I plan to continue to teach children well, and I also plan to tighten my focus a bit in the weeks to come. Most recently, my focus has been very broad extending in many directions. There are some paths, I will leave fallow for a while as I concentrate more on other streams, streams closer to my students that answer these questions:
Learning Design
How can I continue to embed the standards into meaningful, inspiring, interactive learning design--design that supports personalized, differentiated learning? I would like to use this information to revise The Learning Design Guide I wrote last summer. In the meantime, I'll continue to research, write, publish (UClass), and implement standards-based learning experiences in my classroom.
Learning to Learn
What are the best ways to teach and foster optimal "learning to learn" mindsets, habits and routines in and beyond the classroom? I would like to synthesize my current/former work in this area and new learning into one or more units/short books for student study. I am hoping to make this one focus of my upcoming study with the Deeper Learning MOOC.
Collaborative Culture
How can I contribute to and collaborate within a dynamic learning community--a community of students, families, educators, leaders, and community members. I am going to read more, and think more about this as this topic is beginning to gain steam with my PLN in new and different ways. Students and families are served well by the employment of the "servant leadership" model. I will query families at upcoming conferences about students' needs, and I'll continue to survey students on a regular basis about their needs, wants, and desires, and respond accordingly. I want to better understand the expectations with regard to teacher teams and school leadership in this regard as I believe collaborative learning design and work has the potential to serve children well since no one teacher has it all, and if we coordinate our experiences, insights, talents, and skill we'll better meet the needs of our diverse learners.
Mentors
Who are the mentors in my midst that can help me to grow and develop my work so that I may serve my students and others better? I will be thinking about this as I participate in the professional learning endeavors I mention above, my PLN work and share, and my in-school efforts.
Professional Learning and Growth
What do educators need in order to move their work forward? What structures, protocols, communication, and actions transform school systems to dynamic learning communities? I would really like to know what my colleagues think with regard to this question--I would love to be part of a frank discussion related to this. I may ask, but in the meantime, I'll be observant as I think about this question. I know that we all bring different needs, expectations, and vision to the job, and the better we understand each other's quest, the better we'll be able to respect and support one another.
