Teacher Leaders

As the school year draws to close, several of our leadership groups have met to discuss their work, growth and learning, and that of their students. One of these groups is a group of Math teachers from K to grade 10 who have committed to working together over the course of the year, examining their instructional and assessment strategies as they seek to increase student engagement and deepen learning.  The work has been stunning. All of the projects included teacher collaboration within and across schools as they became critical friends and professional learning partners.  Their work embodies the philosophy of "personalized learning". If that buzz word does not work, think best practice. There is no script, beyond their professional drive to enhance their craft and engage learners.  As many of the group mentioned in their inquiry report, it is messy, and it is hard work.

If you have not yet seen it, check out the Khan Academy TedTalk...

http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education.html

We followed that session with our final BV Leadership meeting on Sunday night where 22 educators met to report on their leadership inquiry projects over the past year.  The leadership group has spent the year discussing, debating, and demonstrating distributed school leadership while wrapping their collective minds around the opportunities and challenges posed by 21st Century, personalized learning.  Attached is a link to the 7 minute "teaser" for a UK production, "We Are the People We Have Been Waiting For". This documentary examines the role of education in our rapidly changing world, and was one of the pieces the group used as part of their exploration.  The entire video is 77 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRi8_fXz1D8

Both of these groups operate within, to use Chris Kennedy's phrase, a culture of yes.  They do not see the problem, only solutions and opportunities.  Moreover, they understand the critical importance of collaboration in building capacity and facilitating deep learning. Leaders, across our educational learning community, matter.

Hearts and Minds...

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Network of Performance Based Schools (NPBS) seminar in Richmond on May 15th and 16th.The seminar produced an outstanding speaker list, including founders, Judy Halbert and Linda Kaser, as well as well as Lorna Earl, Helen Timperly and headlined by Alma Harris. We were treated to a passionate plea for continued change in education, while being reminded of the breadth of learning regarding the impact on student learning through assessment FOR and AS Learning.  While there is a role for assessment OF Learning, our practice must have a solid foundation and body of FOR and AS if we are to create "thinking kids" and not "cramming kids". Moreover, if we are to create thinking kids, how can we make sure that:

o   More adults in our schools appreciate an aboriginal point of view

o   All aboriginal learners see themselves reflected in their school

o   Every learner in a network has 2 adults who are crazy about them

o   Work together so that the current knowledge base is part of practice

o   Every adult is genuinely involved in important, substantive and timely learning

o   ALL of assessment practices build learner meta cognition...confidence

o   Inquiry so that Every learner will cross the stage with dignity, purpose, and options

                                                                  (Halbert & Kaser)

The first two bullets reflect a key objective of many districts as we understand that better meeting the learning needs of aboriginal students will result in deeper learning for all, but the third bullet has become embedded in my heart.  I have always believed in the critical importance of each learner having ONE adult, but what if that person leaves?  Where is the support for that learner? That bullet also kicked off a theme that was woven throughout the presentations, the critical role of relationships in education.

Even as we embark on this journey into "21st Century Learning", armed better than ever with knowledge about how people learn, how assessment As Learning improves meta-cognition, the relationships remain as important as ever, if not more so. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl's session focussed on social and emotional learning as indicators of success that we might have neglected in our pusuit of grades, and reminded us of Aristotle's wisdom:

"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."

It was impossible to not reflect on the teachers who inspired me as a student through their passion, and through their interest in me and their ability to personalize learning in a way that captivated me. Similarly, those mentor teachers that helped shape my craft, remind me of the delicate balance that is teaching-- part science...part art... where relationships in education matter.

Welcome to Education Matters

The technological world is changing daily, allowing us to communicate and learn in ways previously only considered on Star Trek.  We have ongoing, immediate access to the best minds in the world, and we have the opportunity to share this information with parents and students in a similarly rapid fashion. Perhaps more transforming, however, is that we can engage students in ways we never have before.

I hope that information and thoughts I post here can generate reflection and further dialogue.  Through dialogue, at all levels, and with all stakeholders, we can ensure that best practice is at the heart of all educational matters.