One of my main insights from the last year working with schools on CPD and coaching is that the extent to which teachers and leaders feel judged plays a huge role in how well the CPD/coaching process goes.
If teachers feel they will be judged – scrutinised, criticised or generally subjected to the opinions of others who presume to have the authority-status to pass judgement – they can be massively defensive and prone to playing safe. Or they can over-do the need to big-up their current practice, looking for affirmation at the expense of continuing the quest to improve. In this scenario, it’s hard to shift practices towards more effective habits because it’s difficult to unlock and explore existing habits in an open, non-threatening manner.
