CHAPTER 2: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Types of professional development in the work situation
1. DEMONSTRATION – The educator is shown how to perform a task by an experienced staff
mentor and is then left to get on with it.
2. MENTORING AND COACHING – support is given by an experienced staff member to a
novice educator. The focus is on helping them acquire the necessary knowledge and skills.
Typically between colleagues and peers.
3. COLLABORATION: WORKING IN TEAMS AND GROUPS – Staff members are encouraged to share
and compare professional ideas. They meet to discuss content of subjects, methods, learning
activities and assessments.
4. CLUSTERING AND SCHOOL VISITS – schools that are geographically close together form
groups. Schools work together and learn from each other.
5. NETWORKING – electronic networks such as emails and search engines have the potential to
open numerous self-development possibilities to access valuable information and ideas with others.
6. JOB ROTATION – When staff members are nearby retirement, their responsibilities are rotated
among other staff to see who is interested in – or most capable of – taking over the responsibility of
the job
Creating a professional development programme
1. Department of education school district goals and objectives.
2. Diagnosing development needs
3. Establishing professional development goals and objectives
4. Designing a professional development programme
5. Implementing professional development
6. Evaluating development programmes
7. Maintaining professional development programmes
Types of professional development in the work situation
1. DEMONSTRATION – The educator is shown how to perform a task by an experienced staff
mentor and is then left to get on with it.
2. MENTORING AND COACHING – support is given by an experienced staff member to a
novice educator. The focus is on helping them acquire the necessary knowledge and skills.
Typically between colleagues and peers.
3. COLLABORATION: WORKING IN TEAMS AND GROUPS – Staff members are encouraged to share
and compare professional ideas. They meet to discuss content of subjects, methods, learning
activities and assessments.
4. CLUSTERING AND SCHOOL VISITS – schools that are geographically close together form
groups. Schools work together and learn from each other.
5. NETWORKING – electronic networks such as emails and search engines have the potential to
open numerous self-development possibilities to access valuable information and ideas with others.
6. JOB ROTATION – When staff members are nearby retirement, their responsibilities are rotated
among other staff to see who is interested in – or most capable of – taking over the responsibility of
the job
Creating a professional development programme
1. Department of education school district goals and objectives.
2. Diagnosing development needs
3. Establishing professional development goals and objectives
4. Designing a professional development programme
5. Implementing professional development
6. Evaluating development programmes
7. Maintaining professional development programmes
