CA2

Current Trends in Education: Tutorial Papers: Template

Leader: Kevin Maye

Student Name
Feichin Brennan
Tutorial Paper Number (1 or 2)
Tutorial Paper 2

Reading Article Reference

Cosan

Article Summary (1 A4 page)

Planning for Learning

Teachers' learning journeys require planning, just like any journey, and are built on constant
reflection on learning and how it affects practice. It is acknowledged that many teachers
determine their own personal learning requirements and organize learning opportunities to fill
those requirements. The requirements of the system are also considered during this procedure. 

Individual reflection on learning and its impact 

The principles of Cosán include that teacher should be responsible for deciding what evidence they
need to collect in order to prove that their practice has improved, and that it must be verifiable.
These principles are reflected in Wiliam's argument that, as well as deciding what to improve,
every teacher should be responsible for deciding what evidence they need to collect in order to
demonstrate that their practice has improved. (Wiliam, 2014) Cordingley points out that "working
with evidence is central to professional learning" and provides a means for teachers to
demonstrate "their professional growth" (Cordingley, 2014) In line with that, it is proposed that
teachers would identify, from their own practice, examples of their teaching that will help them to
determine the impact on practice.  These principles were reflected in the comment by one school
that CPD must be verifiable in terms of quantity and quality - but there is a real need to trust
schools to report this in an agreed and structured way

Accordingly, it is suggested that teachers choose from their own experiences instances of their
instruction that will enable them to assess the impact on practice. Additionally, this method would
encourage their reflection on the standards and how they were learning in relation to them. To
help guide and promote professional exchanges with others, the teacher may offer pertinent
information (at his or her discretion). 

The Planning, Evidence Gathering, Reflection, and Ongoing Learning Cycles are Career-Long
Processes, according to the Council. It is suggested that during the development stage, this would
be further investigated with the profession. The lessons from Taisce in Droichead will be built upon
during this process of strategic inquiry, which will also look at the viability of ICT-based solutions.
In light of this, the Council proposes that this be further explored with the profession during the
development phase (see section 10) to determine what the most efficient, long-lasting, and
beneficial models of portfolio-based learning might be. The Council believes that these cycles of
planning, evidence gathering, reflection, and ongoing learning are career-long processes.   

Collaborative reflection on learning and its impact 

The framework for group reflection on the value of teacher learning will be provided by Cosán.
Similar to what was done in regard to the Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers, the Council
will create a number of resources to encourage professional interactions between teachers. The
Council's guiding principles of shared professional accountability and collective professional
confidence are very much in accord with this strategy. According to Corrodingly, such a strategy
would "capture evidence about what makes a difference and reinforce the importance of teachers'
collective contributions to each other's and pupils' learning" and be very much in line with the
Council's guiding principles of shared professional responsibility and collective professional
confidence. 31 As previously said, the solutions that are found ought to be adaptable enough. 

Critical Reflection on the Article (1 A4 Page)

I felt that this chapter of Planning for learning and reflecting from the Cosan article by the
Teaching Council of Ireland was intensely provocative. I believe the author sets out a very strong
premise that the planning has significance value in how the class will go. While I strongly agree
that we need planning to have good lessons I disagree with the fact that the plan is going to meet
the learning opportunities. The journal Intervention in School and Clinic says “Teacher success is
critical to student success, yet teachers are challenged daily to meet their students’ diverse
learning and behavioural needs” (Sarah A. Nagro, EdD, Dawn W. Fraser, EdD, and Sara D. Hooks,
EdD, 2018). This is suggesting that a teacher’s success can depend on the student’s behaviour
which can lead to a teachers plan to fail. I am not dismissing the fact teachers should plan for a
lesson I am only suggesting from my own experience that plans do not always work.
Our capacity to analyse events using our teaching expertise is incredibly constrained once we enter
the teaching profession. That does not, however, imply that we lack relevant experience. We can
actually benefit from recalling our experiences as learners because they may be closely related to
what the goals and motivations of our students are with regard to learning (Feiman-Nemser,
2012).
Given that teaching is a collaborative endeavour, it would be highly irresponsible to ignore the
tremendous amount of existing outside research and experience (Duncan, 2014).  This has been a
constant throughout my time in college and, in a less obvious sense, throughout my entire life.
When we carefully consider it, we realize that a significant portion of the knowledge we rely on
was imparted to us by others (Feiman-Nemser, & Buchmann,, 1985) This is valid, and one would
anticipate it in the teaching profession as well. Direct and indirect interactions with my supportive
professors have, in my experience, helped me learn new approaches to teaching, student
interaction, time management, and other topics. As we start our professions, these interactions
are incredibly essential because they give us access to information that will take us decades to
learn directly (Feiman-Nemser, & Buchmann,, 1985)

In general, I found the Cosan article of Planning for learning and reflection very approachable. The
way the council approach reflection, helped me understand the breakdown of reflection. Instead,
then being seen as different components of an unsolvable whole, distinct approaches should be
employed in conjunction with one another. This decomposition of the issue has helped me to better
understand how to approach the reflective practice and how to do it in a way that not only
satisfies a need but also opens up new possibilities. In addition to the tone and content, the
council's advice is written in a style that is distinctly literary, making it a pleasant read.

List of References

References
Cordingley, P. (2014). Ten essays on improving teacher quality. London: RSA Action and
Research Centre.
Duncan, A. (2014). The Threat of Educational Stagnation and Complacency. The
Education Digest, 79(7), 23-27.
Feiman-Nemser. (2012). Teachers as Learners. (Vol. 87). Cambridge, MA: Harvard
Education Press.
Feiman-Nemser, & Buchmann,. (1985). Pitfalls of Experience in Teacher Preparation.
Teachers College Record, 87(1), 53-65.
Sarah A. Nagro, EdD, Dawn W. Fraser, EdD, and Sara D. Hooks, EdD. (2018). Lesson
Planning With Engagement in Mind: Proactive Classroom Management Strategies
for Curriculum Instruction. Intervention in School and Clinic, 54(3).
doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1053451218767905
Wiliam, D. (2014). Ten essays on improving teacher quality. London, England.