Pat Mc Dermott is right that teachers place greatest value on networking with fellow teachers in continuing professional development (“Why CPD has to get more personal”, TES, September 23). Teachers extend their skills by sharing experiences with others facing similar challenges.
However, to suggest that teachers need to be “spiritually and morally educated” as part of their CPD is taking it too far. The research evidence is clear: what teachers need more than anything else is high quality, subject-focused CPD with plenty of opportunities to interact with other professionals.
John Holman Centre director, National Science Learning Centre
University of York
