Reflective Practice and CPD Flashcards
6 cards from real PGCE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Reflective Practice and CPD flashcards as text
What does 'continuing professional development' (CPD) involve for teachers?
Answer: Ongoing engagement with research, training, collaboration, and reflection to improve teaching quality throughout a career
CPD is a career-long commitment to improving practice through multiple channels — research, coaching, collaboration, formal training, and reflective practice — not just mandated annual events.
What is 'coaching' as a form of CPD and how does it differ from mentoring?
Answer: Coaching draws out the coachee's own solutions through questioning; mentoring passes on the mentor's experience and advice
Coaching is non-directive — the coach facilitates the coachee's own thinking and problem-solving. Mentoring is more directive, sharing the mentor's experience and expertise.
What is a 'professional learning community' (PLC)?
Answer: A group of educators who collaborate regularly to improve their practice through shared inquiry, reflection, and data analysis
PLCs are structured collaborative groups within or across schools that use inquiry and shared evidence to improve teaching and pupil outcomes — they are a powerful form of collective CPD.
What does 'action research' involve in the context of teacher professional development?
Answer: Systematically investigating a specific aspect of practice, collecting evidence, and using findings to improve teaching in the teacher's own context
Action research is practitioner-led inquiry — identifying a question about practice, collecting evidence, implementing changes, and evaluating impact in the specific classroom context.
What is the Teachers' Standard that most directly relates to professional development?
Answer: Standard 8 — wider professional responsibilities, including taking responsibility for improving teaching through CPD
Standard 8 explicitly includes the requirement to take responsibility for improving teaching through CPD and to engage critically with research and evidence to improve practice.
What is 'metacognitive reflection' and why is it particularly valuable for PGCE trainees?
Answer: Thinking about your own thinking and learning processes — allowing trainees to identify patterns in their practice and accelerate professional growth
Metacognitive reflection involves examining not just what happened but how you think, make decisions, and learn — for trainees, this accelerates the development of professional judgement.