This week, I went along with two other chartered teachers to speak to a represenative from HMIE. It was an informal discussion about our views on the CT initiative, generally. We focussed on a number of areas and – as usual – I’ve been having thoughts about the issues raised ever since!
The picture from my graduation ceremony below appeared in the TESS newspaper – so I presume it’s OK to post it on here 
I completed all 12 modules with the (now named) University of the West of Scotland. All the modules took place online and, apart from Evelyn W - a colleague from school, I had never met any of the people I graduated with face to face. It wasn’t until everyone was seated that we began introducing ourselves and put a face to the names we had collaborated with over the last 5 years or so.
I suppose that chartered teachers who attend courses in nearby universities can also feel quite isolated if there are no other school colleagues to bounce ideas off in their own establishments.
One of the points discussed on Thursday, was the fact that it’s possible to have a number of CT’s working in the same school – and for everyone to be unaware of each others’ existence. Indeed, on my route to becoming a CT, I met at least 5 people from other schools who told me in confidence that they had enrolled in the program and didn’t feel in the position to tell colleagues or Senior Management that this was the case.
One of the recommendations in the Report of the Chartered Teacher Review Group is that any teacher who embarks on the scheme should inform their Headteacher of this. Everyone in my school was aware that I was enrolled in the program. I would have found it very difficult to have completed most of the modules otherwise. So much action research was involved and it was necessary for me to gain the approval of the SMT to make the (sometimes) quite radical changes to the way I delivered the curriculum.
At the meeting, we also discussed whether or not enrolling on the Chartered Teacher program should require prior recommendation from a headteacher (like the SQH scheme?). This seems strange to me. I didn’t sign up for the course because I thought I was some kind of ‘super teacher’ better than my colleagues. I signed up because, after having completed the 4 year B.Ed course 10 years earlier, I felt ready for a ‘fresh injection’ of professional study. It wasn’t a decision I took lightly … but certainly didn’t think that I needed permission from the HT to enroll. It was my time, my effort, my money 
I gained an enormous amount from the program … what if I’d needed an invitation, and that invite never arrived?
Invitations have been sent out for the 3rd ‘getting together’ of chartered teachers in this authority. The invite is to those who are ‘on route’ as well as those who have achieved the full CT standard. The first meeting was very well attended, although very few turned up to the second one (including me – I was ‘up to my eyes’ in the final dissertation write up). The timings of the meetings are something that will be put to the group at the 3rd meeting.
I’ve also received my ticket for the Launch of the Associated of Chartered Teachers Scotland next weekend -looking forward to it!
It will be great to meet up with some other CT’s there and to listen to their views on some of the issues currently being discussed.
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I agree!
I’ve signed up for CT to learn and improve, not because I think I’m a ‘super-teacher’. I’ve always wanted to do a Masters, but was never ever to justify the expense. The CT programme provides me with that justification. I think people who suggest that HT’s should approve people for the programme fail to understand the nature of it and the majority of the participants.
Most people in my school know that I’m working towards CT, especially my SMT. My course, like yours, is built around action research (or, professional enquiry, as they call it) and it wouldn’t be possible to do this without the SMT knowing.
See you next weekend!