| Welcome back to Flipping the Focus. Recently, a close colleague and friend shared the following quote with me from Richard Feynman (see right). You can read more of Richard's inspiring quotes here. And I couldn't agree more! |  |
Attributed to Einstein, if you can't explain [something] simply, you don't understand it well enough. This says a lot about the kind of pedagogical practices educators endeavor to develop and consistently improve in service of their students' learning and well-being.
A great example--one which I'm sure you're aware of and have been 'living' out in your own practice and learning--relates to whomever is doing the talking is doing the learning. In today’s evidence-based learning environments, this is part of the rationale for inspiring students to share and discuss their thinking and reasoning. In essence, students become their own and others’ teachers!
The teacher’s role is then to help guide students to becoming better at this—the content students learn is a vehicle to serving conversations. How to engage in the process of learning is the core of all teaching and learning.
This engagement requires that students develop a variety of skills: social-emotional, problem solving skills, transferable skills (e.g., collaboration, communication, etc.), and developing self-identity--i.e., understanding themselves as learners. And none of this could be possible without the culture of care, respect for equity and inclusion, and professionalism we see in educators and systems of education.
Without question, these have been and continue to be trying times for educators, students, and families. If you’re an educator, please know that the sacrifices you’ve been making, on behalf of student learning and supporting student well-being, have not gone unnoticed.
You are truly heroes in the lives of so many!!!
As many educators and systems of education look towards starting a winter break, celebrating holidays, and spending time with their families, I want to wish you all the very best—lots of good health and happiness.
Chris Stewart, OCT
Educational Consultant, Flipping the Focus (c) 2020
A great example--one which I'm sure you're aware of and have been 'living' out in your own practice and learning--relates to whomever is doing the talking is doing the learning. In today’s evidence-based learning environments, this is part of the rationale for inspiring students to share and discuss their thinking and reasoning. In essence, students become their own and others’ teachers!
The teacher’s role is then to help guide students to becoming better at this—the content students learn is a vehicle to serving conversations. How to engage in the process of learning is the core of all teaching and learning.
This engagement requires that students develop a variety of skills: social-emotional, problem solving skills, transferable skills (e.g., collaboration, communication, etc.), and developing self-identity--i.e., understanding themselves as learners. And none of this could be possible without the culture of care, respect for equity and inclusion, and professionalism we see in educators and systems of education.
Without question, these have been and continue to be trying times for educators, students, and families. If you’re an educator, please know that the sacrifices you’ve been making, on behalf of student learning and supporting student well-being, have not gone unnoticed.
You are truly heroes in the lives of so many!!!
As many educators and systems of education look towards starting a winter break, celebrating holidays, and spending time with their families, I want to wish you all the very best—lots of good health and happiness.
Chris Stewart, OCT
Educational Consultant, Flipping the Focus (c) 2020
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In closing, I can't help but to think of the conversations that can be inspired when we take collective action to improving student learning. As this blog is a means for readers to network and gradually change the context for how they learn, teach and lead, we all benefit by drawing nearer to the perspectives shared here and shared beyond with our professional learning networks.
I am more than happy to collaborate with you and make our learning visible, here. If at any time, you have questions or comments, please feel free to comment to this blog and/or reach out to me here.
In closing, I can't help but to think of the conversations that can be inspired when we take collective action to improving student learning. As this blog is a means for readers to network and gradually change the context for how they learn, teach and lead, we all benefit by drawing nearer to the perspectives shared here and shared beyond with our professional learning networks.
I am more than happy to collaborate with you and make our learning visible, here. If at any time, you have questions or comments, please feel free to comment to this blog and/or reach out to me here.
