Is your system news a two-way communication piece that provides information and invites questions and comments?
As we move from old-time schools of isolation to organizations of greater collaboration, it seems like a weekly news report could help to build greater team and effect as educators. Also, what's great about news and schools is that our overall goals and objectives in schools are positive and there's little need to hide or mask information since what we're all trying to do is teach children well.
What would you include in that news report?
I would include the following:
- Note of Inspiration from Leader(s)
- Celebrations and Congratulations: The good news of an organization.
- Questions and Challenges: A list of questions and/or challenges that individuals or teams in the organization are working on and seeking advice for.
- Professional Learning Events and Opportunities: List of upcoming, notable professional learning events.
- Professional Learning Share: A short sentence or two that tells of an individual's recent professional learning endeavor and a link to more information for those interested.
- Opportunities: List of job and volunteer opportunities within and perhaps outside of the system.
I believe that a news report such as this posted online and shared with all interested parties would help to build dynamic learning/teaching organizations--organizations that invite voice and choice as well as positive, proactive debate and discourse. Also, taking the time to write a report like this diminishes the time needed to answer all kinds of questions and to straighten out confusion because the information is there for the taking typically before anyone has had time to wonder about it.
None of us have all the answers, and there is no one way to teach and learn, but when individuals in organizations work together in transparent, open-minded, inclusive ways, then the potential for good work rises, and that matters when it comes to teaching children well.
