Learning is at the Heart of What We Do

I recently had the privilege of seeing Jim Knight present around his new book "Unmistakable Impact". I always learn so much from him regarding the role of coaching but also in his teaching and delivery style. I really reflected on his comment about learning being at the heart of what we do. As teachers we are constantly planning, assessing, and changing to support the needs of our students. I often think we forget how much of the day we spend learning from our students and each other. Whether it is a conversation first thing in the morning with a student that has something to tell you, and informal conversation in the hallway with a colleague, or a formal conversation you might have on your learning team, we are constantly learning and trying to improve our craft of teaching to improve our instruction for today's learners.

In learning teams, you develop partnership principles with the other parties which Jim Knight discusses in his book that create an atmosphere that you can truly engage and learn from (Jim Knight, 2011). The first is equality where you see yourselves as equal contributing partners. The next principle is choice. Through learning teams, the facilitator gives choice within a structure giving the group more ownership of their learning. The third principle is voice. All members must feel that they have input and their contributions are being heard. Reflection is the next principle that is a very important part of our practice. In the hectic pace of the day it is extremely difficult to take the time to slow down and reflect on our practices. The culture needs to make a shift from the culture of doing to a culture of learning and doing (p.180 Unmistakable Impact). Embedded professional learning teams set this structure up for professionals to be able to take a step back and reflect and talk about what is best for today's learners. Principle five talks about dialogue being shared inquiry (William Isaacs, 1999) and should not take the form of threatening or one sided conversations. Everyone should feel they are working toward a common goal. Praxis is having relevance to the work you are doing in the team, this will lead to engagement of the learner. Finally, reciprocity is needed for professionals to gain the full experience of the team. Through learning, give and take, and sharing people feel energized, valued, and alive (Wheatley, 2002). When professionals engage in meaningful, deep conversation they are able to reflect on their own practice and how they can improve. I am very fortunate to be able to engage in a variety of reflective conversations throughout my day which has a positive impact on my instruction. How do you engage in reflective conversations in your day to improve your practice?