“Closing the gap” is a term commonly used in education, often in the context of eliminating (or at least reducing) the attainment and progress gap between students with different socioeconomic backgrounds. The use of evidence-informed strategies, such as retrieval practice, are designed to find and close gaps in all students’ knowledge; in another example, literacy tasks and techniques are implemented with the aim to close the vocabulary gap amongst learners.
In ‘The Teaching Life: Professional Learning and Career Progression (2021), a book I co-authored with Robin Macpherson, we argued there is just as much of a professional learning gap amongst the teaching profession—and that it should be closed. We asserted, “Although this has likely always existed in schools, it is becoming clearer and more evident that there is a professional learning gap in our profession.”
Dylan Wiliam is a strong advocate for ongoing professional development and learning. Wiliam stated in an article for TES, “If we accept that every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better, professional development becomes welcome—it is just the way we become better.”
At Evidence Based Education our definition of a great teacher is one who is willing to do what it takes to be demonstrably more effective next year than this. Regardless of the years in the classroom or role within a school, each individual teacher can and should continually aim to improve. Professional learning should be consistent from initial teacher training to the end of a teacher’s career. The needs will change and evolve as educators progress throughout their career.
The “professional learning gap” refers to the clear distinction between those teachers and leaders that embrace professional learning and those that reject it (or are reluctant to develop). This can be commonplace in schools around the world and poses problems for school leaders. Those that will suffer are ultimately the students taught by those teachers that do not have a desire to learn, develop and improve their practice.
There are many teachers that are knowledgeable about the latest developments in education and are actively taking ownership of their professional learning. The challenge for school leaders will be to try to get all staff in a school engaged and excited about professional learning. How then can this be achieved?
Schools have a responsibility to support their staff with professional learning, both in terms of time and finance (although there are certainly other factors to consider). School leaders at all levels must lead by example in terms of professional learning too. All great teachers have one key element in common; they never stop learning. Similarly, all great schools have one thing in common; they never stop improving. A great teacher will flourish at a school that encourages them to keep learning. A great school will only be able to improve with teachers that never stop learning. Teacher development and school improvement go hand in hand, two sides of the same coin.
Teachers and leaders who are reluctant to engage and develop professionally or have plateaued, with no interest or responsibility for their own professional learning, is a concern. It can be a challenge for teachers and leaders who do have a desire to improve but struggle to find the time to engage with research or reading; this is an issue that needs to be addressed and resolved with support. The belief that teachers don’t need to keep learning and developing once they have gained a few years of experience is not the right attitude educators should model to colleagues or students!
There are teachers who are engaging with professional learning and evidence-based approaches, yet they feel frustrated because senior leaders at their schools are not doing so. In contrast to that, we find instances of senior and middle leaders that are leading by example, being evidence informed, but struggling to motivate their colleagues to do the same.
The Great Teaching Toolkit offers a wealth of evidence-based professional development resources and materials, ranging from courses, to feedback surveys and much more to support the development of teacher expertise. The Great Teaching Toolkit helps teachers to:
- set specific goals for improving their classroom practice, where everyone’s voice is heard.
- build understanding in areas that make the most difference.
- develop skills through modelling, instruction, safe rehearsal, and feedback.
- embed habits with development cycles of deliberate practice, feedback, and reflection.
It is likely the professional learning gap will always exist, as it does in other professions. But the very fact that you are reading this blog shows you are dedicating time to develop your professional learning! You can also play a significant role in the professional development of others, from colleagues around you to those you may lead.
Find out more about the Great Teaching Toolkit and access resource materials, click here.
References:
Jones, K. & Macpherson, R. (2021). The Teaching Life: Professional Learning and Career Progression. John Catt Publishing Ltd.
