Discovery Education and NAHT launch ‘Pathway’

A new digital programme to deliver high quality professional and personal development to thousands of teachers and school leaders across the UK was launched today by Discovery Education and school leaders’ union NAHT

Designed to support ‘the whole teacher’, Pathway is a holistic programme focused on improving teachers’ professional and personal wellbeing. By blending professional development with personal development, and combining Discovery Education and NAHT’s expertise and reach, Pathway offers a unique approach to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) that empowers teachers and school leaders to flourish during these challenging times.

Featuring powerful insights and perspectives from the UK’s leading education experts, Pathway supports teachers at every stage of their career through a wide range of easy-to-access courses, webinars, resources and tools. With Pathway’s unique materials,  teachers can identify what motivates them, analyse their professional skills, gain meaningful professional advice and manage their own wellbeing. Together, these resources  can support the creation of a culture of professional learning and personal and career development in any school.

Delivered digitally and available to teachers at any time and pace, Pathway provides educators access to the training, advice and support they need to meet the challenges of the modern classroom. Pathway also includes a unique wellbeing programme written and presented by Professor Tim O’Brien and Dr Dennis Guiney and a new advice hub powered by NAHT experts, which helps schools keep abreast of the latest education policies and guidelines.

Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: “The Pathway message is simple: In order to properly invest in the development of their teams, school leaders must first invest in themselves.  As we say, if effective education considers the whole child, then effective CPD should be about the whole teacher.”

Howard Lewis, UK MD, Discovery Education said: “We believe that teachers’ wellbeing, motivation and creative ambitions deserve as much consideration as their professional skills. If teaching requires body and mind, heart and soul, then good CPD should support the whole teacher. We’re delighted to partner with NAHT to deliver a programme which achieves this. Pathway will help teachers and leaders to stay motivated, develop their skills and retain agency – even during these exceptionally challenging times.”

The Pathway programme is structured around three core elements, which together form a virtuous cycle of continuous empowerment throughout an educator’s professional journey. Orientation is where educators can explore what motivates them, audit their skills and competences and plot future goals and aspirations. In navigation, participants can learn from fellow educators, school leaders and education experts through a suite of continuous professional empowerment courses and modules – comprising films, thought-pieces and reflections – and online discussion forums. Finally, in reflection teachers are encouraged to self-focus with an exclusive wellbeing programme, an advice hub and a professional learning portfolio to keep a record of personal and professional achievements.   

Pathway’s contributors include some of the UK’s leading education experts and include lead author and series editor Andrew Hammond, Hywel Roberts, Debra Kidd, Professor Tim O’Brien, Pranav Patel and Professor Max Coates.

Teachers, leaders and schools can find out more by visiting: http://www.discoveryeducation.co.uk/pathway