Every Tuesday we will post a quick idea that you can try right away. Here’s the first one.
Stage 1 of our Framework asserts that learning is never over and that a culture of adult learning, risk taking and growth is the foundation of school transformation. Our thinking is always evolving and it’s a good idea to track it to see where we’ve made some shifts.
Keeping a journal is a great way to track your thinking. Grab a notebook and a pen and keep it with you at all times. Specifically, try picking a topic in education: assessments, achievement gap, empowering students, curriculum, instruction, leadership, engagement, etc. and track the evolution of your thinking on the topic like this:
I used to think…
Now I think…
What happened in the middle? What experiences did you have? What did you read? Who did you talk with about the topic?
Tracking the evolution of our thinking is a great way to gain clarity and focus. For an example, click here.
Brave enough to share with us? Post below!
For the past two summers, I have had the joy and honor to participate in a professional development called Teaching American History. It has changed my life and I am so happy about it! Many of the philosophies of that program are incorporated in the “ed to save the world” framework. Here is a small example of how I feel my instruction is changing:
I used to see myself as the person to help students understand because I am the special educator. I would think, “how can I break down the topic of equality to help all of the students ‘get it’?” Now my thinking is more along the lines of “how can a variety of sources help and refine the students’ understanding of the struggle for equality?”
In hindsight and with much needed guidance from all aspects of TAH process, (lectures, sample lessons, conversations with other teachers, etc) I have come to realize: when we force students to think historically, they end up coming away with an unforgettable impression of what happened in the past. This process of student investigation is engaging and it causes students to think critically and articulate their unique ideas. Those are skills that will help make the world a better place — for sure! 🙂
Nice! Thanks, Hannah.