CPD Idea, Opportunities and Log for Supply Teachers

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CPD for Supply Teachers - log and ideasCPD must be 3 things: continuous, professional, and it must develop you and your skills!

This download outlines the types of CPD you should be doing, many of which you probably are without even realising it! It also includes a handy log for you to record your CPD efforts: http://www.supplybag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/CPD-Log.pdf

Do you use this CPD log?  Do you find it useful?  Let me know in the comments below! (Issues mentioned there are now resolved!)

A few Mondays a year, in the Supply Teacher Network, we hold an informal CPD session.  Why not join us?  We take suggestions for CPD from the floor… e.g. the first session, on interactive whiteboards, came about through a discussion between supply teacher members, how one knew everything about SMART boards, but had never used a Promethean board, and another supply teacher had the opposite experience.  We decided then that we probably knew enough between us all (over 1,100 members at the time) to hold our own CPD session on it, learning from each other!

Don't forget to bring your CPD log along with you when you join us on those Monday evenings, be ready to take notes either using pen and pencil, or by copying and pasting the relevant threads!  From time to time we welcome visitors to our CPD sessions who can give us more information on our chosen subjects.  If you are interested in taking part as a visitor in our CPD session, please contact me.

Continuing Professional Development for Supply Teachers

by Sharon Wood

SupplyBag.co.uk exists to support supply teachers. Here, we have many articles on how to get started as a supply teacher, and how to be a better supply teacher. It is in everyone’s interests for you to continually improve your performance in school.

As part of the Government’s commitment to raising the effectiveness of supply teaching the former DfES commissioned a set of self-study materials for post induction Supply Teachers in order to support their Professional Development.

The materials consisted of five books to enable independent study, but have since been lost into the ether.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) offers a calendar of courses to aid in Continuing Professional Development, a good proportion of which are aimed specifically at supply teachers.

CPD for supply teachers

Most other teaching unions and associations offer CPD courses.  It is worth contacting your local supply teacher recruitment agency regarding CPD that they may offer.

The Supply Teacher offers a CPD course for supply teachers, focusing on increasing confidence, improving improvisation skills, developing professional relationships etc. It is a home study course, self-assessed, and includes a Certificate of Attainment. The course is priced at £20, and is available to supply teachers here:
http://www.thesupplyteacher.com/information/cpd-information/12-cpd-course-from-the-supply-teacher

Swansea University often offers Continuing Professional Development courses for supply teachers.