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From the FREEP
Time is a valuable resource for all of us...
Dear Families,
Time is a valuable resource for all of us. As adults we often struggle with the demands of both work and family. The balance can feel out of whack…if only we had some extra time our dinners would be less rushed, or we would have been able read that extra bed time story or would have met that work deadline more easily. Sound familiar?
Time allocation is a constant struggle for teachers, too. There is another whole workday for them beyond the 7 hours that they spend with the children in the classroom. Planning for the next day, organizing materials, writing reports, communicating with parents and taking classes to keep current can make the hours in a day seem inadequate. Staff development days are one way to help teachers counter-balance this lack of time. They give teachers space to listen, talk, share and wonder about the art and practice of teaching; they recharge professional batteries and stimulate and strengthen classroom practices.
When planning for the school's 75th Anniversary we wanted to be sure to honor SRV's long-standing commitment to professional development. The symposium was a dynamic opportunity for the staff to do a professional "time audit" on a grand and memorable scale. When designing the symposium we started with the assumption, much as our teachers do with children, that learning is a profound endeavor that requires conversation, challenge and community. We then framed the symposium around questions and shared stories, knowing that they would help expose the lessons in our pasts, the learning embedded in our current struggles and highlight the possibilities of what could be for progressive education in the 21st century. We then asked ourselves what would be the most useful, powerful and purposeful use of symposium time to help participants unpack all of that. Use of time became a driving force in our design.
The end result was a symposium that offered generous chunks of time for educators to come together in purposeful ways to think deeply about important questions, to connect and build strong relationships with each other, as well as work with pioneers in the education world. It gave the staff time to deepen our thinking, add strategies and processes to our educational tool bags and create action plans for change. The impact on us has been enormous. Life changing in fact. The ripple effect can be felt in our staff meetings and in our classrooms…
The symposium provided me with opportunities to speak about my teaching practice and my school's institutional practices face to face with educators outside of the Rose Valley community. The many fresh perspectives and insights they brought to our discussions helped me both see new paths and clear overgrowth from old. It was a professionally invigorating experience.
The symposium has changed my teaching life. It has empowered me to take bigger risks, to listen more carefully and to value the voice of children more deeply.
I feel a renewed sense of commitment to SRV and its philosophical foundations. I feel an increased sense of trust and connection to my colleagues. I feel honored to be part of such a dynamic group of educators. We are really learning and growing together.
The concept of "critical exploration"-- finding out what children are thinking – which Eleanor Duckworth talked about has stayed with me and is impacting my teaching. Duckworth urged teachers to act as researchers with children, to take a neutral stance and avoid being the determiner of what is an adequate response. Instead of telling kids my ideas, I put the emphasis on learning what their ideas are. Then let the subject matter determine the adequacy of the answers.
It has been a rare and potent year for the staff. We are a better school, with more thoughtful teachers, and a more collaborative staff because of the symposium. It is a gift that will impact teachers and students for years to come. We thank you for all of your support to making this possible; it does indeed take a community to nurture a staff.
In partnership,
Carlye
