Enterprising Educators Recognised

Teachers who have used their skills to promote Enterprise in Education were recognised at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 26 May.

GTC Scotland teamed up with Determined to Succeed, the Scottish Government's strategy for enterprise in education, to host the event which saw  twenty three teachers awarded Professional Recognition status.

Our Chief Executive Anthony Finn believes that Professional Recognition allows teachers to focus their Continuous Professional Development in particular areas of interest and to gain recognition for enhancing and sharing their knowledge and experience.

"To be successful in gaining professional recognition, teachers need to develop their own skills and knowledge and also to apply them very successfully in their school with a clear impact on the learning of their pupils. Encouraging enterprise in education is clearly crucial to the future development of the Scottish economy; it can help develop the business talent of tomorrow.

"We are pleased to be awarding Professional Recognition status to another 20 teachers. This brings the total number of teachers in Scotland with this award to over 500, covering areas as diverse as literacy, sustainable development, global education, health promotion and support for probationer teachers. This commendable development of teachers' skills can only be of benefit to pupils."

Determined to Succeed is helping to build an enterprise ethos in Scotland's schools. It is hoped that this will give young people a better chance of realising their full potential and, in turn, provide the Scottish economy with the skills, attitudes and entrepreneurs needed for growth. Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning, Keith Brown will award the teachers with their certificates. He said:

"Our new approach through Curriculum for Excellence is all about giving our young people the skills they need for life in the 21st century. And teachers have a critical role in helping pupils develop the practical skills they need for the working world.

"That's why I'm delighted that the GTC Scotland, in partnership with Determined to Succeed, is giving recognition to this group of teachers who are so dedicated to making a real difference in the lives of young people through enterprise education."

These teachers will have the opportunity to discuss their work in Enterprise in Education with other colleagues from the education and business sectors and MSPs. Some of this work includes:

• Liaising with a wide range of local and national employers to promote the four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence and how these relate to employability skills and abilities.
• Working with local authors, theatre and dance companies to bring the curriculum to life
• Establishing Young Enterprise companies in schools
• Various charity events including 'pink days' to support breast cancer awareness, comic relief and fundraising for Mary's Meals.
• Encouraging global learning by E-twinning with schools in Shanghai, New Mexico, New York and Italy.
• Working with local island emergency services and businesses to design door numbers for the homes of the islanders and then designing a phone directory for the island.

Teachers receiving Professional Recognition awards at this event are from all over Scotland including:

Aberdeenshire, Argyll & Bute, Clackmannanshire, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh, Highland, Stirling and West Lothian

 

NOTES FOR EDITORS

To find out more about Professional Recognition please visit:

http://www.gtcs.org.uk/Publications/GuidanceforTeachers/Professional_Recognition_Registration.aspx

To find out more about Determined to Succeed, please visit www.determinedtosucceed.co.uk

For more information media should call Martin Osler on 07739 185 522 or martin@oslermedia.com