The third face to face meeting of our FA team, part of the international cohort of the Powerful Learning Practice (phew, that's a mouthful) met yesterday.
And we built some social capital.
Man, is it great working with such a bright, talented group of people. They share, reflect, push back, and reflect some more.
We researched questions we are considering this year as we explore new literacies and learning–What is higher-order thinking? How does creativity play a role in teaching and learning? What IS student-centered learning? What do we do now that works, and what should we change in our classrooms to improve our teaching and learning? And what role does technology play?
Our discussions scaffolded, building from definitions, to examples of what we were doing in the classroom, to plans for how we could put into practice what we were sharing.
Susanne took us from Bloom to an explanation of sound reasoning, and Jennifer shared Gerald Grow's stages of self-direction. Both led us into a fascinating discussion of where we are in these stages and whether higher-order thinking is the most important thing we do.
We have moved beyond theoretical discussions about whether we should shift our thinking; we are there.
But it was the sense of community in the room that gave me my "ah-ha" moment.
Jennifer turned to us and said something like, "…here we are learning and sharing and no one is telling us to do it." We have no administrative directive to make this happen. All our networking through Twitter, our blogs, on the PLP ning, and in our f2f meetings is happening because we believe in what we are doing, and we want to improve what is happening in our classes. We've made connections with folks around the world, and we've grown closer as a team.
Clay Shirky describes his book, Here Comes Everybody, by saying it's…."about what happens when people are given the
tools to do things together, without needing traditional
organizational structures."
It's true. Carey made me laugh when she tweeted this later in the day:
Yes, Sheryl and Will, it's powerful.
Susan,
This statement got me thinking: “But it was the sense of community in the room that gave me my “ah-ha” moment.”
How do we know that community is ‘in the room’? Is it a sense or feeling? Why is it with some groups and absent with others?
Thanks for extending my thinking.
Ben
It sounds like you are having some great meetings – really powerful discussions. …And hasn’t being part of the PLP been a wonderful catalyst for a lot of good work!
Ben, for me the feeling stems from all of us working together on the same
journey of discovery and finding points along the way where we learn and
share, always growing together. It’s a much different feeling than just
being in a group, social or otherwise. There is a connection, a bond. But
you are right–it’s hard to articulate.
Rhondda, you are so right!!
OOps, just tried my threaded comments, but now I understand what didn’t work!
Thanks, Susan, for bringing PLP into my life. I know you have way too many thigns to do to do PLP for us, but you do it anyway. It has been so great, as have so many things you have helped me to discover. My blog, Twitter, even just hyperlinking for a classroom project so many years ago! In honor of the Christmas season, you are my tech Santa Claus.
Awww, thanks, Susanne. You make my day!!