Schools have been thrust into the fast lane of change. Teachers are working to make changes and adjustments on many of the things they do. This is necessary as there is a need for change and improvement on many levels in education.

Too often it’s seen as an end in and of itself. Change for the sake of change. If we can just reach this or that, then things will slow down or we’ll be better prepared or ….

but the pace never ceases with new change piling up on new change like ducks landing on a frozen pond.

What if, instead of looking for change destinations, the focus was on the journey?

There, just ahead, after that curve. Drive a little further, your destination is almost here.
Of course, that’s not how it works.
Not our careers, not our relationships, not our lives.
Done. You’ve arrived.
You’ve always arrived. You’ve never arrived. Seth Godin

As Seth Godin’s quote illustrates, life is a series of journeys interrupted along the way. The school needs to reflect the journey of learning, a progression of growth over time with different sojourns along the way.

Most schools are places with beginning and endings. Beginning of each school year, ending of the school year.
Often, these endings/beginnings are portrayed as “new starts” or “clean slates” or something similar. What if, instead of waiting for a new year, each day was a chance to start again or to build on yesterday, depending on the need.
Sometimes we are making great progress and each day builds upon the next. Other days, it’s better to start again tomorrow. We all need that, not next year, but tomorrow.

What if school was just part of the journey where the ending was just a shift of the learning continuum?

Can schools reflect this journey?

We Have the Ability …

Today, we have the ability to shift the culture of school to reflect the learning journey as a continuum. We have tools for sharing, understanding about the neuroscience of learning, the ability of professionals to collaborate for student success, and if needed, the ability to gather data to determine areas of strength and those that need support. All these are available to schools and teachers.

But it requires a shift in the classroom and in schools – away from episodal reporting to continuous growth. Where assessment informs learning as much, or more than, it informs progress.

George Couros in his latest post discusses the need for teachers, administrators, and other school leaders to continue to grow and develop.

There are some organizations that are moving too fast for people, but there is also the opposite effect. A person’s growth can stagnate if the leadership is not able to push them forward.

This is not change for the sake of change, but learning and growing in order to improve the learning environment in the classroom. This is change built upon the needs of the person as part of the journey. It’s improving and growing as part of continuing to thrive as an individual.

Continuing to grow and develop is important for all of us. In Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, and Never Get Stuck, Jon Acuff says:

You know who we should fire, that guy who keeps learning how to do his job even better,” said no one ever.

Learning to become better is about consistently seeking to improve. We have the ability to use the tools to help students develop habits of learning which evolve as we develop and grow. This means that, as educators, pursuing our learning is important. As a teacher, it isn’t always easy to do this, especially if we try to do it alone.

Here are 3 strategies that might help.

1. Seek Out Other Learners

Often, as adults, learning can be an individual endeavour. Especially when teaching all day and a full schedule, learning something new or just continuing one’s learning is often fit in among the other things happening. Sometimes, it’s can seem unattainable. According to Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We do in Life and Business,

For a habit to stay changed, people must believe change is possible. And most often, that belief only emerges with the help of a group.

Learning is a habit. It’s part of our many habits and, like other habits, it can be developed over time. One key to this is to learn with others. Sometimes we need inspiration and support of others to help us along. Collaborative learning isn’t just for students.

The evidence is clear: If you want to chagne a habit, you must find an alternative routine, and your odds of success go up dramaticlly when you commit to changing as part of a group. Belief is essential, and it grow out of a communal experience, wven if that community is only as large as two people.

Whether it’s with the people in your school or with others you connect with online, seeking out others who are continuing their own learning provides social support, especially when just beginning. If you can, seek out a group of others with similar interests and start a learning group.

2. Eliminate the Non-Essential, Don’t add on

“If you want something done, find a busy person” does have some reality to it – look around to see who is doing things and chances are they’re a very busy person. In some circles, being busy has become a sign you’ve somehow “arrived”. But such isn’t a recipe for life-long learning. Eventually, the busyness runs the person over. Instead of adding on ‘one more thing’ and search for some sort of balance among the many, shift to focus on those things that allow you to thrive in all aspects of life.

What if we stopped celebrating being busy as a measurement of importance? What if instead we celebrate how much time we had spent listening, pondering, meditating, and enjoying time with the most important people in our lives? Greg McKeown – Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Learning is one of the key areas for continued growth and development. The 5-Hour Rule is one that many successful people abide by – doing 5 hours of deliberate learning. It can include reading or building, tinkering or experimenting. But it is different from work. It is time you devote to learning and part of this is setting time apart – one hour a day – for learning. To do this may require setting time apart in the morning or in the evening, rescheduling your time to build this into your lifestyle. It isn’t always easy, especially with the extracurricular demands of many teachers plus the demands of family. But, what if you eliminated some of the homework you give students which then would free you up from having to do marking. Could you use that time for your own learning? How about if you began to approach planning your school day, in the same way, looking for ways to help students to pursue some of their own learning, such as with Genius Hour or 20% Time? How can you make adjustments in what you presently do that will support your learning and development?

3. Try Something New

What’s something you’ve always wanted to learn about or try? Have a topic you’d really like to learn more about? Or looking for something but not sure what? You don’t have to do this from scratch. There are a number of online courses that you can take or if you are so inclined, courses at local colleges and universities. Online course sites include Skillshare, Udemy, Coursera, Lynda, Khan Academy, TedEd, Open Culture, edX, Alison, Standford Online, Codecademy, Code.org, Udacity, iTunes Free Courses, FutureLearn. The growth of Massive Open Online Courses(MOOCs) allows anyone with a computer and internet access to take a course. They provide the opportunity to access courses, often at no charge, on a wide variety of subjects. You can take your learning to a new level, get access to experts in their fields, and try something you’ve always wanted to learn about. George Couros has an IMMOOC scheduled for October 2017 which focuses on his book Innovator’s Mindset if you are looking for something to get started.

I wonder….

1. What is something that you want to learn about? Have you ever shared that with your own students?

2. Do you share your learning with other people? On a blog? Pictures on Instagram?

3. How might focusing on the essentials help to provide time for learning in your life?

4. What’s stopping you from continuing your learning?

As always I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on this.
You can connect with me at @kwhobbes on Twitter or email me at kwhobbes@gmail.com.

Until next Tuesday, keep the wonder alive!