6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice 

6.3 Engage with colleagues to improve practice 

6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning 

We have a weekly staff meeting every Wednesday which always includes professional development (APST 6.2) and becomes the ‘focus of the week’ (Artefact 9). This content is then applied to our professional practice to improve student learning as evidenced by applying Lemov’s (2021) cold call technique as discussed in Standard 4 (APST 6.4). What we learn is based on observations made by Master Teachers and are generally areas which require fine tuning or new opportunities to learn and implement innovative and effective teaching practices. I enjoy attending these meetings as it’s an opportunity to network, cooperate, and share experiences with colleagues. I believe learning from each another and sharing best practice develops the collective professional knowledge which creates a more productive and positive work atmosphere. Similarly, it increases competency and confidence in teaching abilities which leads to improved job satisfaction. 

A weekly staff meeting provides a platform for the exchange of ideas and sharing of best practice. It allows more experienced educators to share their knowledge which assists teachers in earlier stages of their career. Contrastingly, beginning teachers can share the latest newer knowledge whist assists older educators with keeping up to date with educational trends (APST 6.3, 6.4). 

Professional Development allows teachers to stay updated on the latest research, teaching strategies, and provides opportunity to continuously improve skills. It therefore is the foundation for effective teaching. It can often include updates on educational policies and regulations which allows us to stay well-informed and ensures that teachers can align their practices with the current educational standards and requirements. A commitment to ongoing professional development leads to improved educational outcomes for students. The significance of this is supported by Hattie (2003) who argues high-quality teaching is the greatest in-school influence on student engagement and outcomes.