Teacher & Leader Development

Systems and schools therefore invest heavily in training and professional learning and development. But often, these investments do not lead to the changes that they had hoped for, and improvements in learning and equity do not eventuate. The answer is not to invest less in teacher and leader development, but to make these investments more effective.

Learning First has conducted research on how the world’s leading education systems have developed programs, systems and structures to ensure development and training programs are effective, and connect to improvements in learning and equity in classrooms.

We then work with schools and systems around the world on how to translate the research and global best-practice into meaningful improvements on-the-ground in each system. We have worked with numerous systems around the world to develop leadership development strategies with clear leadership pipelines, recruitment and development planning, leadership development programs with built-in evaluation and procurement approaches, and evaluation and monitoring systems. A specific focus for Learning First has been the development of system leaders.

We support systems to:

• Leadership development strategies with clear leadership pipelines, recruitment and development planning, leadership development programs with built-in evaluation and procurement approaches, and evaluation and monitoring systems. A specific focus for Learning First has been the development of system leaders.

• Teacher development strategies that address recruitment issues that link to teacher training providers, have effective development programs with built-in evaluation and procurement approaches, and establish structures and practices to develop teacher expertise in different subjects.

• Improve training and professional learning programs and then refine complementary policies and practice that impact the effectiveness of training and professional expenditure. This often requires clear articulation of quality training and professional learning to guide procurement, evaluation and continual improvement.

To reinforce effective practice across a system, changes in the quality of professional learning regularly require refinement of school planning and improvement practice, curriculum implementation, and evaluation and accountability practices.

We support schools with:

• Professional development programs to improve curriculum and instruction

• Curriculum evaluation and improvement initiatives

• Leadership development tied to school improvement.

This regularly needs to be incorporated into a broader school improvement journey and change process. Effective professional learning requires collaboration and strategic direction, but is also an important lever for sustained change and improvement.