With the right strategies, educators can support student-led discussions that foster deep critical thinking and empathy.  Student-led discussions can build students’ skills in analytical thinking and innovation; complex problem-solving; creativity, originality, and initiative; and reasoning and ideation. Tracy Hill and Alexis Wiggins, experienced teachers, instructional coaches, authors, and workshop leaders encourage school leaders to focus teachers on time for making meaning.

Tracy's Twitter: twitter.com/tracyhillriyadh

Email Alexis: [email protected]

Alexis's Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexiswiggins

Read Alexis & Tracy's article, "6 Strategies to Bolster Student Led Discussions"

Read Alexis's book, "The Best Class You Never Taught"

Find the Spider Web Discussion Core Resources here. 

Visit the CEEL Center website and find more resources here.

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Parents often receive messages about the dangers that might befall unsupervised children and the value of high achievement in school. They too seldom hear messages that if children are to grow up well-adjusted, they need ever-increasing opportunities for independent activity, including self-directed play and meaningful contributions to family and community life. These opportunities inform youth that they are trusted, responsible, and capable. With "risky" activities, students receive feedback that they can deal effectively with the real world.

Read "All Work, No Independent Play Cause of Youth Declining Mental Health" here. 

Watch the video on Denmark's Forest Kindergartens here.

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“Are we giving students answers to questions they haven’t asked and solutions to problems they have never encountered?” Author and consultant with an expertise in blended learning options, Catlin Tucker, explores bringing relevance, curiosity, and inquiry into our students learning opportunities. She describes "onboarding" students to learning opportunities.

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What impact is created when teachers play a greater role in guiding the observations that school administrators conduct? Ty McGee, an administrator with the Saudi Aramco Expatriate Schools in Saudi Arabia, describes the design process used and the plan that emerged to increase teacher’s satisfaction with observation feedback. Consider how this plan for teacher feedback models what we would want to see happening for students.

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“Neuroscientists have found that mistakes are helpful for brain growth and connectivity and if we are not struggling, we are not learning. Not only is struggle good for our brains but people who know about the value of struggle improve their learning potential.” (-Jo Boaler) Creating student’s understanding of the value of struggle and creating a psychologically safe environment for that struggle is a teacher’s task. We need the same safe environment for teachers to collaboratively tackle the problem and struggles in student learning.

Peer Observation and Peer Coaching - both build opportunities for teacher reflection, growth, and collective teacher efficacy. There is a difference between the two activities. Clarity on expectations of a collegial peer engagement may positively impact the experience and learning outcomes.

Read Steve's blog on learning walks at Manheim Central School District here.

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Director of Learning at American Community School of Abu Dhabi, Dr. Jen Ricks, explores the changes in moving from a focus on a teacher performance appraisal system to a professional growth model. She identifies options that are offered to teachers as they plan their growth opportunities around what their students need them to learn.

Find Jen on Twitter: @Jenricks

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Volunteer and paid coaches connecting with your children can play an important role in developing important life skills as well as performing skills. Five elements of building developmental relationships and a strategy called “compete, learn, honor” are explored. How does a focus on safety, fun, and growth reinforce respect and empowerment?

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Just as instructional coaches need specific skills and mindsets to be an effective coach, teachers need specific skills and mindsets to gain from being coached. Similarly, team facilitators need important skills and mindsets, and team members need critical skills and mindsets of membership. Patrick Lencioni suggests that team members need to be hungry, humble, and smart. Gather insights and resources to reflect on your team and your team membership skills and mindsets.

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"If you don’t question what your experiences mean and think actively about them on an on-going basis, the evidence shows you are unlikely to improve.” - Alexandra Spalding

Using the Gibbs Reflection Cycle, Steve explores how a coach's questions and observations can maximize a teacher’s reflection and thus learning. Teachers’ insights are empowering.

View Spalding’s Guide to Reflective Practice in Teaching here.

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!