Almost fifteen years ago, I started blogging on a site that I called The Tempered Radical.
My goal was simple: I wanted to raise my voice and call attention to the realities of life as a full-time classroom teacher.
Since that time, I’ve written well over a thousand posts. We’ve talked about everything from politics in education to the role that technology should play in teaching and learning. I’ve shared my thoughts and feelings as I’ve watched my own daughter both start — and struggle in — schools.
Over the years, I’ve become more and more passionate about two things: The power of professional learning communities and the important role that teachers can play in leaving every student convinced that they can be capable and competent learners.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see those two passions side by side, right?
After all, BOTH are about building efficacy.
Professional learning communities are designed to leave teams of teachers convinced that they have the know-how to help every student learn at higher levels regardless of circumstance — and teachers committed to building efficacy in their students instill the belief in learners that they really CAN move themselves forward.
So, THAT’s why I’ve created a brand new home for my thinking called Building Confident Learners.
I want to remind myself, day in and day out, that my core work — whether I am delivering professional development to a room full of teachers or delivering instruction to a room full of students — is to empower learners.
Those are the most immediate and important actions that I can take to improve teaching and learning — and that’s where I want to spend the majority of my intellectual time.
What does that mean for you, the reader?
It means you are likely to see MORE posts about facilitating meaningful collaboration between teachers. It means that you are likely to see MORE posts about facilitating reflection and growth in learners. And it means you are likely to see LESS posts about politics in education.
Does that mean I won’t ever drift from the theme of “building confident learners” in my writing?
Heck no.
I reserve the right to write about whatever is on my mind and on my heart.
But it does mean that I want to be deliberate about how I spend the time that I have — and being deliberate means concentrating on the topics that I think will move learners forward.
Are you ready for this?
#hopeso
