# 172 - The Changing Face of Professional Development with Anne Van Dam and Kath Murdoch

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In today’s episode, well-known consultants, Anne Van Dam and Kath Murdoch, talk about The Changing Face of Professional Development, especially during the time of COVID, We discuss how the pandemic has changed the way we approach professional development, but also what hasn’t changed. As schools around the world try to navigate the tricky waters of the pandemic, what do they want to keep? What has worked well? But also how might they repackage PD to be more meaningful and purposeful for all stakeholders in the organization. Anne and Kath share thoughts and ideas to challenge and inspire. 

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About Kath
Kath Murdoch is an experienced teacher, author, university lecturer and popular consultant who has worked for many years in schools throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia, America and Europe. She is widely respected for her work in the field of inquiry based learning and integrative curriculum in which she has taught, researched and published for well over 20 years.

Kath began her professional life as a classroom teacher in Melbourne. Her fascination in how students’ constructed their understandings - and her interest in the way questions and big ideas could drive curriculum soon lead to a passion for integrative and inquiry based methodologies. This passion has become a career long focus for teaching, research and writing and the methodologies in which Kath specialises are now central to curriculum frameworks in many parts of the world – including the popular International Baccalaureate, PYP program. 

Critical to Kath’s success is her continued involvement in classroom teaching. Whether it is to demonstrate techniques, coach teachers or build her own repertoire of practices, Kath is committed to regular and ongoing work with students. Her classroom work and research feeds a dynamic and ever-evolving expertise in the area of integrative and inquiry-based learning. 

Kath’s professional development offerings are diverse. They range from intensive partnerships with schools to develop inquiry programs and practices over several years through to one-day workshops for beginning or experienced inquiry teachers. Whether in her home town of Melbourne or on the other side of the world, working with a team or speaking to a packed auditorium Kath’s style is refreshingly practical, inclusive and always connected to the real world of teaching.

Connect With Kath:
Website: www.kathmurdoch.com.au
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kjinquiry
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kjinquiry/

About Anne: 

Anne van Dam is an international educator who has worked in schools in the Netherlands, China, Singapore and Switzerland in a variety of roles; as a teacher, PYP coordinator,
 assistant principal and school Director. As an independent consultant she has travelled the globe to work with schools, facilitate workshops and present at conferences. Anne is
 experienced with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP), is a workshop leader and developer and most recently has worked with the PYP development office in the Hague as a consultant on the enhanced PYP.

Connect with Anne:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnevanDam1966
Blog: https://unpackingourpedagogy.blogspot.com/