Training and Development: Enhancing Staff Performance

Every school wants its teachers to perform at their best-but great teaching doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of deliberate, well-planned training and development activities that equip educators with the right skills, knowledge, and confidence. Whether it’s a senior teacher mentoring a new colleague or a structured leadership program for aspiring administrators, training and development are the backbone of staff performance improvement. Let’s break down how schools and educational institutions can use different types of training activities to build a stronger, more effective workforce.

In-house training programs: learning from within 🔗

One of the most effective and cost-efficient ways to improve staff performance is through in-house training programs. These are training initiatives designed and delivered within the institution itself, often led by experienced senior staff members who understand the school’s culture, challenges, and goals.

In-house training typically takes the form of peer mentoring, where a seasoned teacher is paired with a less experienced one. The mentor provides guidance on classroom management, lesson planning, handling student behaviour, and using assessment tools effectively. According to Education Week, districts using structured mentoring programs-such as the My Teaching Partner program developed at the University of Virginia-have seen significant improvements in class climate and reductions in student discipline referrals.

Why mentoring matters for classroom management 🔗

Classroom management is often the biggest challenge new teachers face. Many enter the profession with theoretical knowledge but limited practical experience in handling disruptions, setting behavioural expectations, or maintaining student engagement. In-house mentoring addresses this gap directly. Senior teachers can share strategies that have worked in the specific context of their school, rather than offering generic advice that may not apply.

For example, a mentor might observe a new teacher’s class, provide feedback on how they handle transitions between activities, and suggest more effective routines. This kind of real-time, contextualised feedback is far more valuable than what any textbook can offer. The Responsive Classroom approach is one evidence-based model that schools can bring directly into their buildings, helping teachers learn to prevent disruptions and strengthen relationships with students.

In-house programs also have a collaborative benefit: they encourage a culture where teachers routinely share ideas, observe each other’s lessons, and collectively solve problems. This doesn’t just help the mentee-it often refreshes the mentor’s own practice as well.

External training and workshops: bringing in fresh perspectives 🔗

While in-house training builds on internal expertise, external training brings in new ideas, updated research, and specialised knowledge that may not be available within the school. This includes in-service training sessions, conferences, seminars, and workshops conducted by subject-matter experts, university faculty, or professional development organisations.

External training is especially valuable when a school is adopting new curricula, integrating technology, or addressing emerging challenges like social-emotional learning or inclusive education. The National Education Association (NEA) emphasises that ongoing professional learning is essential because of constantly evolving research, changing student demographics, and shifts in education policy. What worked five years ago may no longer be sufficient today.

Types of external training opportunities 🔗

External training can take many forms. Workshops are typically short-duration, hands-on sessions focused on a specific skill-such as using a new learning management system or applying differentiated instruction techniques. Conferences offer a broader view, exposing teachers to the latest trends, research findings, and best practices from across the country or even globally. Online courses, offered through platforms partnered with universities, provide flexibility for teachers to learn at their own pace.

According to a report referenced by the University of San Diego, effective professional development leads to measurable improvements in both teacher practices and student outcomes. The key is that external training should not be a one-off event. It needs to be followed up with practice, reflection, and integration into daily teaching. A teacher who attends a two-day workshop on project-based learning, for instance, should have the opportunity to try these strategies in their classroom and receive feedback from colleagues or administrators.

Schools can also partner with educational institutions or industry experts to bring specialised training directly to their campuses, which reduces costs and allows more staff members to participate simultaneously.

Career advancement opportunities: identifying and nurturing leaders 🔗

Training and development isn’t only about improving current performance-it’s also about preparing staff for future roles. Identifying teachers with leadership potential and giving them growth opportunities is critical for both individual career satisfaction and institutional sustainability.

Research consistently shows that lack of advancement opportunities is one of the top reasons employees-including educators-leave their jobs. A Great Place To Work study found that a majority of workers cited the absence of advancement opportunities as a primary reason for quitting. In education, this translates to experienced teachers leaving the profession when they feel stagnant or undervalued.

Building leadership pathways within schools 🔗

Schools can address this by creating clear career pathways that allow teachers to take on progressively greater responsibilities without necessarily leaving the classroom. For example, a high-performing teacher might first become a grade-level coordinator, then a curriculum lead, then a department head, and eventually move into administration.

Programs like the Teacher Career Pathways initiative in New York City Public Schools demonstrate how this works in practice. Teachers can take on roles such as Model Teachers or Peer Collaborative Teachers, where they continue teaching while also mentoring colleagues, leading professional development sessions, and conducting action research. These roles come with additional responsibilities and recognition, providing a structured path for professional growth.

Similarly, the Leadership Initiative For Teachers (LIFT) at DC Public Schools offers a five-stage career ladder, giving high-performing teachers opportunities for advancement, increased responsibility, and higher compensation-all within the classroom. This approach acknowledges that not every excellent teacher wants to become a principal, but they still deserve opportunities to grow.

Customised development plans: one size does not fit all 🔗

Generic training programs have their place, but the most impactful professional development is tailored to individual and institutional needs. A first-year teacher struggling with classroom management has very different training needs from a ten-year veteran looking to integrate technology into their teaching. Customised development plans address this reality.

How individualised plans work 🔗

A customised development plan typically begins with an assessment-either through performance appraisals, self-reflection, or a combination of both. The teacher and their supervisor identify specific areas for improvement or growth, set clear goals, and outline the training activities that will help achieve those goals. This might include attending a particular workshop, completing an online course, being paired with a mentor, or undertaking classroom observation visits.

The key elements of an effective personalised plan include specific and measurable goals, a realistic timeline, the right mix of learning activities, and a process for follow-up and evaluation. For instance, if a teacher’s goal is to improve student engagement in science lessons, their plan might include attending a STEM workshop, observing a colleague who excels in interactive teaching, and trialling two new strategies over a semester-with a mid-point review to assess progress.

Aligning individual plans with institutional goals 🔗

Customised development plans are most effective when they align the individual teacher’s goals with the school’s broader strategic objectives. If the school is focused on improving literacy outcomes, for example, professional development plans across the staff might include literacy-specific training components while still addressing each teacher’s unique starting point and needs.

Organisations like TNTP work with school districts to design customised certification and training programs that meet specific institutional needs. Their approach emphasises that development should be ongoing and embedded in teachers’ daily work, not an add-on that feels disconnected from what happens in the classroom.

This personalised approach also extends to how training is delivered. Some teachers learn best through hands-on practice; others prefer reading and reflection. Offering a blend of synchronous (live workshops, group discussions) and asynchronous (online modules, self-paced reading) learning activities ensures that all staff can engage meaningfully with their development plans.

Long-term professional growth: building a culture of continuous learning 🔗

The most successful schools don’t treat training as a series of isolated events-they build a culture of continuous professional learning where growth is expected, supported, and rewarded. Long-term professional development ensures that staff keep pace with evolving educational research, technology, and student needs.

Structured development programs 🔗

Structured programs provide a clear framework for ongoing learning. These might include annual professional development calendars, regular peer observation cycles, study groups focused on educational research, or partnerships with universities for action research projects. The NEA highlights that education, like medicine and law, requires continuous professional learning throughout an entire career, driven by ongoing research, changing student needs, and evolving policy requirements.

Long-term development also involves regularly updating skills. According to research cited by Seismic, employee skills have an average shelf life of about five years, with more technical skills needing updating even sooner. For teachers, this means that classroom strategies, assessment techniques, and content knowledge all require periodic refreshing.

Creating the right conditions for continuous learning 🔗

A culture of continuous learning doesn’t happen by simply mandating professional development hours. It requires several conditions to be in place. First, school leadership must actively model a commitment to learning-principals and department heads should participate in training alongside their staff, not just assign it. Second, teachers need dedicated time for professional learning that doesn’t come at the expense of their planning or personal time. Third, there must be follow-up mechanisms-coaching, feedback loops, and opportunities to practise new skills-so that training translates into actual changes in the classroom.

Schools should also leverage both formal and informal learning opportunities. Formal learning includes scheduled workshops and courses, while informal learning includes the daily conversations between colleagues, shared resource banks, and collaborative planning sessions that happen organically. Both are essential for sustained growth.

Measuring the impact of professional development 🔗

Finally, it’s important to evaluate whether training activities are actually making a difference. This goes beyond simply tracking attendance at workshops. Schools should look at whether teachers are applying what they’ve learned, whether student outcomes are improving, and whether staff morale and retention are positively affected. Surveys, classroom observations, and student performance data can all serve as indicators. When training isn’t yielding results, the institution should be willing to adjust its approach rather than continuing programmes that aren’t working.

Tying it all together 🔗

Training and development activities are not a luxury-they are a necessity for any educational institution that takes staff performance seriously. In-house programs leverage existing expertise and build a collaborative culture. External training introduces fresh perspectives and specialised knowledge. Career advancement pathways keep talented staff motivated and committed. Customised development plans ensure that training is relevant and targeted. And long-term structured programs create a sustainable culture of continuous improvement.

The most effective approach combines all five elements, creating a comprehensive ecosystem of professional growth where every teacher-from the newest recruit to the most experienced veteran-has the opportunity and support to keep getting better at what they do.

What do you think? How does your school or institution balance in-house training with external professional development opportunities? And what strategies have you found most effective for keeping experienced teachers engaged and growing in their roles?

References

1. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/a-classroom-management-training-helps-new-teachers-send-fewer-kids-to-the-office/2024/04
2. https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/
3. https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/professional-learning/teachers
4. https://pce.sandiego.edu/10-strategies-for-effective-teacher-professional-development-with-examples/
5. https://www.greatplacetowork.com/resources/blog/employee-training-development-benefits-planning
6. https://www.schools.nyc.gov/careers/teachers/career-development-for-teachers
7. https://joindcps.dc.gov/teacher-career-development
8. https://tntp.org/what-we-do/leadership-development-talent-services/
9. https://www.seismic.com/enablement-explainers/the-importance-of-training/