knowledge and cognitive processes; the power of feedback (it must change the thinking or behaviour of your learners); and the psychological, sociological and economic factors involved in motivating learners.

But what elevates this book, and much of Coffield’s previous work, from excellent to outstanding is his contextual analysis, here concentrated in the first and last chapters, of an education system relentlessly harried and, too often, debased by politics.

“Education policy in England becomes ever more extreme, divisive and inequitable, it is racing ever faster down the wrong road, reducing the professionalism of teachers to carrying out the detailed

instructions of an opinionated politician and the education of students to a narrow concentration on what can be measured and examined,” writes Coffield.

Vintage Coffield: it’s an erudite, enlightened and emotive read that will benefit your teaching practice as much as it strengthens your resilience and resolve as a professional educator.

FE managers and many of our politicians would do well to read it too.

Reconceptualising Professional Learning

those advising clients on professional development options and delivery.

It offers a wealth of perspectives from different professions, including education and health, from authors based in the UK, Australia, the USA and Sweden, among others.

In their chapter, professors Alison Fuller and Lorna Unwin, of the Institute of Education, propose an expert-apprenticeship

relationship to further professional learning which recognises that new recruits entering the workplace require mentoring, training and ongoing support.

Edited by Tara Fenwick and Monika Nerland, Routledge: paperback: 978-0-4158-1578-9 By engaging readers in an academic discussion of emerging issues affecting professional learning, this book is likely to be of interest to those closely involved in managing professional development systems for FE providers as well as

Alan Thomson is publishing and editorial advisor to IfL

Member offer IoE Press is offering IfL members a 20 per cent discount on the RRP of this book. To order please go to www.ioepress.co.uk/books and enter code BBL0514 when prompted. The offer is valid until 31 July 2014.

Member offer IfL members can claim a 20 per cent discount on all featured Routledge books when ordered directly from www.routledge.com. When ordering, use the code INT14.

Valid until 31 December 2014.

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Forum

A space for members to air their opinions.

They do not necessarily reflect the views of IfL

Pedagogue £20m for professional development? Yes, please Many of our hard-working colleagues in schools have now trodden the well-worn path into their profession of school, sixthform, university, PGCE, NQT and QTS. It is unarguable that the best should be selected to teach our young yet, stubbornly, our standards of numeracy remain embarrassingly poor. Pensioners can add up better than 16-year-olds, nearly 50 per cent of our population is at or below Level 1 and we languish 21st in the league

of the top 24 industrialised nations.

Gallantly, BIS has charged to the political rescue by making £20 million available for ‘golden hellos’ to welcome mathematics graduates into our sector.

Surely this lays the ground for whatever fails and disenfranchises so many young at school to be repeated?

Vocational specialists know only too well that full engagement can miraculously appear when numeracy is given relevance; relevance that has been gained from years of working on the tools, and applying it in real working contexts. Our graduate

colleagues will never have this experience, by my book a one day visit to a hairdressing salon or a factory doesn’t actually count.

I’m good at fractions, Pythagoras and trigonometry are fairly sharp, multiples and sub-multiples a breeze, but calculus and differentiation could do with a tweak. For just 0.00001 per cent of the £20m (£200 to you and me) I could be well up to speed.

How about making that £20m available for professional development of our existing vocational teachers? Not an eye-catching headline I suppose.

Pedagogue is an IfL member

Strictly online In what has become something of a ritual, IfL members took to Twitter to express their joy at hearing they had achieved Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS). Here are some of the comments.

IfL @IFL_Members Huge congratulations to the near 700 IfL members who have been awarded QTLS status this week.

Jemma Harvey @jarveybarvey @Babybella1301 @IFL_Members @MelWilliams8 Well done and welcome to the club – QTLS is great :) ALAMY

Clare Ling @Babybella1301 Well done on gaining QTLS status @MelWilliams8 we smashed it :)

IfL helps out in Texas When IfL member Karla Diedrich moved to the USA she was told, entirely reasonably, that she had to prove that she was professionally qualified as a teacher in order to teach.

As a fully qualified teacher with a BA in post-compulsory education, a Certificate in Education and Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status from IfL, Karla was more than qualified. But before issuing Karla with a teaching certificate, the Texas Education Board wanted to know whether she was still in good professional standing – which she is – and whether IfL is a government body. Which it isn’t.

As the independent body for teachers and trainers, the need for a governmental rubber stamp presented IfL with a challenge.

Undaunted, IfL contacted the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and explained the situation. A letter from BIS followed explaining that QTLS was granted by IfL and holders are deemed to be professionally qualified teachers.

Karla informs us that it did the trick and thanks to IfL she’s now able to teach in Texas.

Who you gonna call? IfL!

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Aileen Horsfield @amhoss Just found out I’ve got my QTLS today! #welldonetome!

Maureen Eyers @AintreeLegend12 Day 69 #100happydays after a bad day finding out that I’ve passed my #qtls that really made me happy & inspired me Anees Bokhari @AneesBokhari @IFL_Members I feel honoured after gaining QTLS. Thank you for providing a platform to get recognised as QTLS Andrew Biggin @BigginAndrew62 Great news! Finally had confirmation that I passed my QTLS Bolton PRU @bolton_pru Huge congrats to Clare L and Mel W for passing QTLS after loads of hard work #superstaff

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NoticeBoard IfL Calendar 18

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14

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ATL FE conference

International Youth Day

A Level results day

GCSE results day

JULY

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

8

21-24

28-1 Oct

4-8

5

International Literacy Day

Labour Party conference

Conservative Party conference

Liberal Democrat Party conference

World Teachers’ Day

OCTOBER Black History Month

Update on IfL’s CPD requirements Following the removal of the further education (FE) workforce regulations in 2012, it is no longer a requirement for all teachers and trainers in FE and skills to make an annual declaration of their CPD. However, in line with most other professional bodies, IfL expects members to remain in good professional standing by staying up to date with their subject specialism and approaches to teaching and learning. As an IfL member, you are asked to agree to make a commitment to your CPD, when you renew your IfL membership each year. If you have already renewed your membership for the year, you do not need to do anything further.

Find out more about IfL’s CPD requirements and visit IfL’s library of resources at http://bit.ly/CPDandQTLS

Calling all bloggers Do you blog about your experiences as a teacher?

Or perhaps you have a favourite blog that covers issues going on in FE and skills? If so we would love to hear from you.

Selected blogs will be featured on the IfL website and shared with tens of

challenges. Working with 27,000 global Fellows, the RSA is committed to learning and innovation.

RSA Fellows enjoy access to a huge, international resource of expertise and experience and, as an IfL member, you can join the RSA Fellowship network taking advantage of a reduced fee and fast-track application.

To request a joining pack, please contact Alex Barker at the RSA on 020 7451 6896 or email alexandra. barker@rsa.org.uk

Recommend a member Do you have colleagues or friends working in further education (FE) and skills who are not yet members of IfL? Why not share the benefits of IfL membership and refer a member today?

Refer an IfL member by emailing communications@ifl.ac.uk including your name, membership number, the name of the person you a recommending and their email address, and we’ll do the rest.

Please ensure that the person named knows that you have recommended them for IfL membership.

Find out how you can support your professional body at bit.ly/SupportIfL

thousands of teachers and trainers via the IfL Update enewsletter.

Please send details of your blog to communications@ ifl.ac.uk

CPD: exclusive learning package with EduCare IfL has teamed up with EduCare to offer members an exclusive package of online learning programmes.

The package covers essential duty of care topics such as safeguarding vulnerable young people and adults; child neglect; equality and diversity; and first aid.

This programme is offered to members at a vastly reduced cost. Whether as an introduction, or a refresher, these programmes are a useful and convenient way to contribute to your CPD.

Find out more on the IfL website via bit.ly/ IfLresources

Online space offers time to reflect

Jobs board IfL’s jobs board is back!

Take a look at our new-look jobs board at www.ifl.ac.uk IfL’s job-seeking service is tailored to the needs of teachers and trainers in our diverse sector.

To advertise jobs, please contact giorgio.romano@ redactive.co.uk or follow the instructions to submit a job on the website.

RSA Fellowship offer for IfL members For more than 260 years, the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) has been finding practical solutions to social

Don’t forget to make the most of the online learning space provided to members by IfL. You can access REfLECT+ anytime, anywhere from your PC, laptop or mobile.

It enables you to plan, record and assess the impact of continuing professional development (CPD) on your practice. www.ifl.ac.uk/cpd-and-qtls/ reflect-your-learning-space

Linking up Finally this issue, why not hook up with fellow IfL members to discuss professional issues at IfL’s members group on LinkedIn. To join the conversation please visit linkd.in/1ohXsZj

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The Institute for Learning has teamed up with EduCare to offer IfL members an exclusive NFNCFSTIJQ CFOFÙU q B SBOHF PG POMJOF MFBSOJOH QSPHSBNNFT UP TVQQPSU ZPVS DPOUJOVJOH professional development (CPD).

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