For heads of school
Listen for needs that require professional learning and those that require leadership decisions about workload, clarity, or support. Scope focused development and provide time for classroom application. Review the practice change and the school’s response rather than participation alone.
This month’s action: Commit one support resource to the development outcome you want teachers to apply.
Ask what teachers need to do well
Professional development should begin with a specific classroom or team need. Ask teachers where expectations are unclear, where students need different support, and which repeated tasks consume time without improving instruction. Review the school’s mission and educational goals alongside those responses so the resulting plan is coherent.
A school cannot address every need in one workshop. Choose a focused outcome teachers can practice and leadership can support. A shared approach to feedback, classroom technology, family communication, or student support can provide a useful starting point. Explain why the topic matters and what would change in daily work.
Provide practice and continuing support
Build the session around examples, discussion, and work teachers can use in their own classrooms. Then protect time for application. A teacher who leaves with a useful idea but no planning time or support may reasonably return to the familiar routine. Pair development with coaching, shared materials, and a clear way to raise questions.
Name who will lead follow-up and what evidence would be useful. A lesson revision, a reviewed communication practice, or a team reflection may be more informative than attendance alone. Treat professional learning as a supported process rather than asking employees to prove enthusiasm through extra unpaid work.
Listen to the employment experience
Retention also deserves a direct conversation about workload, leadership consistency, compensation, recognition, and opportunities to grow. Do not assume a development day can solve concerns that arise from staffing or management decisions. Separate what can be addressed through learning from what requires leadership action.
At the next review, ask what teachers applied, what helped, and what remains difficult. Record one instructional change and one leadership response. Arete’s professional-development engagements can be scoped around those needs, with session format, materials, follow-up, and any travel agreed in advance.
Heads of school: monthly action worksheet
Use this template in your next leadership meeting. Add your school’s evidence, responsible person, and review date. The page can be printed or saved as a PDF using your browser.
| Step | Work to record | Responsible person / next date |
|---|---|---|
| Your role | Listen for needs that require professional learning and those that require leadership decisions about workload, clarity, or support. Scope focused development and provide time for classroom application. Review the practice change and the school’s response rather than participation alone. | Clarify responsibility |
| This month’s action | Commit one support resource to the development outcome you want teachers to apply. | Choose a date |
| Evidence to review | What are we asking teachers to change without providing sufficient support? | Record what is known and missing |
| Next conversation | Bring the evidence and any decision beyond your role to the appropriate person. | Arrange follow-up |
One question to put into practice
What are we asking teachers to change without providing sufficient support?
Continue in Solomon
An original Arete briefing adapted from the linked field notes. Guidance must be interpreted in the school’s context by its responsible leaders and qualified advisors.
Discuss professional development with Arete →