Essential Skills for Trainers

1 Understand reflective practice as a teacher or trainer

The importance of reflective practice for teachers and trainers: continuous improvement, self-awareness, problem-solving skills, improved student outcomes, flexibility, decision making, personal growth and development, relationship with students, encourage critical thinking, support emotional resilience, promoting ethical practice.

Theories of reflection

Theories included here are examples of theories that could be taught. Teach the theories most relevant to Learners.

• Dewey (1933): reflection as an active process, reflection as thinking to learn, recollecting and questioning, experimental learning cycle, active engagement, problem-solving and inquiry, integration of theory and practice, continuous growth and development.
• Schön (1991): make hidden knowledge explicit, reflect on action, reflect in action, rehearsed interventions, double loop learning, artistry and craftsmanship, action research, professional development.
• Kolb (1984): Cycle of reflection (concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation, active experimentation, feelings, evaluation, action plan, implementation).
• Boud, Keogh & Walker (1985): the importance of emotions in reflection, the concept of reflection, phases of reflection, level of reflection, contextual factors influencing reflection, the role of facilitator and support structures, application to professional development.

2 Be able to reflect on your own teaching practice

Reflection in teaching

Reflecting systematically on the effectiveness of lessons: what worked to support teaching and learning, what did not work to support teaching and learning, how much did students learn, how effectively did students learn, how much did students engage, how effectively did students engage, were needs of students met, did lesson plan reflect lesson.

• Reflecting systematically on the approaches to teaching: was behaviour controlled effectively, were techniques appropriate, was content covered, adaptations to student needs (special education needs, disability, exterior influences, difficulty engaging with content), adaptations to difficulties (technical problems, time taken on activities, missing resources), students staff-student interactions.
• Reflecting on own experiences: emotions, confidence, perception of lesson, comfortability.
• Identify strengths in your own teaching practice: positivity, honesty, resources, planning, control, engagement, speech patterns, and passion.
• Identifying weaknesses in own teaching practice: honesty, fairness, poor decisions, loss of control of students, lack of planning, inability to adapt, criticality.
• Identifying the need for further training: skills gap, need for further information, discussion with mentors, accessing training, online training, in-person training, continuous professional development (CDP), experts in setting, funding.
• Recording reflections digitally: choice of program, data management, file management, consideration of audience, confidentiality (staff and students), language choice, secure transfer of documents, shared documents, image editing (to ensure confidentiality), and collaborative documents.
• Applying reflections to future practice: meaningful changes, progress between lessons, learning from mistakes, learning from strengths, and development.

‍3 Be able to learn from other teachers' teaching practice

Reflecting on another’s teaching

• Observing a lesson involves taking appropriate notes, selecting appropriate lessons, learning from other trainees and experts, respectful observations, and observing other subject areas.
• Reflecting on an observed lesson: what when well, what to apply to own practice, focusing on parts struggling with, “stealing” from other staff.
• Feedback on the observed lesson: constructive criticism, fair feedback, positive feedback, and effective feedback.
• Apply conclusions from reflections to own practice: acting on what was learnt, justifying choices, recognising strengths, recognising what can be applied, applying techniques across subject areas.

4 Understand the legal requirements for safeguarding

Laws and legislations impacting safeguarding:

If a localised policy is not available, teach U.K. laws and legislation as listed here.

• Children Act 1989
• The Children Act 2004 and the Children and Social Work Act 2017
• United Nations (U.N.) Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Keeping Children Safe in Education
• Working Together to Safeguard Children
• Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (Prevent)

Who safeguarding laws and legislations aim to protect:

• Definition of a child (UN),
• At-risk adults (adults with a physical or sensory disability, care leavers, adults with a learning disability, adults with a severe physical illness, substance misusers, homeless people),
• Power imbalances.

‍The legal responsibilities of a teacher regarding safeguarding: reporting concerns, professional boundaries, safeguarding students, duty of care, mandatory reporting, multi-agency working, prevent duty, vigilance and awareness, codes of conduct, training and development.

Forms of abuse and possible signs of abuse

• Physical abuse
  • Possible signs: including but not limited to unexplained injuries, behavioural changes, injuries in specific locations
• Neglect including but not limited to physical, emotional, educational, medical
  • Possible signs: including but not limited to mounting instances, poor health, excessive unsupervised time, unclean, inadequate or unclean clothes, failing to thrive, changes in behaviour, poor language skills, poor communication skills, poor social skills
• Emotional or psychological abuse: ongoing maltreatment, often an element of another form of abuse
  • Possible signs include but are not limited to low self-esteem, lack of confidence, withdrawal, quiet, mental health issues, lack of focus, struggles with relationships, aggression or hostility, isolation, lack of social skills, and few friends, if any.
• Sexual abuse: direct or indirect
  • Possible signs: including but not limited to fear, nightmares, withdrawal, alluding to secrets, self-harm, eating problems, substance abuse

5 Be able to act within the legal requirements for safeguarding

Safe practices when working with a lone student: open doors, visibility, professional boundaries, disclosure, spacing.

Safe working practices when working with a group of students: professional boundaries, bullying, unsafe environments, peer-on-peer abuse, observations.

Demonstrating an appropriate teacher-student relationship: firm but fair, friendly but not friends, reflective practice, professional boundaries, and personal safety.

Displaying safe working practices regarding own social media usage: security settings, sharing students online, appropriate content, privacy settings, confidentiality.

6 Understand how to respond to abuse

What needs to be recorded when reporting possible abuse: time, what happened, who was involved, where it happened, who saw something, a statement from a reporter, non-verbal cues, action taken, physical evidence, behavioural observations, follow-up action.

How to respond to a conversation about abuse: empathy, listening, reporting all concerns, active listening, recommending support, and non-judgmental conversations. Limits of confidentiality in relation to safeguarding include criminality and harm to the individual or others, making it clear to students.

The importance of reporting all concerns related to abuse: threshold of need, full picture of abuse, holistic safeguarding, legal obligations, accountability, transparency, early intervention, prevention, child rights, and advocacy.

7 Be able to report abuse concerns

Documenting safeguarding concern using a digital format: data protection, confidentiality, reporting software, secure emails, safeguarding forms, using a Portable Document Format (PDF) to record concern, saving a concern document, storing a concern document, destroying a document, recording just facts, uploading evidence (pictures, scans, videos, recordings).

Identifying who to report safeguarding concerns to safeguarding officers, designated safeguarding lead, concerns about senior staff, whistleblowing, confidentiality, secure transfer of documents, and when to call the police.

Following institutional safeguarding policies: identifying policy and procedures, identifying safeguarding personnel, accurately following instructions, filling documents accurately, and confidentiality.

Demonstrating positive self-care following reports of abuse: mindfulness, knowing own limits, switching off, decompressing, and safe boundaries.

8 Understand factors that can impact child development

The nature vs nurture debate in relation to child development

• Nature: genetic factors, hereditary factors, temperament, innate abilities
• Nurture: environmental factors, parenting, peer relationships, socioeconomic factors, cultural factors
• Epigenetics
• Interacting factors.

Factors that can impact child development

• Biological: genetics, health and nutrition, brain development, hormonal influences, physical health conditions, developmental disorders, puberty and hormonal development, sleep patterns.
• Parental: parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, uninvolved), parent-child attachment, parental warmth and responsiveness, parental involvement and support, parental modelling and role modelling, parental stress and mental health, family dynamics and environments, gendered interactions or expectations.
• Societal: socioeconomic status, education and access to learning opportunities, cultural norms and values, media and technology influence, community and neighbourhood characteristics, social policies and support systems, cultural and social diversity, family structure and dynamics.

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

• Microsystem: family, school, neighbourhood, religious institutions
• Mesosystem: interactions between family and school, links between home and community, coordination between microsystem settings
• Exosystem: parental workplace, social policies, mass media
• Macrosystem: cultural values and beliefs, socioeconomic status, political systems
• Chronosystem: life events, historical events, development trajectories

Procedures to respond to a concern related to the development

• Speaking to adult students: time and place, build rapport, establish trust, direct and specific, active listening, validate feelings, provide information and resources, collaborate on next steps, follow up and offer support, confidentiality and privacy, optimism and hope.
• Reporting to the appropriate individual: observe and document, understand development milestones, choose the right person to speak to (parent, specialist, caregiver, teacher, school counsellor, paediatrician), prepare, use “I” statements, be specific and objective, express concern and care, listen and be open to feedback, suggest professional evaluation, confidentiality, follow up.
• Registering concerns with an institution: official reporting procedures, unofficial reports, confidentiality, passing information to appropriate team members, and identifying policy.

9 Be able to support in difficulties resulting from developmental issues

Factors that can impact a child’s development: observe behaviour and interactions, gather information for multiple sources, consider development milestones and norms, access child’s environment and context, explore potential risk factors and stressors, consider protective factors and supportive resources, seek input from professionals, monitor progress and follow-up.

Support services for a range of developmental issues:

• Assess needs: observations and documentation, professional evaluation
• Research services: medical and health services, educational services, early intervention programs, community and non-profits
• Request referrals
• Review credentials
• Build support network
• Create plan