- This to me is sharing and accountability for your learning…and it must be ongoing.   We do too many one-offs so we never get deep.  In order to get deep teachers NEED TO NETWORK….professional learning Network – Will Richardson

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My thoughts: These 3 criteria are needed for there to be a trusting, open relationship. I can see how some teachers would believe there was an element of assessment or judgement with having an observer in the classroom. We need teachers to actively seek out solutions to teaching/learning problems and it is through this process that growth occurs.  Leaders must approach the situation with complete transparency – nothing can be hidden and there should be no secret agendas. Everything is about solving the problems students are experiencing, and the expectation is that everyone on the team wants to solve these problems as well. Relationships are of utmost importance and the focus in on professionalism. We do not need to protect teachers from our concerns. The idea that teachers are part of a team that is working towards a solution is helpful because the onus is NOT on one – it is on the collective.

a)    Behaviour and attitudes of the professional learning group

·      Inquiry habits of mind

·      Respectful relationships with honesty and transparency regarding professional learning intentions

·      Acceptance that high levels of challenge is an accepted part of the process 

·      change is the goal

·      Clarity from leaders about the reasons for the professional practice 

   

 

b)    The Assessment process that:

·      It happens over time

·      That evidence is standardized

·      Comparable tools are used

·      Interpretations are open to unintended observations and causation

·      Supported with evidence regarding the changes and student learning

 

c)     The outcome is:

·      Deepening of students and their learning (knowledge) and what they need to be successful

·      Teachers become adaptive experts (skills) on the content and how to teach it in a variety of ways
*checking outcomes for students ensures the teacher's participation in professional learning actually results in the desired improvement in student outcomes 

 

This quote is followed by the idea that the actions that make the most difference for students involve leaders promoting and participating in teacher learning and development, but not only promoting and participating, the leaders needed to be leading teacher learning and creating school communities that learn. They are at the forefront of the learning, not introducing the learning, and then slinking off to their office. It reminds me of the famous Teddy Roosevelt quote:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.  (1910)

As leaders, we need to be in the arena, “daring greatly,” and not merely sitting in the stands. This is not an easy task, and it brings up a lot of vulnerability, but that, to me, is where great leadership starts. 

Chapter 5

        1): "Leadership is not the work of one person...but understanding that leadership as being distributed across people does not mean that the Principal simply delegates  to others and remains aloof from what is happening with students."

- this is very tough to balance when you are trying to not only balance between multiple schools but multiple facets of a job that involves schools throughout the district.  I think the big piece in making this happen with a multiple school model or a large school model is everyone understanding their role and what they are contributing to the team.