Excellent Teaching and Learning Every Day

By Vicki Bechard

Secretary, LFKS

Wouldn't you want to work in or have your own children learn in a school that practices excellent teaching and learning every day in every classroom?  This is the new vision from Learning Forward that emphasizes the teaching and learning for the adults. What if we also understand that the adult teaching and learning leads to excellent student learning?  This vision clearly states what all educators, parents, and community members want for their school.  So if this is what we want, then what would that look like? 

Schools ask, “How do we get and sustain this in every classroom of the building?”  Educators ask, “What I do I have to do?” Excellent teaching and learning begins with effective Professional Learning. 

The Standards for Professional Learning provide a framework for implementing and sustaining any initiative, including the vision of excellent teaching and learning every day.  Creating a culture of learning in the school for all adults begins the journey toward achieving this vision of excellence.  When adults practice continuous learning and transfer their own learning to improve their instruction, we get excellent student learning and success.

Excellent teaching isn't accomplished in a one day, sit and get, professional learning session.  It comprises new learning, or learning how to use existing knowledge in a different way.  It occurs during practice and after mistakes.  It occurs after feedback and support through the implementation process.

Success for all educators…  Consider:

·         How do we provide & support new learning?

·         How do we support implementation?

·         How do we demonstrate learning?

·         How do we extend learning?

Always Remember….

·         To have conversations about what was learned and how it worked during practice, after the learning, before moving onto the next topic or issue.

·         To connect Professional Learning to student results.

·         That excellent adult learning leads to excellent teaching which leads to excellent student learning and success.

Stay tuned for more posts on achieving the vision of Excellent Teaching and Learning Every Day!