Deep Learning Journeys

Collaborative Inquiry

Laura Barr, Valmont Academy

From Chicken Little to the Pied Piper

Karen Adams, Goulds Elementary

Feedback

Owen Matchim - Leary's Brook Junior High

In exploring Deep Learning with our staff my role as Principal felt different than that of the teachers that I was not the one trying to deliver it in the classroom. Instead, to help support and facilitate it I focused my role on creating school wide projects, facilitating PL, and building a culture around it. There were lots of ways in which I was trying to build the culture that I think was effective. I also think that I can identify teachers doing good work and facilitate pairing them up with other teachers to build a positive learning partnership.

However, one thing that this led to was a noticeable (by me at least) gap in my skill set in providing feedback and coaching to individual teachers. When teachers asked for it or if we were working together on a project or PL I found that feedback flowed. But for teachers who weren’t necessarily in my day-to-day space I felt I wasn’t doing as well working with them. This seemed supported in the Performance Measurement Framework data on leadership where staff reported that feedback was useful, but there was not necessarily enough of it.

This led to a lot of time thinking about individual feedback. Key questions included:

How do I give feedback effectively to my teachers
What are the different kinds of feedback
How else could I help support grow in school
How do I negotiate my role to give feedback in a non-judgemental and supportive way?

Digging Deep on Collaboration

Leary's Brook Junior High - Stacey Hopkins

My Deep Learning Journey explored two essential questions: 1) How can I build capacity as a peer in my school? 2) How can I use the Learning Design Process with greater intentionality? With Julie Vaillancourt as a critical learning partner, I explored processes and ideas related to deepening my understanding of effective collaboration. As a Teacher Librarian and Student Success Teacher in my school, I reflected on how I could be what Fullan & Sharratt (2012) call a "knowledgeable other" who helps build capacity within the building and co-construct the learning design process with my peers. The learning partnerships teachers form with colleagues at the school level is among the most important partnerships we have, perhaps second only to the partnership with the students themselves. My journey explores how we can leverage this partnership most effectively and create an orgnizational culture that fosters strong collaboration.