Tips for Supporting Teacher Development

“Train-the-trainers” (TTT) is one of the most common methods used to scale up improvement & change capability across organisations, yet we often fail to set it up for success. A recent article, drawing on teacher professional development & transfer-of-training research, argues TTT should always be based on an “offer-and-use” model: OFFER: what the programme provides—facilitator expertise, session design, practice opportunities, feedback, follow-up support & evaluation. USE: what participants do with those opportunities—what they notice, how they make sense of it, how much they engage, what they learn, & whether they apply it in real work. How to design TTT that works & sticks: 1. Design for real-world use: Clarify the practical outcome - what trainers should do differently in their next sessions & what that should improve for the organisation. Plan beyond the classroom with post-course support so people can apply learning. Space learning over time rather than delivering it in one intensive block, because spacing & follow-ups support sustained use. 2. Use strong facilitators: Select facilitators who know the topic & how adults learn, how groups work & how to give useful feedback. Ensure they teach “how to make this stick at work” (apply & sustain practices), not only “how to deliver a session.” 3. Make practice central: Build the programme around realistic rehearsal: deliver, get feedback, & practise again until skills become automatic. Use participants’ real scenarios (especially change situations) to strengthen transfer. Include safe practice for difficult moments (challenge, unexpected questions) & treat mistakes as learning. Build peer learning so participants learn with & from each other, not just the facilitator. 4. Prepare participants to succeed: Assess what participants already know & can do, then tailor the learning. Build confidence to use skills at work (confidence predicts application). Help each person create a simple, specific plan for when & how they will use the approaches in their next training sessions. 5. Ensure workplace transfer support: Enable quick application (opportunities to deliver training soon after the course), plus time & resources to do it well. Provide ongoing support (feedback, coaching, & encouragement) from leaders, peers &/or the wider organisation. 6. Evaluate what matters: Go beyond satisfaction scores - assess whether trainers changed their practice & whether this improved outcomes for learners & the organisation. Use findings to improve the next iteration as a continuous improvement cycle, not a one-off event. https://lnkd.in/eJ-Xrxwm. By Prof. Dr. Susanne Wisshak & colleagues, sourced via John Whitfield MBA

A Professional Development Roadmap for New Teachers The first years of teaching shape everything that follows. New teachers often focus on survival, lesson delivery, and classroom control. Professional growth needs structure, not guesswork. A clear development roadmap helps early-career teachers move from competence to confidence with purpose. Stage 1: Foundation and Classroom Readiness New teachers should begin by mastering classroom routines, behaviour management, and lesson structure. At this stage, consistency matters more than creativity. Observing experienced colleagues, using clear lesson objectives, and reflecting after each lesson builds professional awareness quickly. Stage 2: Instructional Skill Building Once classroom control stabilises, attention should shift to teaching quality. Teachers refine questioning techniques, pacing, and feedback. They learn to align objectives, activities, and assessment. Short, focused professional development sessions work best here, especially when paired with coaching or peer observation. Stage 3: Assessment Literacy and Data Use Effective teachers understand evidence. New teachers should learn how to design valid assessments, interpret student data, and adjust instruction accordingly. This stage develops instructional decision-making and reduces reliance on intuition alone. Stage 4: Specialisation and Differentiation Teachers now deepen subject knowledge and learn to support diverse learners. Differentiation, inclusive practices, and adaptive teaching become priorities. Professional reading, action research, and targeted training strengthen expertise. Stage 5: Professional Identity and Leadership Readiness In later stages, teachers refine their professional voice. They mentor peers, contribute to curriculum planning, and engage in wider educational conversations. Leadership begins with influence, not titles. A roadmap does not restrict growth. It provides direction. When schools support new teachers with intentional development pathways, retention improves, teaching quality rises, and students benefit most. Professional growth is not a race. It is a guided journey. ⸻ #TeacherDevelopment #NewTeachers #ProfessionalLearning #TeacherGrowth #EducationLeadership #CPD #TeachingCareer #EdLeadership #TeacherSupport #Education #Teaching #TeacherDevelopment #ClassroomManagement #TeacherTraining #EdLeadership #LearningDesign #ProfessionalGrowth #Pedagogy

Teachers Don’t Need More Training — They Need Better Conditions to Use the Training They Already Have. Let me say something that may sound strange coming from someone who designs training for hundreds of schools: Teachers are not undertrained. They are under-supported. I have worked with thousands of teachers — brilliant, committed, thoughtful educators — who attend workshops, complete certifications, learn new strategies… and still struggle to implement them. Not because they lack skill. Because they lack conditions. Here’s what I mean: 1️⃣ Teachers don’t need more theory — they need time. A teacher can’t “implement active learning” if they don’t have planning time, clear routines, or breathing space to experiment. Time is the oxygen of teacher growth. 2️⃣ Teachers don’t need another workshop — they need feedback that feels safe. Fear-based observations destroy confidence. Supportive coaching builds it. Teachers grow where feedback is a conversation, not a judgment. 3️⃣ Teachers don’t need new frameworks — they need working systems. Even the best strategies fail when: • timetables are chaotic • resources arrive late • DLPs don’t match assessments • middle leadership is inconsistent • class sizes are unmanageable A broken system will crush even the most highly trained teacher. 4️⃣ Teachers don’t need motivation sessions — they need emotional bandwidth. You cannot pour into students when you’re empty yourself. Well-being is not a luxury. It is a prerequisite for professional excellence. 5️⃣ Teachers don’t need more expectations — they need permission to try, fail, and grow. Innovation requires psychological safety. Creativity needs trust. The teacher who feels trusted will outperform the teacher who feels watched. The truth? The problem in education is not a skill deficit. It’s a systems deficit. When teachers are given: • time • clarity • resources • coaching • emotional safety • supportive middle leadership …they naturally implement everything they’ve learned — beautifully. Teachers don’t need more training. They need the right environment to thrive. And leadership is responsible for building that environment. #EducationReform #TeacherSupport #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #InstructionalCoaching #PsychologicalSafety #TeacherWellbeing #CafeLearning #SystemChange #LeadershipMatters

How do you develop successful teacher professional development for emerging technologies like GenAI? In order to create opportunities for staff to develop their understanding, we need to approach GenAI with "three dimensions of expertise" in mind. I wrote about these dimensions earlier this year: Domain, situated, and technological expertise. Developing all three areas is key to supporting staff with their understanding of GenAI, and it does not matter whether they personally choose to "use or refuse" the technology. To develop a school-wide approach to this kind of professional development, I recommend three stages: Stage 1: Explore. Find out what your staff actually know. Not just their qualifications - their real expertise. You'll be surprised what you discover. That maths teacher who's been teaching humanities for 10 years due to staff shortages? Still loves maths. The quiet Arts teacher who never speaks up in meetings? Runs a tech blog on weekends. Stage 2: Design. Map everyone's strengths and create groups based on what they want to learn. Don't try to turn everyone into an AI expert. Focus on getting the right mix of skills across your school. Stage 3: Lead. Let the people with expertise lead. Give them time and resources to help others. Check in regularly - at least once a year - to see how things are progressing. The example in the slides below - "Mary" - is a composite of many teachers I've worked with over the years. Mary started as an English teacher cornered into teaching out of field. Despite feeling out of her depth, she focused on her disciplinary knowledge and expertise until she gained a leadership position. COVID forced Mary into a level of technological expertise, which she then leveraged when ChatGPT hit a few years later to become the leader of an AI Taskforce responsible for piloting the technology and informing guidelines. Professional development is not a one-off event: it's a process, and we need to acknowledge the many and varied levels of expertise in our schools rather than trying for a one-size-fits-none approach to AI.

Teachers – Lifelong Learners! It's rightly said that there’s no age limit to learning. Learning is like a flowing stream — it keeps you fresh, relevant, and ever-evolving. Learning benefits not just oneself, it multiplies when shared with others! Teachers who develop the habit of self-reflection and compete with their own daily performance are the ones who strive for excellence. While some starve for perfection — a goal that can often feel unachievable — others focus on progress, which is far more sustainable and rewarding. Lifelong learning is not a destination; it’s a mindset. It’s not about attaining a certain title or position. It’s about continually making a difference — in your students’ lives, in your classroom, and in yourself. How Teachers Can Become Lifelong Learners 1. Reflect Daily: Keep a teaching journal to jot down what went well and what could improve. Even 5 minutes of reflection can lead to powerful insights. “We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.” — John Dewey 2. Collaborate and Share: Join professional learning communities, both in-person and online. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Edutopia, or TeachThought are great for exchanging ideas. 3. Read Widely: Expand beyond education-specific content. Explore psychology, leadership, technology, and innovation. A wider perspective enhances classroom creativity. 4. Experiment and Innovate: Try out a new teaching strategy every month — inquiry-based learning, gamified lessons, or flipped classrooms. Treat your classroom as a learning lab. 5. Seek Feedback: Ask peers or students for honest feedback. This isn’t a sign of weakness but of growth mindset — one of the strongest traits of lifelong learners. 6. Engage in Professional Development: Attend webinars, conferences, or short certification courses. Even small bursts of formal learning can rekindle enthusiasm and confidence. 7. Mentor and Be Mentored: Mentorship works both ways. You learn when you teach others and grow when guided by someone more experienced.

As Summer PD kicks off in many Northeast charters, I’ve been thinking about what it really takes to build a culture of feedback and learning—not just deliver professional development. One thing I learned based on my years as a principal and then supporting principals and leaders in designing professional development is this: A culture of feedback doesn’t start with a protocol. It starts with a habit. One of the most powerful: short, focused reflection surveys. And this isn’t just for summer onboarding. It works any time you're introducing a new initiative, tool, or workflow. But if the goal is learning—not just collecting data—how you use those surveys matters. Whether you're onboarding teachers or leading a change effort on your team, here are three lessons I’ve learned: ✅ Ask better questions. You get the data you ask for. Make sure you ask about both content and format. For content: • What’s one practice you’re excited to try? • What’s still unclear? • Where will you need more support? For format: a quick Keep–Start–Stop works wonders. ✅ Review the feedback as a team. Don’t just collect feedback—process it. Spot patterns, add context from your own observations, and adjust your plan. That might mean reshuffling sessions, re-grouping folks, or offering targeted support. ✅ Close the loop. If you want people to be honest, show them that their feedback matters. Share what you heard and how you’re responding—even if the answer is, “Not yet, and here’s why.” For individual concerns, follow up 1:1. This approach doesn’t just improve your rollout. It models the kind of learning culture we want in every classroom and team. And while I’ve seen this most in schools, these lessons apply anywhere—nonprofits, startups, corporate teams. If you’re leading any kind of team learning experience, these small moves build trust, responsiveness, and real feedback loops. You’ve heard me say it before: clarity is a process, and it’s bidirectional. This is one simple, powerful way to get there. What are your favorite moves or 1% solutions for building a culture of learning?

The future of education depends on how well we invest in the people who deliver it. In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape shaped by AI, digital tools, and shifting learner needs, upskilling our teachers and staff isn't optional; it's foundational. Here are some best practices we’ve found effective: ✅ Make professional development continuous, not episodic Ongoing, embedded learning (coaching, microlearning, PLCs) leads to sustainable growth, far more than one-off workshops. ✅ Leverage technology with intentionality Train staff not just how to use tools, but why, focusing on outcomes like engagement, accessibility, and personalization. ✅ Center learning on real classroom challenges Professional development must connect to what educators face daily. Relevance breeds retention and motivation. ✅ Create a culture of learning at every level When leaders model curiosity and openness to growth, it cascades throughout the organization. ✅ Elevate educator voice and agency Upskilling works best when teachers co-design their learning journeys and feel ownership of their development. What strategies are working in your schools or organizations? I’d love to hear your insights. 👇 #K12 #EdLeadership #TeacherDevelopment #LifelongLearning #ProfessionalGrowth #FutureOfEducation

Want to think smarter about teacher development? Imagine it like a burger: ↓ Getting better as a teacher (or helping others to get better) is not an easy task. This is due to things like the paradox of expertise (the best teachers make it *look* easy), the knowing-doing gap, and habit inertia. To give ourselves the greatest chance of success, we must invest heavily in 'what works' when it comes to professional development (PD) and ignore almost everything else. So... what works? Instructional coaching? Learning communities? Lesson study? Well, it actually doesn’t make a lot of sense to ask whether things like instructional coaching are effective. It's like asking if a burger is healthy. It depends on what they contain. Like a burger, any PD is only as good as its *ingredients*. And so, what are the 6 essential ingredients of effective PD? If any of the following are absent, change is unlikely to happen: 1/ GET IT → Helping teachers to develop an understanding of the science of teaching and learning. 2/ SEE IT → Helping teachers to develop a bank of strategies of what the science looks like in practice. 3/ TRY IT → Engaging in rehearsal to help teachers contextualise these strategies for their subject(s), students, and selves. 4/ KEEP IT → Helping teachers to build fluency in these strategies and embed them in the routines of their work. 5/ FIT IT → Tailoring development to the contexts and needs of teachers and, where possible, their teams and schools. 6/ OWN IT → Motivating teachers to invest effort in all these processes and follow through with any commitments they make. NOTE GET IT and SEE IT can be done in either order, but both must come before TRY IT, which must come before KEEP IT. FIT IT and OWN IT should be considered before and throughout the PD experience. The 'IT' in each case refers to the content of each activity. And so, while the nature of these ingredients is generic for all teachers, their content should be specific to the subject, age range, or even culture each teacher operates in. All in all, this is how we end up building the domain-specific knowledge necessary for expert teaching. 🎓 For more, check out this systematic review and guidance report on effective professional development. https://lnkd.in/eyikK9mj SUMMARY To get better as a teacher (or help others get better), we need these 6 ‘essential ingredients’ to be present: → Understanding the science → Seeing examples of practice → Rehearsing → Building habits → Tailoring to individual needs → Securing motivation 👊

Let's talk about supporting our education heroes....Teachers! I'm pictured below with my longtime friend and career educator, Stephanie. She's been an educator for over 25 years. Teaching is not just a profession for many, including Stephanie; it's a calling. Our #educators play a vital role in shaping the future, but they face unique challenges that can lead to #burnout. Let's shine a light on this issue and work together to support our #education heroes. A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of co-facilitating sessions for school staff and school administrators across North Carolina alongside Mike Perko, Morgan Daniels, Wendy White, Lawrence Henderson and Sallie Lee that were designed to help schools develop a strategy to help prevent #teacherburnout in their schools. We were afforded the opportunity to do this important work thanks to the leadership of Ellen Essick and Susanne Schmal at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Here are some crucial steps schools can take: 1️⃣ Recognize the Signs: Understand the signs of #teacher burnout, such as chronic exhaustion, emotional detachment, and a sense of hopelessness. These are signals that a dedicated #educator may be struggling. 2️⃣ Offer Support: Create a #culture of support within our #schools and educational institutions. Encourage open dialogue and provide resources for #mentalhealth and #wellbeing. 3️⃣ Work-Life Harmony: Advocate for work-life harmony. Teachers often work long hours, including evenings and weekends. Encourage regular breaks and time for #selfcare. 4️⃣ Professional Development: Invest in professional development programs that equip teachers with tools and strategies to manage #stress and prevent burnout. 5️⃣ Reducing Administrative Burden: Streamline #administrative tasks to allow educators to focus on what they do best—teaching. 6️⃣ Peer Support: Foster #peersupport networks where teachers can share experiences, strategies, and emotional support with their colleagues. 7️⃣ Recognition: Recognize and celebrate the dedication and hard work of our educators. A simple "thank you" can go a long way. 8️⃣ Policy Advocacy: Advocate for policies that address the systemic issues contributing to teacher burnout, including class sizes, resource allocation, and standardized testing pressures. Education is the foundation of a prosperous society, and teachers are the architects of that foundation. Let's unite to ensure that our educators receive the support and appreciation they deserve, so they can continue shaping the minds and hearts of the next generation. If you're an educator, school administrator or know someone who is, comment below with how you support our educational heroes. If you don't know where to start, let's chat! #mentalwellness #workplacementalhealth #workplacestress #mentalhealthawareness #wellbeingatwork #workplacewellness #employeementalhealth #employeewellness #employeewellbeing #employeeretention #teacherretention #DEI #leadership