Budget Criteria for
Staff Development
David Randall
No Date
________________________________________________________________
Dear
Headnetters,
About two weeks ago I
put out a request on the Headnet about criteria for professioanl developement
allocations. I had said I would get back on the Headnet with a summary on May
11. That was one week ago and other than a couple of disasters here at school,
a new overseas hire couple deciding they can't come for health reasons ( my
next Headnet request) and my computer crashing last week, it has been a normal
hectic pace. Anyway, the computer has returned from the doctor and it appears
all is still intact.
I had initially thought
of trying to summarize all that came, but then decided to just send you all the
comments. The names of the schools have been edited out and all the headers and
footers to just give you the comments. There is some valuable stuff in here and
you can then pick and choose what you need.
Many thanks to those who
responded and my apologies for not yet thanking you individually - will try to
do so later today or tomorrow if I suvive tonight's Board meeting.
Best regards to all.
David Randall
**************
You've given me some
good ideas yourself! We set up our staff development for five years based on
needs expressed by teachers and on curriculum development. Criteria for
individual staff development that we use:
1. specific projects,
where we need a team of people who will in turn either train other staff
members or develop a specific project (ie interdisciplinary curriculum,
dimensions of learning, etc.) We usually send same people up several times to
complete training at specialized training.
2. individual weaknesses
determined through evaluation.
Most of the other
criteria you are proposing are what we are also using.
***************
I WILL RESPOND IN CAPS
WITH MY OPINION AS TO RELEVENCE AND HOW WE DO THINGS HERE. WE ALSO HAVE A LIST
OF CRITERIA THAT WE USE. I WILL REARRANGETHE ITEMS AS I SEE THE IMPORTANCE.
1. Relevance to the
school -- VERY IMPORTANT
6. Cost -- OBVIOUSLY,
THIS IS A PRIORITY. COST MUST BE A MAJOR FACTOR
9. How many other people
will it benefit -- VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF COST VERSUS BENEFIT.
10. How will the
experience be shared with other staff members -- THIS IS JUST LIKE #9
7. Availability of
alternative opportunities -- VERY IMPORTANT. MUST BE WEIGHED AGAINST THE NEEDS
OF THE SCHOOL
8. Do we have better
resources either in
2. Application to
current stage of the curriculum cycle -- ALSO IMPORTANT.
5. Timing - does it fit
with school calendar -- MID LEVEL IMPORTANCE -- ATTACHED TO THIS ISSUE OF
TIMING IS THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE TEACHER IS RETURNING FOR THE
FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR. IF THE CONFERENCE IS EARLY IN THE SCHOOL YEAR, IT IS NOT
VERY IMPORTANT, BUT IF IT IS NEAR THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THEN BENEFIT TO
THE SCHOOL BECOMES AN ISSUE.
3. How recent the
applicant was supported for something else -- IMPORTANT ONLY FROM THE POLITICAL
POINT OF VIEW. NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL OUTWEIGH THIS ITEM.
4 Impact on absence from
the classroom -- NOT IMPORTANT. IF THE CONFERENCE IS IMPORTANT TO THE SCHOOL,
THEN A WAY MUST BE FOUND TO COVER THE ABSENCE. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT
FACTOR IS THE BENEFIT TO THE SCHOOL. THIS IS DETERMINED BY RELEVENCE TO CURRENT
IDENTIFIED NEEDS, DIRECT COST TO THE SCHOOL VERSUS THE BENEFIT AND THE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE THAT WILL BENEFIT BY THE PARTICIPATION. THE ONE ITEM THAT IS NOT
INCLUDED AND IS OF IMPORTANCE, BUT MUST BE COUCHED IN THE TERMS ABOVE IS:
PARTICIPATION AS A REWARD FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TEACHER FOR EXCELLENCE OR
CONTRIBUTIONS MADE TO THE SCHOOL ABOVE AND BEYOND THE NORM. I HOPE THIS IS
HELPFUL TO YOU. THIS IS ALWAYS A STICKY PROBLEM IN OVERSEAS SCHOOLS.
*********************
We are, too. It was a
problem here--with overtones of favoritism. In trying to solve that, people
feel there is inequity. Also, where does IB fit into this. Our school has a
history of "if you teach the course, you should go to the workshop",
which makes the language ones especially expensive, but well attended. I push
for departmental respresentation. Let me know what you find out. My impression
is that there is no right answer except for "no holds barred--everyone
goes to everything...."!