Personal Development for Teachers
The important personal skills, like self awareness, staying in control of emotions, being able to coach the best out of people and managing relationships seem to be taken for granted.
Teacher training rarely covers the personal elements like understanding ones personality type and the impact this has on the learning experience, or how to deal with bad behaviour and conflict in the school environment. Yet this is the very knowledge that can help teachers fulfil their potential.
Currently the training model is simply throwing them in at the deep end where they are forced to develop their own strategies as they go along.
So how do we differentiate between the personal and professional elements of teaching?
It’s difficult and it’s like separating out the right from the left brain. They are inextricably linked and you need both to perform at your best. Here’s a simple definition which may help with the distinction between them.
In industry this distinction has taken a while to emerge, and it was factors like the cost of stress in the workplace which have brought the personal side into focus. And now companies go to great lengths to ensure their employees have all the resources they need to help them with their work life balance.
Let’s hope we don’t have to burn our teachers out before we realise the value of helping individuals to develop the personal skills to manage themselves in their daily routine of work. The reality is that we still have a long way to go and this statement which came from a teacher reflects just how far that is.
“Personal development is when you decide what skills you want to learn and professional development is when others tell you what they need you to improve”.
Every teacher is unique and their life experiences and knowledge mean that they have different personal and professional needs irrespective of their age or the number of years they have been teaching.
Personal development is a lifelong process which comes from both positive and negative experiences, whether they are in the classroom or at home and during these times both risk and challenge can turn into opportunity and growth. Teachers like other professionals encounter a number of life changing events such as, the birth of children, divorce or separation, bullying,challenging relationships, depression, illness, accidents, being excluded and bereavement, all of which, can have a profound affect on their professional lives as a teacher and their ability to engage and connect with students and colleagues at work.
It is at these times of complexity and vulnerability when emotions are running high that we are most willing to learn and it is therefore essential that schools provide the necessary support and resources throughout the career of a teacher. There are many ways to develop yourself,but some of the emerging and exciting new ways to learn are through Self-Awareness, Mindfulness and Meditation.
AchieveNI have designed a Personal Development Programme for teaching staff members which enables a clearer understanding of the importance of self-care and self-worth.
Teacher training rarely covers the personal elements like understanding ones personality type and the impact this has on the learning experience, or how to deal with bad behaviour and conflict in the school environment. Yet this is the very knowledge that can help teachers fulfil their potential.
Currently the training model is simply throwing them in at the deep end where they are forced to develop their own strategies as they go along.
So how do we differentiate between the personal and professional elements of teaching?
It’s difficult and it’s like separating out the right from the left brain. They are inextricably linked and you need both to perform at your best. Here’s a simple definition which may help with the distinction between them.
- Professional development focuses on the technical skills and competencies such as subject knowledge, planning/structuring lessons, managing the learning process and transferring knowledge.
- Personal development focuses on the personal skills and competencies such as managing your work life balance, your personal efficiency and your ability to connect, build rapport and inspire.
In industry this distinction has taken a while to emerge, and it was factors like the cost of stress in the workplace which have brought the personal side into focus. And now companies go to great lengths to ensure their employees have all the resources they need to help them with their work life balance.
Let’s hope we don’t have to burn our teachers out before we realise the value of helping individuals to develop the personal skills to manage themselves in their daily routine of work. The reality is that we still have a long way to go and this statement which came from a teacher reflects just how far that is.
“Personal development is when you decide what skills you want to learn and professional development is when others tell you what they need you to improve”.
Every teacher is unique and their life experiences and knowledge mean that they have different personal and professional needs irrespective of their age or the number of years they have been teaching.
Personal development is a lifelong process which comes from both positive and negative experiences, whether they are in the classroom or at home and during these times both risk and challenge can turn into opportunity and growth. Teachers like other professionals encounter a number of life changing events such as, the birth of children, divorce or separation, bullying,challenging relationships, depression, illness, accidents, being excluded and bereavement, all of which, can have a profound affect on their professional lives as a teacher and their ability to engage and connect with students and colleagues at work.
It is at these times of complexity and vulnerability when emotions are running high that we are most willing to learn and it is therefore essential that schools provide the necessary support and resources throughout the career of a teacher. There are many ways to develop yourself,but some of the emerging and exciting new ways to learn are through Self-Awareness, Mindfulness and Meditation.
AchieveNI have designed a Personal Development Programme for teaching staff members which enables a clearer understanding of the importance of self-care and self-worth.