As teachers we’re always looking for ways to improve, not by doing more, but by becoming more intentional about what we do in the classroom, so we can make the biggest impact where it matters most. But with so many demands on our time, between the day-to-day challenges of the classroom, to lesson planning, parents’ evenings, last minute lunch duties, and all those other little things we juggle in a day,  it can be difficult to pause, reflect and consider how we can make meaningful changes to our practice. 

That’s where the Expertise in Teaching Certificate comes in. This certified CPD unit has been designed to support teachers like you to make evidence-informed changes to your classroom practice, not through quick fixes, but through small, purposeful improvements which are developed and embedded over time.

“Designed to support teachers like you to make evidence-informed changes to your classroom practice, not through quick fixes, but through small, purposeful improvements which are developed and embedded over time.“

Research suggests that improving the quality of teaching is one of the most powerful ways to enhance young people’s outcomes and life chances  (Chetty et al, 2014; Slater et al, 2012; The Sutton Trust, 2011), whilst also increasing teachers’ feelings of competence, motivation and job satisfaction (Klassen & Chui, 2010). With this in mind, undertaking the Expertise in Teaching Certificate is a purposeful way to empower you as a teacher, to make meaningful improvements to your practice and give you the tools to continually refine your expertise. 

One of the first things you’ll explore on the course is what it really means to be an expert teacher. It’s not just about what you know, but how you apply that knowledge in the moment – noticing what’s happening in your classroom and adapting your teaching to meet the needs of your pupils. Through the course, you’ll engage in deliberate practice, a structured, purposeful approach that enables you to refine your expertise by focusing on specific aspects of your teaching, testing out new strategies, and reflecting on their impact. 

To understand deliberate practice, imagine a tennis player preparing for a tournament. Rather than simply playing matches and hoping to improve everything at once, they might concentrate specifically on strengthening one aspect of their game like their backhand. By targeting this one area, responding carefully to feedback, and building this skill deliberately, they can make meaningful and measurable improvements to their game. It’s the same for teachers: through deliberate practice, you can focus on one area of your classroom practice and make meaningful, lasting changes.

The Expertise in Teaching Certificate supports you to do just that, using a blend of online content and applied learning. You’ll begin by exploring the key ideas around teacher expertise and the principles of deliberate practice. From there you’ll reflect on your current strengths and identify a specific area of teaching to refine. Next, you’ll set clear goals and undertake your two cycles of deliberate practice by trying out new approaches, gathering feedback and reflecting on your impact in your first cycle, before refining your goals and embedding meaningful changes in your second cycle. Throughout the course, your learning will build  towards the submission of a ‘Developing teaching portfolio’, a rich reflection of your progress and expertise in action.

“You’ll begin the course at the same time as others, receive regular communications to help you stay on track, and work towards a shared assessment deadline.”

As you undertake the course, you’ll be supported as part of a cohort. That means you’ll begin the course at the same time as others, receive regular communications to help you stay on track, and work towards a shared assessment deadline. With two cohorts running each year, in autumn and spring, you’ll benefit from a supportive structure whilst still having the flexibility to work through the course in a way that suits your schedule.

The Expertise in Teaching Certificate is your opportunity to invest in your own development, building on what you already do well, refining what matters most and becoming even more intentional in your practice. As teachers, we know investing in your expertise isn’t just good for your own professional growth, it’s also one of the most powerful things you can do for your pupils and, with the right support, meaningful improvements are not just possible but they are within reach.

Find out more about the Expertise in Teaching Certificate here.

Already a Member? Enrol on the Expertise in Teaching Certificate here.

References

Chetty, R., Friedman, J. N., Rockoff, J. E. (2014). Measuring the Impacts of Teachers II: Teacher Value-Added and Student Outcomes in Adulthood. American Economic Review, 104(9), 2633–2679. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.104.9.2633

Klassen, R. M., & Chiu, M. M. (2010). Effects on teachers’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction: Teacher beliefs, workplace conditions, and teacher well-being. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(3), 433–446. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232428271_Effects_on_Teachers’_Self-Efficacy_and_Job_Satisfaction_Teacher_Gender_Years_of_Experience_and_Job_Stress

Slater, H., Davies, N. M., & Burgess, S. (2012). Do Teachers Matter? Measuring the Variation in Teacher Effectiveness in England. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 74(5), 629–645. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0084.2011.00666.x

The Sutton Trust. (2011). Improving the impact of teachers on pupil achievement in the UK – interim findings. [online] Available at: https://www.suttontrust.com/our-research/improving-impact-teachers-pupil-achievement-uk-interim-findings/