ABSTRACT
It is self-evident to anyone entering the teaching profession that the barely one year postgraduate training is insufficient fully to prepare a person for the professional duties and responsibilities of the job. Those selected for a’fast track’ into teaching are arguably even less well prepared. And of course, those who have been in teaching for many years will freely admit that they too do not always feel on top of the job and are still learning. Thus, the need for ‘professional development’ opportunities is obvious. This chapter of the book identifies what forms professional development can take and suggests ways to think about professional development to help you make the most of opportunities, as and when they arise. They should arise frequently, for: ‘Every teacher now has the opportunity, under the performance management arrangements, to discuss their learning and development needs annually with their line manager and to set one or more development objectives’ (DfES 2002).
