COVID has not only changed the way our settings and schools are run, but it has also impacted on the way practitioners and teachers are learning. Professional development opportunities have become fewer and fewer in recent years due to stagnant funding rates, however, COVID has impacted on this further.
With additional PPE costs and time for cleaning, settings are finding it more difficult than ever to budget for continuous professional development (CPD). This, coupled with the restrictions placed on us with regards to social distancing and mixing households has further impacted on our opportunities for learning.
Perhaps now it’s time to embrace non-conventional methods of CPD whilst opportunities for face to face training are limited. We shouldn’t feel restricted with our learning, recognising that online means of CPD can help develop our pedagogical approach, inspire ideas, encourage us to reflect on practice and, ultimately, impact on the children we work with.
Over lockdown, a host of online courses popped up, some free and others very reasonably priced. Subjects include loose parts, attachment, outdoor learning, enabling environments and communication and language development. The benefit of online courses lie in their convenience and ease of access. Learn at home, in your own time with the capacity to review the materials again if you need to.
However, a word of caution, when undertaking online courses, be mindful of the content and question the quality of what you are reading and engaging with. It’s important to use your judgement in deciding whether the course is relevant, appropriate and fits with the culture and ethos of your setting.
Social media can be another easily accessible form of CPD for the Early Years Workforce. There are now an abundance of Facebook pages & groups created to share and inspire. Similarly, Twitter can be used to engage with a range of educational professionals including Ofsted, consultants, psychologists, lecturers and play therapists.
Through social media, we can build up professional learning networks, acting as a source of support and advice during this challenging period. Connect through weekly chats or hashtags including #EYTwitterTagteam, #EYTagTeam, #EYShare, #EYMatters and #EYTalking. This enables the sharing of ideas, reflection on practice, collaboration and access to resources. All free and at your fingertips!
Professional development books are becoming an ever-popular means of increasing our knowledge. Many settings and schools are now investing in books to create a staff CPD library. This is an accessible form of CPD, enabling settings to link books to team meetings. Perhaps you could choose a focus each term, where staff read a particular book then reflect on it in a meeting before looking at how to implement take-home messages into practice. However, books might not appeal to the learning style of everyone which is important to remember. Perhaps you could create a crib sheet summarising the key points.
Finally, it’s important to find what works for you. Just like children, we all have different ways of learning. What you find appeals to your learning style, could be different from a colleague. What matters is that you are able to reflect on the learning experience, thinking about what it brings to your practice. It’s a good idea to record your CPD in the form of a journal or file. This doesn’t just act as evidence of your professional development but enables you as a learner to look back on what you found beneficial.
Embrace the knowledge and skills of others but be prepared to share your experiences too. We all have something to offer our connections.