LEARNING FROM THE CPD PRACTICES OF HIGH PERFORMING COUNTRIES

1. CPD in Singapore

   Singapore is the first country in the world to adopt the PIC framework nationwide. (Dimmock & Tan, 2013; Hairon & Dimmock, 2011) It has institutionalized PLC in its schools. Professional development is very much alive. In 2010 the Ministry of Education (MOE) mandated all schools to be a "learning organization". This "learning organization" concept of schools supports the building of a strong mentorship culture where a collaborative and community-oriented form of professional development thrives. Every teacher is entitled to 100 hour per year of optional training which everyone makes use of. Schools are encouraged to provide at least one hour of curricular time per week for teachers to actively engage in school-based Professional Development (PD) initiatives. These PLCs are led by school leaders who provide teachers with structures and resources to engage in a variety of inquiry-based PD practices.

           For PD, Singapore has 1) Teacher-Researcher Networks, 2) Lesson study and other forms of "Learing Circles"

In the Teacher-Researcher Networks, faculty researchers rom NIB, senior specialists from MOL, and teacher researcher including those with higher formal training in research (who are Palled "research activists") serve as mentors to teachers to conduct action research. The overall goal of these learning communities is to provide teachers with resources to engage in action research (Hairon,2006), which is usually a form of classroom-based investigation where teachers discuss and reflect upon pedagogical problems and find their own solutions to improve teaching and learning. 

The teacher-researcher network follow these steps:

a. Identification and definition of a problem;

b. Planning for improvement;

c. Implementation of teaching/learning activities;

d. Observation of results (data collection)

e. Reflection on the outcomes.

At the completion of the research, participants write a group reflective journal to summarize the procedures, findings, conclusions, and implications of the study. These action research journals are shared with other groups of teachers interested in similar classroom problems. Opportunity like a forum, symposium and publications are given to teachers to share their research findings.

Another effective strategy for PD in Singapore is the lesson study (Lewis, Perry, & Hurd, 2004) adopted from Japan. The overall goal of lesson study is to foster collaborative inquiry and data-driven pedagogical reflection among teachers.

How is this done? This consists of four cyclical phases (Tan, 2014):

1. Study phase - Teachers analyze the curriculum to be taught and formulate long-term teaching and learning goals;

2. Planning phase - Teachers select lessons for research, predict student thinking and difficulties, and plan the implementation of specific lessons for data collection;

3. Analysis phase - Teachers observe and discuss the classroom evidence collected (e.g., videos, student written work);

4. Reflection phase - Teachers discuss student learning and identify new areas for further inquiry.

Much of the professional development of Singaporean teachers ccurs within school settings through the Learning Circles or Learning Teams. With the widely - accepted concept of "schools as laming organizations" and with teachers' welcoming attitude to PD, there are a number of work embedded opportunities for PD. Topics for PD range from curriculum innovation, student-centric teaching practices, new uses of ICT; collaborative lesson planning, to project-based learning.

2. CPD in Finland 

   Teachers in Finland meet one afternoon each week to jointly to share materials. plan and develop curriculum. They are encouraged to work together.

3. CD in Japan

    Lesson Study Approach to Professional Development Japan is well known for lesson study. How does Japan do lesson study as a strategy for professional development. Below is a detailed description of how Japan implements a lesson study:

Every teacher periodically prepares a best possible lesson that demonstrates strategies to achieve a specific goal (e.g. students becoming active problem-solvers or students learning more fromeach other) in collaboration with other colleagues. A group of teachers observe while the lesson is taught and usually record the lesson in a number of ways, including videotapes, audiotapes, and narrative and/or checklist observations that focus on areas of interest to the instructing teacher (e.g., how many student volunteered their own ideas). Afterwards, the group of teachers, and sometimes outside educators, discuss the lesson's strengths and weakness, ask questions, and make suggestions to improve the lesson. In some cases the revised lesson is given by another teacher only a few days later and observed and discussed again.

Teachers themselves decide the theme and frequency of research lessons. Large study groups often break up into subgroups of 4-6

teachers. The subgroups plan their own lessons but work toward the same goal and teachers from all subgroups share and comment on

lessons and try to attend the lesson and follow-up discussion. For a typical lesson study, the 10-15 hours of group meetings are spread over three to four weeks. While schools let out between 2:40 and 3:45 p.m., teachers' work days don't end until 5 p.m., which provides additional time for collegial work and planning. Most lesson study meetings occur during the hours after school lets out. The research lessons allow teachers to refine individual lessons, consult with other teachers and get colleagues' observations about their classroom practice, reflect on their own practice, learn new content and approaches, and build a culture that emphasizes continuous improvement and collaboration.

Some teachers also give public research lessons, which expedites the spread of best practices across schools, allows principals, district personnel, and policymakers to see how teachers are grappling with new subject matter and goals, and gives recognition to excellent teachers.

4. CPD in New Zealand

In New Zealand, the Ministry of Education gives funds for 20 percent release time for new teachers and 10 percent release time for second-year teachers Ministry of Education to observe other teachers, attend professional development activities, courses and work on curriculum. Mentor teachers deliberately spend time to observe and confer with beginning teachers.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE CPD

Based on the professional development practices and experiences of high performing countries, we can say that a CPD that works is 

1) continuous; 

2) collaborative; 

3) focused on a specific teacher need;

4) job-embedded; 

5) given enough time and 

6) funded. The one-shot workshops that teachers bemoan don't work.

• CD must be continuous thus the word Continuing Professional Development. A professional does not stop developing or else he/she ruts. Stagnant water becomes putrid.

• CPD must also be collaborative, thus the need to be part of a PLC, a professional learning community. It was Helen Keller who said "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."

• CPD must be focused on a specific teacher need. It responds to a need and so is highly relevant to the teacher. A CPD that is prescribed by higher officials does not necessarily respond to teachers' need.

• If CD is job-embedded, it becomes even more relevant. The teacher has not to be removed from the workplace for CPD so there he/she does. is no work disruption. What the teacher is trained on is exactly what.

• Quality CPD demands adequate time. What is 10 to 20 hours removed from contact time with learners? Quality time spent for learners. CD ultimately redounds to improved teaching for the benefit of CPD with support funds is definitely better than one without.

One cannot give what one does not have. A teacher who embraces Continuing Professional Development will have more to give to his/her students and to all others whom he/she serves. The CPD Act of 2016 requires every professional teacher to go through CPD. CPD units are a requirement for the renewal of professional licenses.

Let us learn from the CPD practices of countries which are known for their sterling school performance. Finland and New Zealand have institutionalized CPD and so set time for CPD within the teachers' teaching schedule. In New Zealand. teachers observe other teachers, attend professional development activities, courses and work on curriculum, mentor teachers deliberately and spend time to observe and confer with beginning teachers.

Japan is well-known for its lesson study where a teacher demonstrates a lesson as he/she is observed by his/her colleagues. The demonstration lesson is open to critiquing by fellow teachers for professional development.

Singapore has its lesson study, too, in addition to Teacher- Researcher Networks, Lesson Study and other forms of "Learning Circles."

Based on the professional development practices and experiences of high-performing countries, we can say that a CPD that works is 1) continuous; 2) collaborative; 3) focused on a specific teacher need; 4) job-embedded; 5) given enough time and 6) funded. The one-shot workshops that teachers bemoan don't work.