The way students are taught in classrooms has changed significantly over the last decade, not just at schools attended by Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC) community children, but right across the country. It has bought innovation to the forefront of learning and development to ensure teachers are delivering the best possible education for children.
In a recent worldwide survey of teachers, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that innovation is a vital skill to develop if you are standing at the front of the classroom.
So, it’s no surprise that more and more teachers are seeking opportunities to further their professional development throughout their careers.
For OneSchool Global (OSG) schools, one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive global school networks established by the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC), we are proud of the fact that our staff have access to free, high quality, collaborative and future-focused development through our Teacher Academy.
At OneSchool Global we understand that for teachers to grow, develop and flourish, they need time and structure to support them. Some teachers in other school systems are finding professional development opportunities difficult to access.
And while teaching at OneSchool requires staff to operate in new and innovative ways utilising technology to teach in both blended and virtual environments, our Teacher Academy works with staff to build capacity for this in a variety of ways. It also offers a range of courses such as: Self Directed Learning, Thinking for Learning, Aspiring Leadership, Coaching for Success and Engaging Digital Learners
The research is clear – the most important influences for improved student outcomes are the quality of the relationship between a student and their teacher and the quality of teaching.
But don’t take our word for it. OneSchool recent graduate teacher, Sarah Cooper, 44, said she was encouraged by the school’s professional development offering to make the switch from a career in engineering to one in mathematics teaching.
“I know that I am part of something amazing, where I am valued as a teacher, professional and specialist,” Ms Cooper said.
Music teacher, Jane Hill, 53, said that after teaching for 32 years in both government and independent schools, as well as universities, the reskilling support at OneSchool gave her the confidence to continue her passion of teaching music to students.
“It encourages numerous professional development opportunities including a variety of courses offered by the Teacher Academy,” Ms Hill said.
“I get to teach music to students via Zoom across multiple locations, the chance to network with other music teachers nationally and to share teaching ideas and resources across the school’s network globally.”
It is this kind of innovation in our school system that ensures we maximise technology effectively in the classroom and ensure we are teaching our children the necessary skills for the 21st century.
