Learning at the Heart

100 Posts in 100 Days

In the last 2 posts, “Make ‘Em Beg” and “Professional Learning Environments”, I was exploring how we can create learning cultures for teachers that encourage exploration and provide support.  I have been contemplating three questions:  

• How have we arranged their learning environment so that they can take full advantage and optimize their learning?  
• What resources, learning challenges, and supports will nudge them this week that will help them hone their craft as educators?  
• How do we engage their curiosity and creativity so that they want to learn (beg for) more?  

Today’s post is about the nudges. 

What are some ways that we can nudge teachers toward honing their craft?

These posts are being written in the midst of our faculty’s return to school and their week of preparation before students return to our classrooms.  I am thinking about these questions as I watch the week and the unfolding of the events planned by our school leaders, including me.  

I can give all kinds of answers about how to nudge teachers:  encouragement and recognition, examples and exemplars of research-based teaching practices, selection and implementation of curricular resources, time to work with instructional coaches and curriculum coordinators, and more.  All of these ideas work in the right context.

Here are two things that struck me today, though, as I shared with our entire faculty the outline of our plans this school year for professional learning:

 

Responsiveness

and

Cognitive dissonance

Responsiveness:

Last school year, members of our Teaching and Learning department and our Academic Leadership Team solicited a LOT of feedback from our faculty.  More than at any other time in my educational career.  We heard stories, experiences, opinions, and suggestions.  Those thoughts certainly influenced what we have designed for this year.  We are re-prioritizing how we spend existing meeting times in our schedule and re-organizing to work in grade level and department teams.  Teams will be working on inquiries related to schoolwide goals and areas of focus.  

These ideas aren’t unique in the field of education, but they do represent shifts in some of the ways we have been operating.  And, they are the kinds of shifts that teachers were requesting last year.  More collaborative time embedded into our regular work day that is focused on our students and curriculum.  More time to work together, with support from our coaches.  And more time to work on specific areas of focus.  

I noticed this today because as our plans were unveiled, I saw groups of teachers nodding their heads, smiling, and taking notes.  What really made it stick, though, were the handful of teachers that approached me to say thank you for listening.  One teacher said, “You listened to us and our ideas.  Our team gets to work together and we are really excited.”  That is a nudge.

Cognitive Dissonance

As one might imagine, changing formats and approaches to how we work together in teams across the school raises questions.  Habits and routines from the past may be disrupted and new ways of working together will emerge.  Today, I heard questions asked and saw them posted on a chart; questions about our evolving structures.  To the question, “Will there be support for our teams?” I would like to respond, “What kind of support do you need?”  To the question, “Will we focus on deeper learning or will we focus on our curriculum?” I would like to respond, “What is your ultimate focus for your student learning?  How are deeper learning and your curriculum different?” 

These questions are incredible.  They demonstrate that teachers are thinking about “what is” and “what could be.”  In that dissonance is vast opportunity.  Opportunity for dialogue, research, practice, and learning.  Opportunity to try something new within a community that values innovation, effort, and risk taking.  That dissonance is a nudge to explore, inquire, and make new discoveries about teaching and learning.  

I’ll say again, this is not an exhaustive list of ways to nudge teachers in their learning and their work.  But the ideas of responsiveness and cognitive dissonance are 2 that emerged in my work today and merited some thought on my part.  

If you are reading this and you are an educator in a school that is starting or will soon start a new year, I encourage you to observe and listen for the things that are nudging the teachers in your own school community.