Eye on Leadership
What I Learned...
How to Make Learning Visible

The conference is over; I’m back at work and into the normal rushed routine.  However, as I reflect upon that time, I am reminded of a chapter that Roland Barth wrote in On Common Ground.  In this chapter one of the key ideas he explores is “How might one create within a school culture a community of lifelong learners?”  I thought this question resonated with the ideas from the conference.  Dr. Tyson talked about processes schools need to consider to enhance the natural curiosity of children.  He challenged us to think about the way we engage children in school.  Engaging children in rich authentic learning experiences is a path to creating in them a desire to be lifelong learners. 

Barth shared in his book an experience in which a principal challenged her staff to write about what they had learned during the summer.  She devoted the first issue of the school newsletter to this topic, and the result was that the faculty became more engaged in learning and in sharing their learning. This was a powerful venue for this faculty to convey the message “that learning is what important people do.  There is no more telling message for students than to hear it from adults.”  Barth even suggested that parents instead of asking “What did you learn in school today?” could say “Let me tell you what I learned at work today!”  He contends that “when students constantly witness important adults in their lives as learners, they too will come to value learning at school and beyond.”

I know that as a school leader that I must model and celebrate my learning. However, as I continued to read his chapter, I began to question how I modeled and shared my learning with others. I also thought about the title to the conference “Within sight, within reach, within us” and how I would share what was within me.  Barth’s article challenged me to think about “How will I make my learning visible?”  So I began thinking about What I Learned at the Conference.

I learned:

• One of the greatest barriers into the 21st century is not the ability to think creatively but the need for the collective will to act boldly;
• Most of what matters is not easy to remember;
• How you solve a problem is everything;
• The importance of examining the degree to which something is wrong and not simply accepting an answer as correct or incorrect is essential;
• I need to challenge myself and others to consider “Are we paying attention and where is our attention?”;
• To think about what I have passed on or will pass on as a teacher/leader;
• How to have fun with words;
• That all experiments do not work;
• There are those among us who persist (like those who could not leave the potato experiment until it worked);
• The North Star is not the brightest star; and
• I need “A Day Apart.”

The process, A Day Apart, which Stamford shared, is the first focus I have for “making my learning visible.” As the team shared their work, I identified with the feeling of never having enough time to think and to think deeply.  The very nature of our jobs as teachers, principals, or district staff often requires us to think and act quickly.  There is often the sense of managing the moment rather than reflecting and planning for the future. In an effort to make my learning more visible, I have already discussed the idea in a district staff meeting and initiated conversations with principals about implementing this idea.  Additionally, I recognize that I must make time for my “Day Apart.”

This district has embedded the concept of professional learning communities and has supported the schools as they struggle with the issue of time.  By inviting school teams to participate in this process, by offering access to district staff to support their work, and by providing time and space, this district has given their school teams an opportunity and a context to address issues of teaching and learning. Rick DuFour states, “The best professional development occurs in the context of the workplace, rather than the workshop, as teachers work together to address the issues and challenges that are relevant to them. It is pursued in a social setting with opportunities for interaction rather than in isolation.  It is directly and purposefully designed to help educators accomplish the collective goals of the team and school…” It is evident that Stamford has this process in place.

I want to challenge each of you to consider how you will help to create within your school community a culture of lifelong learners.  Perhaps the first step is making your learning visible.  What learning from the conference will you make visible?