Addressing classroom issues.
We are delighted to announce the start of a new and exciting era in our self-directed training for teachers.
In recent years we’ve led the way in creating online training in Holocaust education which is research-informed and suitably flexible to fit busy schedules. Focused on specific topics or classroom resources, this training has proved popular with teachers wanting quality professional development they can complete at their convenience.
But education is not a static space. And in response to the changing landscape and new challenges teachers are encountering at the chalkface, we’re taking a new approach.
This development will see the launch of a new collection of courses that we are calling ‘Addressing classroom issues’.
‘Addressing classroom issues’ will be a continually evolving library of self-directed courses which builds on the strengths of our existing offer and approaches professional development in teaching and learning about the Holocaust in an original, distinctive way. Specifically, these courses will be:
Centred on classroom issues. Recent changes in the education system has brought considerable variance in how curricula is designed, how lessons are planned, and in some cases, the agency that individual teachers have in their classroom. In response, this collection of courses focus on themes and issues all teachers will contend with, regardless of their particular educational setting.
Anchored in Teachers’ Standards. As a professional community, all teachers are expected to demonstrate identifiable levels of competency in their daily practice and conduct. These Standards can also act in a developmental way to support teachers’ professional growth. To enable both of these outcomes, each ‘Addressing classroom issues’ course signposts which Teachers’ Standard(s) it speaks to and promotes. In so doing, these courses connect directly with teachers’ professional contexts.
Exploratory not conclusive. Teaching about the Holocaust is complex and often challenging. This is because many of the issues within Holocaust education resist solution or resolution. In recognition of this, these courses do not profess to have all the answers or to provide a universal template. Instead, they adopt an inquiry-based approach which prizes reflection, active learning, and encourages teachers to consider how to engage with various issues in their own disciplines and classrooms.
Academically robust and practically applicable. It is widely recognised that effective CPD is evidence-based and rigorous. These have been hallmarks of the Centre’s professional development for nearly twenty years, with the rigor of our training coming both from how it responds to research and brings academic insight into classrooms. These features come as standard in the ‘Addressing classroom issues’ courses, but they are also coupled with practical applicability. All of our courses forward practical suggestions, and many feature real-world insights from in-service teachers.
In the above ways, our ‘Addressing classroom issues’ courses are informed by the government’s Standard for Professional Development, by research into the CPD landscape in England, and by guidance produced by highly respected independent bodies such as the Education Endowment Foundation and Evidence Based Education. At the same time, these courses are infused with the expertise of leading historians, educationalists, and a broad network of teachers from across the country. And, of course, this CPD is underpinned both by the findings of empirical research we have conducted since 2008 and our experience of working with over 34,000 teachers in training and in-service.
The first tranche of courses in the ‘Addressing classroom issues’ collection are now available, free of charge, on our website. In this opening wave, we are delighted to announce the courses below:
