Evidence, Experience & 'Expertise'

“To free up creative energy we need to let go and divert some attention from the pursuit of the predictable goals that we are naturally inclined to pursue and use it instead to explore the world around us on its own terms.”  
Csikszentmihalyi, M. 1997. Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention

Attending the ACEL conference in Melbourne last week generated a couple of questions.

1.     Do we promote and provide time for curiosity to develop in students and teachers?

2.     Do we allow students and teachers time to explore their purpose or passions?

3.     How can my teacher-voice be heard?

Bryan Goodwin presented ‘Flip the script with student curiosity’. According to Goodwin, ‘Curiosity is as powerful a predictor of student success as IQ and student motivation matters as much to student outcomes as teacher quality. Yet both are often overlooked in our efforts to improve student outcomes in schools. In fact, the longer students stay in school, the less curiosity and motivation they demonstrate.’

With NSW reviewing the curriculum, I am hopeful that teachers will have a voice and contribute their experience and expertise. If curiosity is important to student learning, then it appears we need to go deeper into a topic and make learning more personal, engaging and authentic. Covering less content will provide the opportunity for teachers and students to dive deeper into a topic with an emphasis on motivation, engagement and curiosity.

In Robert Biswar-Diener’s presentation titled, 'What is experienced in experiential learning', he stated there is a long and rich tradition of attention to experiential learning in formal education systems. The common assumption is that it is through doing (behaviour) that learners have the opportunity to acquire skills, gain new knowledge, and interact with others. He suggests that although behaviour is integral to all experiential learning, it is possible that educators too often overlook the more psychological dimensions of experiential learning.

The teachers I know and work with understand that emotions are an integral part of the learning process. Teachers are struggling to complete the administrative expectations and unfortunately, it is my belief that if nothing changes soon their passion and purpose will be compromised. If teachers are provided with more support and time, they would be more effective and our students would benefit. With competing priorities, how are we supporting the teachers exploration of their passion and purpose?

I attended QandA last Monday night and because there were no politicians on the panel, it was all quite civilised. However, I do think a politician on the panel would compel them to hear the voices of those in the education industry. My question was not selected but using my 'teacher voice' I've since tweeted it to @pasi_sahlberg in the hope that UNSW Gonski Institute for Education @GonskiInstitute & Adrian Piccoli @PiccoliMp will respond.

Research is indicating that in the UK, USA and Australia, teachers are leaving the classroom within their first 5 years of teaching. While I received my teaching degree from a university in New South Wales, my 3 practicums were experienced in Washington state. I became credentialed in Washington State and then again in California. I was provided a mentor for 2 years, which was funded by the state governments to complete my teacher accreditation. Seattle School District also provides a mentor (outside of the school) to support the early career teachers in their first 2 years of teaching. If other countries are being proactive, why aren’t we?  How can we support our early career teachers in their first few years of teaching and through their accreditation process?

We need to support our teachers and reflecting back on the conference which was titled ‘Evidence & Experience’, I agree with Professor John Hattie, the word Expertise could have been included. While it is beneficial to have well-known keynotes with theory and research, it would have been great to hear from more general practitioners-those with expertise...

• teachers who work with students daily
• teachers who program with every new syllabus implemented (especially primary teachers)
• teachers who write assessments and reports
• teachers who work through the holidays planning for the Term
• teachers who attend conferences to develop professionally (even in holiday time)
• teachers who complete risk assessments & permission slips
• teachers who know and care for their students way beyond 9-3

Teachers need to be recognised as the ones with the Expertise and need to be included at the table with the politicians, policy makers and academics. Teacher-voice and agency should be a priority because 'our students are our priority'.

I completed this data survey shared by Nicole Mockler on Twitter to again reflect my teacher-voice. 

Nicole Mockler

@nicolemockler

Data, data everywhere! But what does it mean? How do we use it? To what end? Some of the qns @meghanrstacey and I are trying to get to the bottom of! Teachers in Aust, please consider doing our 15min survey & get your voice in the mix. bit.ly/2REMguu (and pls RT madly!)

Let's put some play back in school!

Thanks for reading.
@stringer_andrea

Knowing Me, Knowing You.

I am currently relocating for the 29th time in 28 years of marriage, so I am familiar with change and living in new locations. At the end of February this year, I began a new role in a new school. Here I was known as a parent first, not as an educator. Starting in a new school means many teachers don’t know who you are, your beliefs, passions or purpose. While the content or role is similar to my previous one, the context is new. In education, context is key and relationships are crucial. With my coaching experience, I hope to build many relationships in my new context, but they take time and a conscious effort. If there was one thing I’d like the staff to know about me it is that I’m an advocate for teacher voice, agency and capacity building. I suppose the educators who read my blog posts or follow me on Twitter already know this about me. In my role, I share my purpose through informal conversations, organised professional learning opportunities and coaching. I hope to build trusting relationships, like those I’ve developed through my professional learning network (PLN).

This week I attended a meeting for ‘Leaders of Accreditation Network‘ (LAN), where we discuss the accreditation process of NESA and ISTAA. At this meeting I was introduced to someone who said, ‘Oh I know you, well I feel I know you. I heard your story at #RWLN (Renaissance Women Leader’s Network)’. I was humbled. The next day I attended the ACEL conference, 'Teachers Leading Educational Reform’, with Professor Alma Harris and Dr Michelle Jones. After attending and participating in this event, I have many questions for Australian educators regarding building collaboration not cooperation or delegation...

• Why do we move teachers every few years (typically 3 yrs), place them into a new grade/stage level and ask them to collaborate?
• If we accept that Collaboration is complex, why do we assume all teachers will collaborate because research says it is effective?
• Does culture eat strategy for breakfast? 
• Is collaboration mandatory in your school? 
• Are teachers told to be part of a Professional Learning Communities or is this optional? 
• What are your PLCs based on? 
• Are coaches facilitating the learning in these collaborative groups? 
• Are the executives/leaders the facilitators? 
• How is teacher agency and voice evident? 
• What comes first, culture or PLCs?
• If collaboration and collective efficacy are powerful and effective, do schools protect and value allocated time for this?

I was so fortunate to to meet people who I have connected with on Twitter at this event. In one of the activities, I had to point to someone I’d like to chat with and I recognised Maria Serafim from her Twitter profile. To be honest, I really wanted to meet her and talk pedagogy. We chatted about Twitter and education and the conversation flowed so easily. I felt I knew her. Twitter provides you an opportunity to get to know someone professionally, but I also think it provides some insight into their personality too. It was amazing to speak with her and I hope we have the opportunity to connect again. I ended my day chatting with Thelma from Rooty Hill. Thelma and I talked about social justice and how teachers can make a difference. I had met Thelma last year when I spent a day at Rooty Hill High School. Kindly invited by the influential Chris Cawsey, I was fortunate to meet many of the staff there and I learnt a great deal from this experience. Although, most educators appreciate Twitter as a place to find resources, learn from others and share their thoughts and beliefs, it can be a springboard that helps create good friendships.

As my school has just become a NESA endorsed provider,  I recently attended a NESA workshop to learn more about eTams. We were asked to introduce ourselves and it was amazing to hear how many people knew others from various schools. Towards the end of the workshop, a woman beside me, Sarah mentioned that she follows me on Twitter. She then proceeded to tell me that I had attended the Growth Coaching Course with her husband, Jon. Talk about 6 degrees of separation! I really enjoyed our brief conversation and we hope to catch up again soon. I wonder ....would we have spoken to each other without the platform of Twitter? 

Blogging, TeachMeets and Twitter are great catalysts for developing relationships. You can really get to know people and they can get to know you, as this past week has shown. When you are in a new context, it can be difficult for others to ascertain your beliefs, passion and purpose. I will continue to focus on building relationships and trust, by having informal conversation, listening deeply and coaching where possible. This is how I will get to know my colleagues and they will get to know me. 

I bet you have ABBA singing in your head at the moment…sorry about that!

@stringer_andrea

Integrity, Authenticity & Accountability

Speak with integrity, lead with authenticity and hold yourself accountable

Here are my comments regarding the article, '5 ways to be a conscious leader'.

1. Cultivate self-awareness-

Becoming self-aware is arguably the single most beneficial thing you can do to up your leadership style. 

As a leader and as a coach, I believe every leader can benefit from coaching, as I have found it develops self-awareness. I wonder if it becomes more important for leaders to develop self-awareness with their increased responsibility? I’ve read about the isolation and loneliness some Principals experience and question if they had the support of a coach, could this assist? It’s important to also mention that coaching is based on a trusting relationship, which I have previously articulated in the article, ‘The Benefits of Coaching’.

2. Check your influence-

We are the product of the five people we most associate with

This year I attained a leadership position at a new school and I have been reflecting on the characteristics of acquaintances, colleagues, and edu-friends. Over the years, it’s been interesting to observe who has made the effort to stay connected and who hasn’t. It’s not a judgement but I wonder if the conversation or relationship is elicited by the context or your role?

Throughout the years, my critical friends or my go-to people have changed. But then, there are some who for whatever reason, are always there, whether it be to support, to be a critical friend, to push my thinking or to ask the difficult questions. Every school holidays, I make an effort to meet up with educators who I admire and respect. Selfishly, these conversations inspire and can reignite my passion. I truly value these conversations. I can name the 5 people who continue to be influential in my education career…. can you?

3. Meditate-

The great thing about this ancient tradition is that there are many forms of meditation.

My drive to work has been extended so I have an additional time to plan or reflect on my day. Yet, I do know this is an area where more focus in needed. 

4. Be intentional-

Conscious leaders succeed because they bring intention to everything they do. 

As an educator, I have learnt to ask one question. “What is the purpose and what is my intention?” If I stay true to always asking this question, then I will stay true to myself. Although schools are busy places, we should make the effort to pause and question the services, processes and traditions we have continued. I’m not saying we should change everything but we should ask about the intention and the purpose. 

5. Practice the four agreements-

1. Be impeccable with your word (Say only what you mean, and don’t gossip or speak negatively).

It’s easy to get drawn into gossip or to speak negatively when you’re tired and feeling overworked.  It takes effort to stay low on the inferential ladder.

2. Don’t take anything personally (Nothing that others do is because of you, it is all a projection of their own reality).

Teaching is personal, especially when you invest so much of yourself in your work. This agreement is difficult to sustain. I have learnt to not respond immediately. Take at least one night to respond and speak with a critical friend. Firing back immediately never generates the most rational conversation.

3. Don’t make assumptions (Instead, have the courage to ask questions and communicate).

Being a coach has really helped me development my ability to not jump to conclusions or assume. Staying low on the inference later is vital.

4. Always do your best (Your best may change day to day, but by doing your best you can avoid self-judgement and regret).

I think leaders and teachers judge themselves too harshly. Educators tend to hold criticism like Velcro and compliments like Teflon.

Please feel free to provide some comments on this article and my reflections.

@stringer_andrea