Observation Brings Inspiration

Ann and I had the luxury of spending time in the classrooms of a few colleagues outside of our building. With our busy schedules and limited financial resources it is a challenge to get out and about. But today we found a way to make it happen and we jumped at the opportunity!

We made many connections today regarding the ways our teaching practices/programs are similar. We found the following key elements refreshing:

*meet students where they are
*think outside of the box
*offer choice
*use a project-based approach
*connect with parents often
*teach with variety
*allow for exploration
*enjoy every moment of your job
*build positive relationships
*smile, laugh, joke :)

We appreciated our time away, valuing an opportunity to pursue our own personal growth. Moments like these offer insight into new perspectives and promote potential growth in ourselves.

~Celina

5 Ways to Cause Your Own Personal Shift Towards "Teach Less, Learn More"

This shift {Shift #2} has really helped us to focus on the individual needs of students, in relation to 21st Century skills.  We have found ways to get through our day with "teaching less" but have our students "learning more".  Here are 5 suggestions to help make "the shift" possible:

Shift #2: Teach Less, Learn More!

Teach Less, Learn More! is the educational framework Singapore developed to meet the demands of the 21st century. This chapter, within 21st Century Skills:  Rethinking How Students Learn, resonated with us because it is necessary and important that we face the reality in which our students and children are living, and it generates the change through the work of PLC teams. The world is a developing place and in order for us to best prepare students we must recognize this reality, rethink what we do and how we do it, and redirect our work into creating a model that engages students effectively. Communication and development within each PLC can make this a reality. Fogarty and Pete (2010) explain, "This vision is the frame and the fuel for the conversation within the school system's PLCs. What begin as ordinary conversations among colleagues evolve into practical missions for school teams" (p. 114). PLC efforts must generate a system wide shift in perspective, a call to action.  Understanding this perspective, the immense collective talent of each PLC team can forge ahead through the 5 R’s of recognize, rethink, redirect, re-engage, and re-envision, thereby regenerating education for the 21st century. Fogarty and Pete (2010) state, “The change process is about evolutionary thinking, not revolutionary thinking, and it all begins with these critical collaborative conversations” (p. 101). So what does it mean to Teach Less, Learn More? Well, read on to view my synthesis of this model:

5 Ways to Cause Your Own Personal Shift Towards “Research is Crucial”

Ann and I have found this “Shift in Thinking” {Shift #1} to cause us to travel down a different path, changing the course of our journey for the better.  Here are 5 suggestions to make the “Shift”:

1)      Partnership for 21st Century Skills This national organization advocates for 21st Century readiness for all students.  If you have not utilized their website www.p21.org, we highly recommend you doing so.  The Framework is thought provoking and may change your perspective, and possibly even your philosophy.

Reflecting today...

Just read a powerful post on Connected Principals written by Shawn Blankenship.  In his post, he discusses what principals can do to possibly become an instructional leader, rather than just being thought of as an evaluator, which would be The Ultimate Gift.  Many quotes throughout the post got me thinking, but here are 2 of my favorites:

Student Learning Communities

Professional Learning Communities are the topic of many conversations within education: the culture that is imperative for success, the goals we choose to focus on, the protocols we should follow, the structure that must be in place, and the realities that we face. There is an abundance of research I have read to support how PLCs are necessary in improving students’ learning.  I myself belong to an amazing PLC (as well as many micro PLCs within my PLC).  But my thoughts lately have been on how to take the characteristics of successful PLCs and apply them within the walls of the classroom for students.