In NSW public schools, every employee is expected to prepare a Professional Development Plan (PDP), a process that allows a teacher to grow and develop in their teaching practice.
Catholic and Independent schools may have their own PDP frameworks in place, but recently, I have had an opportunity to reflect on its importance as I reflect on my 2025 PDP but also consider the PDP in 2026.
I have come to value its importance in 2025, because I can use it as a benchmark to determine if I am professionally growing in my practice as a teacher. If not it gives me an opportunity to identify why it was not met and what I can do to address it.
This year, with the aid of ChatGPT, was able to organise reflective statements that were thorough to explain either how the goal was met or why it wasnt met along with what I learnt. If I did fail, I reflected on why.
As a teacher librarian, it gives me the opportunity to be able to identify areas that I'd like to work on, not just in my professional practice but for the library itself. I have been thinking about my 2026 goals and what I want to do and how to meet it because I feel that the doors will open for me to be able to achieve those goals and hence grow the library.
The Primary Libraries: Creative Collaboration website has some ideas that you may wish to consider in development of your PDP. Even if you don't work in a NSW public school, you may wish to consider them in your own setting or modify them as needed.
