In most cases, the training and qualification formats are not producing the desired quality outcomes in the classroom.. They rarely lead to sustained classroom practice improvements or higher student achievement. A key reason is the predominantly one-off nature of these trainings, which often conclude with issuing a certificate or diploma
Effective professional development is ongoing and continuously evolving. It takes place in real classroom settings, under the guidance and with the feedback of an experienced trainer.
The latest audit report by the National Audit Office on the quality of education, presented in June 2024, offers key insights:
“The results of the national representative survey show that less than half of teachers (40%) firmly believe their professional development needs are being met promptly, and only one-third are confident that these needs are being met with the required quality.”
“Every teacher needs to improve – not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better.”
Dylan Wiliam
SPECIAL GUEST AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Teacher and school leader with 30 years of experience and author of the books:
Creator of Teaching Walkthrus, a widely used resource for professional development.
He advises teachers and school leaders on their practice, exploring and applying contemporary educational ideas that support the delivery of a high-quality, well-rounded education for all young people.
For Educational Policy / Decision Makers, School Principals, Heads of Departments, Heads of Teacher Training
1.
This session will explore the current evidence around successful professional development, looking at the key mechanisms through which teachers improve their practice – and some of the many ways they don’t! We will then introduce Teaching Walkthrus as a concept, highlighting how our five-step guides and supporting programmes deliver all the key mechanisms, motivating staff, building their knowledge, modelling techniques and embedding long-term habit change. We will illustrate Walkthrus with some practical examples.
2.
This session will explore how schools can implement an excellent professional development programme via six key design decisions. We will look at some existing models that have been successful and show how Walkthrus has supported them. We will examine the structure of the system built around the human and time resources available, the teaching focus and the coaching process itself..
3.
The session will look at the implications of implementing evidence-informed professional learning at scale. What are the implications for job roles, teacher and leader workload and time allocation, time for lesson observations and use of technology? What are the implications for establishing the culture necessary to make these systems work including the all-important area of trust around lesson observation that focuses on professional learning, not official accountability.
4.
This session presents a comprehensive professional development system built on a competency model for teachers integrating the Teaching Walkthrus. The system combines teacher personal responsibility (agency) with leadership engagement to support sustained professional growth. Already implemented in the Progressive Schools Ecosystem network, it extends to new contexts and opens up the possibility of sharing and adapting to different learning communities.
The UK’s Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) suggests that effective professional development delivers a number of key mechanisms.
WalkThrus-based programmes can deliver all the mechanisms:
BUILD KNOWLEDGE Supporting teachers to build knowledge of teaching practices, step by step.
MOTIVATE STAFF Our techniques come from credible sources and our coaching processes support setting goals based around key action steps
DEVELOP TEACHING TECHNIQUES Each WalkThru can be modelled, practised, rehearsed and feedback can focus on the specifics of the steps.
EMBED PRACTICE The steps prompt teachers to sustain their practice over time, developing more effective habits that lock in the learning gains for students.
WalkThrus allow teams of teachers and their leaders or coaches to develop a shared understanding of key techniques. The shared language around WalkThrus steps and associated professional learning approaches plays a significant role in supporting people to improve their practice as problems are easier to identify and solutions are easier to define.
At the heart of WalkThrus is a selection of 150 evidence based teaching strategies rooted in a deep understanding of how learning works. Each WalkThru breaks teaching techniques down into five clear steps.
Model Each Stage
Model Your Thinking
Review Your Work
Model Alternatives
Emulate The Model
Svetla Petrova is Director, Research and Measurement, Doctor of History. Long experience as National Coordinator of the PISA Programme and as National Coordinator of the International Civic Curriculum Study (ICCS).
She has been involved in the development and evaluation of policies, programmes, and strategies in the field of education and policies for children. Extensive practical experience in developing instruments and organizing student achievement assessments, data processing, analysis, and presentation
Snezhina Varbanova is a human potential development expert and organizational consultant with over 18 years of experience in both educational and corporate environments. Her work integrates psychology, group dynamics, and strategic talent development, with a focus on building sustainable teams and organizational learning cultures. She leads the development and implementation of an integrated model for professional performance in the Progressive Schools, co-created with school teams and applied in practice. She believes that professional development is a living culture—nurtured through structure, awareness, and genuine care for people
Kliment Klimentov is a mathematics teacher in the junior secondary stage at Primary Progressive School 1 – Sofia. Much of his professional experience is in the field of engineering design, where he makes practical use of the links between theoretical and applied mathematics. Clement will be presenting “A tool for student self- reflection” and “Student exchanges (visiting classes) between schools in the ecosystem”
Dr. Ralitsa Lyutskanova is the English Language Methodologist at the Foundation for Educational Transformation. She received her PhD in Literature, in which she explored the relationship between literature and foreign language teaching. Her research interests are in the area of virtual learning and formative assessment. Ralitsa will be leading a workshop on “Six Practices that Work in Formative Assessment”.
Rosen Uzunov is an actor with a background in theatre and film and over fifteen years of experience teaching acting to children and young people. Rosen takes it as his life’s purpose and calling to teach and inspire children and students to create, to express their ugeu u emotions through the prism of the art of theatre. He is passionate about music, poetry, and creative writing. Rosen combines his work as a methodologist and drama and theatre teacher at Progressive Primary School 1, Sofia, and Progressive Primary School 1, Sofia.
Radoslava Beeva is a methodologist in the classroom at the Foundation for Educational Transformation. The priorities of her work are related to methodological support and consulting of teachers in Bulgarian progressive schools for classroom management and building an inclusive classroom culture. Her research interests include social-emotional learning and the implementation of well-being policies and procedures. Radoslava will lead a workshop on “How teacher feedback develops students’ social skills”.
Yavor Djonev is the founder of the Foundation for Educational Transformation and Bulgarian Progressive Schools. In 2024, he and a team of teachers are developing a course on effective learning.
Venue: 7 Vincent van Gogh Street, Sofia
| 9:00 – 9:30 | Registration of participants | |
| 9:30 – 10:00 Main Hall |
Opening – Krasimir Valchev, Minister of Education and Science |
STREAMING |
| 10:00 – 11:30 Main Hall |
Tom Sherrington (with translation) Principles for effective teacher training and how WalkTrus achieves it |
STREAMING |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Coffee break | |
| 12:00 – 13:00 Main Hall |
Tom Sherrington (with translation) Implementing effective systems in schools |
STREAMING |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch | |
| 14:00 – 15:00 Main Hall |
Tom Sherrington (with translation) Policy implications – resourcing and establishing the necessary culture |
STREAMING |
| 15:00 – 16:00 Main Hall |
Snezhina Varbanova Professional Performance Management and Development System |
STREAMING |
| 16:00 – 17:00 Main Hall |
Yavor Dzhonev and Svetla Petrova Announcing the establishment of Formative Metrics |
STREAMING |
| 17:00 – 17:30 | Cocktail | |
| 09:00 – 10:00 Main Hall |
Mirena Petrova Menthoring Program of Teach For All Bulgaria |
STREAMING |
| 10:00 – 10:30 Main Hall |
Kristina Nikolova, Polina Angelova, Katarina Arsov Teacher Qualifications in SoftUni Buditel School |
STREAMING |
| 10:30 – 11:00 Main Hall |
Assist. Prof. Lachezar Afrikanov, PhD LIFE – A Different Teacher Development Program |
STREAMING |
| 11:00 – 11:30 Main Hall |
Radoslava Beeva and Ralitsa Lyutskanova Coaching for teachers at BPU |
STREAMING |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Coffee break | |
| 12:00 – 12:30 Main Hall |
Kina Kotlarska Teacher Qualifacation Policies in Emilian Stanev School |
STREAMING |
| 12:30-13:00 Main Hall |
Luba Batembergska The Effect of the “Winged Beginning” program of Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation |
STREAMING |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch | |
| 14:00 – 15:00 Hall 2
Hall 3 |
Kristina Nikolova, Polina Angelova, Katarina Arsov 7Cs Rosen Uzunov |
|
| 15:00 – 15:30 Hall 2
Hall 3 |
Kliment Klimentov A Tool for the Journey from Passive Obzerver to Active Learner. Traveling at 45 steps/hour. Liliya Stoilova |
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| 15:30 – 15:45 | Brake | |
| 15:45-16:00 Main Hall |
Yavor Djonev Reflection and closure |
|
| Cocktail | ||
If you would like to participate in the conference online, you will receive a link via email in advance. For questions: dilyana.mihaleva@transform.bg
