Thursday, November 13, 2014

Collaborate. Connect. Learn.

I spent an entire day last week in classrooms....not observing, or doing walk throughs, but teaching.  I honestly think that one of the most important things a school leader can do is to stay in touch with the classroom and with kids.  It was an amazing day connecting with students and learning more about them and their classroom behaviors and systems.  Here is the story of what led up to this amazing day of learning.

Early last week, all of the teachers in the district participated in professional development in which they were given the opportunity to choose the sessions they attended throughout the day.  I LOVE that the district is providing that type of autonomy to teachers!  To follow up, I wanted to think of a way for teachers to share with each other everything they had learned.  There were so many valuable sessions that teachers attended, and I thought everyone would benefit from hearing what their colleagues had learned.

So, I hired a sub for the day, and the two of us circulated around the building, providing teachers with 30 minutes of additional coverage, apart from their regular prep time, to go to the library.  The library had been converted into a "learning lab" for the day.  There was chart paper scattered around the room with markers for teachers to make their thinking visible for their colleagues.  There were snacks and refreshments.  Teachers were encouraged to collaborate with their learning lab partners about what they had learned earlier in the week at the district wide PD.

The results were amazing for all involved.  Teachers enjoyed discussing ideas and concepts with people that they may not usually have had the opportunity to chat with.  They had a few minutes to sit down with snacks and unwind, which (as educators know) is not commonplace in schools.  And I, as the principal, had an entire day in classrooms, with kids, uninterrupted by meetings, phone calls, or emergencies.  It was a best-case scenario for all involved: students, teachers, and administrators.

I know I am only a few months out of the classroom into my role as principal, but this day confirmed what I believed to be true all along.  Teachers thrive when they are given autonomy to collaborate and treated as professionals.  Also, administrators need to work to keep that connection with instruction and students thriving.  I will be sure to include this learning lab set up in the agenda throughout my career as a principal!

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