Introduction

1 What skills and knowledge would make you a better teacher?

2 What development opportunities can you find in your context? Are you accessing all the opportunities which are available?

Teacher development

Developing as a teacher is important for personal, professional and psychological reasons. In becoming better as a teacher, as learning experiences and outcomes improve, both you and your students benefit. Furthermore, as you develop your own skills and abilities, you also make yourself more employable. Teachers, like students, can sometimes have a negative mindset, where professional development feels pointless, or a very high mountain to climb. You may feel that there is so much to do that there is no point in doing anything, However, in the majority of challenging circumstances, if teachers don't take responsibility for their own development, nobody else will. Although it may not be easy, it is usually possible to improve your situation.

Teacher development can be divided into three main categories:

• • How can I increase my knowledge of my specific subject area? (e.g. improving your own English, or a specific aspect of it, such as speaking skills)

• • How can I improve my general pedagogic skills? (e.g. using group work more effectively, or teaching writing more collaboratively)

• • How can I improve a specific skill which is particularly relevant where I teach? (e.g. supporting children who have trauma, or teaching multilingual classes)