MASTER’S DEGREES
The Master’s in
Teaching and
Learning is a
new national
MTL explained
programme aimed at new
teachers. Sara Bubb
explains what is happening
AM VERY excited by the Master’s in Teaching
I
and Learning (MTL), because looking back
over all the professional development activities
I have done in my career, the Master’s that I
did in the evenings in my fourth and fifth
year in teaching has turned out to be the most
significant.
Many other people feel the same way. I read
books that I never would have, considered ideas
that expanded my mind, and met interesting,
stimulating people that have remained close friends.
The MTL is a new national programme pitched
at teachers at the start of their career but aiming
to have a system-wide impact because it is about
taking learning from the classroom and putting it
back into the classroom. It focuses on developing
practice and skills through enquiry and the use of
evidence.
The number of enquiries to the Training and
Development Agency for Schools (TDA) shows that
people are champing at the bit to start the MTL. As
with any new scheme, there are lots of questions and
concerns but the TDA is working hard to make it a
success.
How does it work?
Participants can start the MTL towards the end • Subject knowledge for teaching and curriculum core content areas, which include personalised learning, schools in challenging circumstances from September
of their induction year. They will be supported in and curriculum development. curriculum development, how children and young 2010 – to start the MTL in 2010/11.
their learning by an in-school coach as well as a • How children and young people develop, including people develop and learn, and working collaboratively
higher education institution tutor. It will be highly behaviour management and inclusion. with the wider school workforce both in and outside
Which schools are offering the MTL?
personalised in terms of content, pace, delivery and • Leadership and management and working with schools. In the final phase, teachers deepen their Teachers can check which schools will be offering the
assessment to ensure that the programme meets the others, in and beyond the classroom. professional knowledge by undertaking a specialist MTL by looking it up on the second screen page of the
teacher’s needs in: It is structured into three phases. In the first, teachers study. registration facility (see further information).
• Teaching and learning. develop skills of enquiry. In the second, they focus on
Will it be too demanding for new teachers? When does it start?
The TDA is the secretariat for the Workforce People eligible for the first cohort will start the
Union address: ASCL
Agreement Monitoring Group (WAMG) – made up programme in the summer term (2010) but can express
of representatives of many teacher and school leader an interest now. They enrol in January and then start
unions. A steering group specifically for the MTL has in April. The MTL section of the TDA website has a
Schools supporting schools
been created and this group will ensure that it does not facility for signing up.
overburden teachers and schools.
People who are doing a similar programme, the
What is so special about the MTL?
Institute of Education’s Master’s of Teaching (MTeach) There are other professional development opportunities
Dr John Dunford says that additional
in London, say it is not a problem. Tracy Martin, who which contain elements similar to the MTL, but this is
teaches at Hackney Free and Parochial School, said: the only national Master’s programme for teachers that
leadership capacity is vital and schools have
“Although I was initially concerned about the extra combines all these features:
workload I have found that it actually dovetails with • A focus on pupils – participants can focus on
to work together to overcome challenges
my teaching.” aspects of engaging children in learning that they
need to develop. This means that what people
How long will it take?
study and how they study it will go beyond their
The MTL is expected to take about three years to own personal development and should benefit both
WHEN A school gets into difficulty, it looks to other “super-heads” were appointed to failing schools complete, but could be longer or shorter depending on the school and pupils.
schools for support. This is a far cry from the early and expected to turn them round in an unfeasibly the needs of the participant. • School-based learning – the majority of what
days of New Labour when the private sector was short time. Not surprisingly, these highly successful participants do will be in their classroom and will
sent for to sort out underperforming schools and heads often found that the task in the failing
Can I use M-level credits from my PGCE?
be relevant to their day-to-day work as a teacher.
local authorities. It is now widely recognised that the school was beyond them on their own. Additional Yes, people with relevant M-level credits from their • A personalised programme – its content, pace and
expertise required to help schools to improve lies in leadership capacity is vital and there is no magic PGCE will be able to transfer 30 to the MTL, thereby assessment will be flexible to meet individuals’
other, more successful schools. bullet that a single individual can fire to guarantee reducing the time Phase 1 of the programme takes. needs.
The London Challenge led the way, designating success. • Alignment with induction and the professional
some schools as “keys to success” schools and Gone too are the days when local authority
What if I move?
standards.
partnering them with another school which had the advisors were expected to turn around the fortunes of People who move schools or regions while doing the • Collaboration between higher education institutions
expertise and the capacity to help them to improve. schools on their patch. The emphasis now is rightly MTL will just be able to slot in to where they were and schools.
Not only did the test results of the keys to success on the commissioning role of local authorities, in the programme in their new setting because it is a • A trained in-school coach as well as a higher
schools improve markedly, but the results of the seeking out the right type of support for their schools national scheme. education institute tutor – an experienced teacher
supporting school also improved more than average. and arranging the contract with another school to will act as a coach, supporting participants on a day-
This model is now being replicated in the City deliver improvement.
How much does it cost?
to-day basis, facilitating relevant learning
Challenges in Greater Manchester and the Black Over the last 10 years, the various models Nothing. With many Master’s costing up to £5,000, the opportunities with other teachers and steering the
Country. of school improvement have created a confusion fact that the MTL will be fully funded is fantastic news. participant to examine and challenge their learning.
Meanwhile the National College for School of support for schools, with central government, The government is investing serious money into the
Leadership had started the National Leaders of local authorities, national strategies, Ofsted, and the MTL, with about half of the funding going to schools
Will it help people be better teachers?
Education (NLE) scheme, under which successful school improvement partner (SIP) all supporting a to pay for participants’ and coaches’ time. That’s the plan! In targeting teachers early on in
heads with a track record of supporting schools were school, often setting different priorities and targets their career, the MTL should maintain the momentum
given a national role to support schools in special for success. To heads of schools in trouble, it felt
Who can start it?
of initial training and induction to help people be
measures. An important component of the scheme is more like pressure than support. The first people to take a bite of the cherry will be NQTs highly effective. Indeed, by developing an ethos of
that each NLE must be head of a school that has the What is needed is a more strategic approach to who take up posts in the 2009/10 academic year in: shared learning, the impact of the MTL should be
leadership capacity to support other schools at several supporting schools, with SIPs identifying problems • All schools in the North West region. felt beyond the classroom and benefit the school
levels, as well as continuing to improve itself. and brokering appropriate support, the local authority • National Challenge schools and intensive keys community as a whole. Certainly being an MTL coach
The designation of these schools as National commissioning the support, and the experts from to success/pathways to achievement schools in City will develop experienced teachers’ skills, knowledge
Support Schools is clear recognition that support another school delivering it. Challenge areas. and understanding. It will be a popular role.
comes not only from the headteacher, but other This wider leadership of the school system by the • Secondary schools facing challenging circumstances There is no firm evidence that having an MA makes
members of the school’s leadership – the deputy successful heads and their senior staff who deliver (where 30 per cent or more of pupils are eligible you a better teacher, but most Master’s are not about
head helping to improve behaviour, the head of this support is part of a welcome recognition that for free school meals and where the leadership is improving classroom practice – the MTL is. I cannot see
maths supporting her counterpart in the other the teaching profession has come a long way in the rated good or better) where the teacher is offered how it can fail to improve teaching and learning. SecEd
school, the business manager helping to sort out last 10 years and now has the capacity, willingness the unfortunately named “Golden Handcuff”
the finances. They provide the in-depth leadership and moral purpose to lead the school improvement package. This consists of the MTL, an extra • Sara Bubb works widely in the field of staff development
and support that helps to ensure that improvement movement. £10,000 after staying for three years, a support and induction. She is author of Helping Teachers
in the other school is sustainable after they have network of colleagues working in similar Develop, Successful Induction and The Insider’s Guide
departed. • Dr John Dunford is general secretary of the environments, and opportunities for enhanced CPD. for New Teachers. Email her at sara@sarabubb.com
This is a far cry from the private sector contracts Association of School and College Leaders. Visit Also eligible are newly appointed heads of
or the Fresh Start initiative of the late 1990s when www.ascl.org.uk department who start working in National Challenge
Further information
schools from September 2009 and in other secondary www.tda.gov.uk/teachers/mtl
12 SecEd • July 2 2009
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