Leading from the middle, one day workshop with Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley

Collaborating Professionally

On the 22. of May 2018 I was lucky to be able to participate in this seminar. Here are my takeaways from this day!

How to design collaboration? Here are some keywords:

• The Shared goals
• Site selection/recruitment
• Activities
• Focus
• Leadership and steering
• Resources
• Citizenship
• Dissemination

Collaborative professionalism is not data-driven, it is dialogue and feedback. When starting a network for learning, never adopt an idea. You need to work on your own vision to make it work. Plan a bit, do a bit. One step at a time. It is important that it is co-created. Everyone needs to feel ownership. Be aware of false clarity. Be very patient when introducing groups. One example given at the seminar was from a group of math teachers who started as the most skeptical group but turned out to be the most successful one. They designed a lesson, videotaped it, watched it together and discussed it. Turns out there is a lot of learning in that process. The Design Process should be mapped as a squiggly process, it is uneven! The challenge is to make it sustainable. 

I like this illustration of the student of wonder. In Norway, we hear too many times talk about the “weak student”. They are often the reason why teachers are reluctant to change their teaching methods and often used when discussing new approaches. (technology in particular). Let’s move on to talk about the student of wonder and agree that each student is unique and the everyone has potential!

Below you find examples of reading material you can use. There is an informative report to read about how to work with changing your organization. Also, a good book to read about leadership. When planning to initiate networks in your community consider watching the video about “Job-Alike planning networks”.