Teacher Exchange: an alternative for staff development

This study examines the part that planned exchanges of teaching posts can play in broadening professional experience and enriching individual schools. The survey draws heavily upon the experiences of some 25 teachers and their schools who have participated in the Berkshire Primary Teacher Exchange Scheme since its inception in 1983. The organisation and administration of the scheme are outlined, and the major part of the survey examines the experiences—elicited by interview and questionnaire—of the teachers who participated; their motives in applying for a one-year exchange of posts; the practical difficulties and opportunities of working in another school for a fixed period; and their assessment of the personal and career benefits of taking part in the scheme. The views of headteachers and others are considered in assessing any beneficial effects in terms of curriculum enrichment and staff development for participating schools—benefits which may be offset by a break in continuity of staffing. The views of teachers who had sought unsuccessfully to participate in the Berkshire scheme are examined and their reasons for failing to obtain a suitable exchange are consider

Practice in other local authorities which operate exchange schemes is examined and alternative approaches consider Given the paucity of references to exchange programmes and planned experience within the corpus of educational literature, a number of studies drawn from the field of general management training are considered for their relevance to educational practice.

The report concludes that teacher exchange can be a worthwhile, fulfilling and cost-effective alternative to the more traditional forms of in-service training, and one which offers significant benefits to the school and the education service in terms of a more motivated teaching force with a broader perspective of the profession in which they work, and hence more receptive to organisational change. Exchange was found to be particularly valuable for teachers in mid-career who did not seek or were not destined for further promotion. Particular problems centred around the difficulties of matching pairs of suitable applicants, and the often rather haphazard nature of the exchange experience, and suggestions are offered for improving practice in these areas.