In her previous article, Val Andrew discussed professional development options for SBMs. In this second installment, Val provides guidance on how to create your plan and effectively advocate for investment in your growth
Planning
Having followed steps one and two in my last article, you should have collected lots of information and be able to set out your plan. Again, there are templates available (and I’m happy to share one I’ve used regularly – on request). For ease I’d put together a spreadsheet – well I am a business manager through and through!
Essential components of your plan should include setting out the targets/goals you want to achieve, i.e. the skills/knowledge you are looking to develop, the actions you need to take to achieve this, how you will measure success and what resources you need to help you. It might be appropriate to split aspirations into short-, medium- and longer-term goals, and use the SMART concept to underpin your targets.
Getting Approval
Secondly, and in terms of getting approval from school – I’m inclined towards an Options Appraisal approach or a CBA (Cost/Benefit Analysis). There are lots of templates online you can use for this purpose and presenting your case in a professional way immediately indicates you are serious and being proactive.
Setting out the advantages of supporting you and how that links to improved productivity and morale, how it can deliver advantages such as more efficient resource management and represents good return on investment, are obvious benefits to highlight.
Sharing your plan and any supporting research clearly demonstrates a responsible approach, and a commitment to pursuing your own developmental journey which can be compelling.
Absolute worst-case scenario, your request falls on deaf ears, then you have lots of incredibly useful information to help you pursue the options it is possible to do on your own, which helps you ultimately to fulfil ambition(s). Alternatively, you can use your research and your plan to support an application for alternative employment in another school where the attitude towards CPD for SBMs is different.
Looking to the Future
Effective SBMs are organised individuals so adopting a structured approach to pursuing your own professional development is good but involves dedicating time and headspace which isn’t always freely available.
Finally, there is a danger that we get sucked down the proverbial rabbit hole in our quest for attending courses and acquiring qualifications. It’s also very important to look at being not just efficient and effective in role but also staying fit for purpose. In an ever-changing sector we need to have an eye on the future and what that might mean for us as a profession – education amongst other sectors is trying to understand things like AI and the likely impact this will have on the system and the delivery of education to our children and young people. SBMs won’t be excluded from this – food for thought!
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