Professional development is an important aspect of teaching and it is a continuous process that adds value right through a teaching practitioner’s career. It is my view that teaching can never be complete, never be conquered and is always developing and changing. Therefore, instead of viewing it as a burden or a negative aspect of the professional’s requirements, it should be viewed as a badge of honour. (Green 1996, page11) I have realised reflecting on my performance at work is a good method of obtaining feedback on my teaching capabilities. In addition, keeping a reflective diary about my activities and experiences as an early year's practitioner has helped me to reflect and learn from my experience (see appendix 1, medium term SMART target). This also allows to me to develop on my teaching practice as I go along.
CPD can be viewed as a basic requirement in a professional’s life and as David Blunkett stated:
“…Good professionals are engaged in a journey of self-improvement, always ready to reflect on their own practice in the light of other approaches and to contribute to the development of others by sharing their best practice and insights…”
(Blunkett 2000, page1)
Graduate practitioners would be required to continually develop their practice through the means of continuing professional development (CPD) in order to enhance their existing knowledge and understanding of the requirements needed to fulfil their duties. ( link to graduate CPD , Level 3 children’s workforce etcetera, employability skills gradutes need to possess, leitch report and what the governments saying about CPD and gradutes)
John Dewey wrote in Experience and Education (New York: Macmillan, 1938) that reflecting on your practice was a vital way of experiencing learning. He stated that thinking as a reflector makes educators act in a ‘deliberate and intentional fashion’ instead of thinking in a ‘blind and impulsive’ manner.
This is true of any profession but especially that of...