Curious Questions to Open Professional Practice

One of the greatest obstacles to overcome in the context of change management and instructional development is the perception of everlasting change. As a teacher, one of the most difficult ideas to come to grips with is that your practice is in need of changing. As a result, many educators opt to be stagnant and keep quiet – and only do what they have to do.

We need to become better at selling change.

A conversation grounded in the need for change will often do nothing to invoke a real change. Instead, use “curious” questions to get to the real heart of the matter when it comes to examining professional practice:

• How does this benefit students?
• How will this method reach your classroom audience?
• How does this activity improve student learning?
• How will we be able to see the gains in student achievement?
• How does this teaching style capitalize on your teaching strengths and abilities?
• How does this approach take into account multiple entry points for learning and student preferred learning styles?

Beneath the murky waters of driving school improvement – there lies a truth…

We are all in the business of doing what’s best for students. Check your ego at the door and open your mind to the possibility that your own personal growth and development rests on your ability to become pliable and receptive to professional change and improvement.

The path of educational progress lies ahead…

Find Your Epiphany

I am not a megalomaniac. But I do have a path. Since starting this blog and sharing my ideas, there has always been one topic that I have grappled with discussing. I'll allude to it in this post. Since the summer I have been re-acquainted with my passion for writing. I spent a good part of the summer reading books on writing and publishing. My brain has been fixated on the prospects of changing my path - because of a change.

I want this post to read as a do-it-yourself for resilience and hope. With teachers being told their teaching placements for next year in the coming weeks; I want to offer my own example in hopes that you can rise above anything you are given. Last year my teaching assignment was drastically changed to one that I had not anticipated or planned for. My leadership role within the school was removed without discussion. I have had one year to make sense of this change.

As an individual faced with a decision, you have to prioritize everything. I created a hierarchy with my family at the top. Just as I believe anyone else would do; I chose them. Since being placed in my current assignment, I have taken 3 additional qualification courses that amounted to completing extra course work in 9 out of the last 13 months. I have just registered for my next course to begin early next month. Professional knowledge and qualifications is the first path to which I am blazing a trail.

I have excelled at my new teaching placement and certainly found the positives and benefits to my own pedagogy by being the teacher in that room. But, I was never in doubt of the value of teaching a special needs classroom. What I have been battling is the process that can take place to alter your entire view of education through one sweeping action - or in this case - one chart on a page.

The second path that I am exploring is one of leadership in and about teaching. I have just earned a place on our Federation's County Bargaining Team during the next round of contract negotiations, and am thrilled at the prospects of being part of meaningful discussions and change in the quality of the teaching profession in this district. Simultaneously, I have created a downloadable resource page for teachers ("Teaching Ideas and Resources"), started this educational critique as a blog ("Ignite. Incite. Inspire.") and have started writing teaching-related articles for Suite101.com as a "State of Education" writer.

The final path for me is writing. All of these experiences build to a creative climax when I sit down to put my thoughts on (virtual)page. I have joined "The Red Room" (a social media site that connects writers) and numerous educational forums (edubloggers, linkedin groups) in an attempt to network and steer the craft. I hope to enter some of my writing in "The New Quarterly" for an upcoming essay/poetry contest and will try to have some of my writing published in teaching-related magazines if possible. .

I am reaching out in three different directions - and all the while I am inspired by the choice.

I have something to offer the world - and so do you. Despite your placement, working conditions, family situation or life hang-ups; I can attest that you direct your fate and next move. "Do not go gently into that good light. Rage, Rage,"[when faced with fight or flight]. I could not be doing what I am without the incredible support of my amazing wife (Chy-Anne) and a mounting group of friends and professionals that give me strength in words to convince me that posts like this are non-negotiable. This is transparency and I welcome the dialogue.

I am in the John Nash moment where the world fades out and he sees the mathematical links in the situation. I am George Malley consuming books and moving objects. I am Mark Zuckerberg furiously programming a revolutionary program. I am in that moment that everything seems to make sense in an unbelievably simple way. I am a writer that happens to teach and a teacher that happens to write. This is my epiphany and I will drag it on as long as I can; if that is what it takes to find the right path.

I am not a megalomaniac. But I do have ambitious goals and something unique to offer the world. I will not be a passenger in my own life. I am driving the ship now and will plan my own route.

Find your epiphany and build your brand. You are the best at what you do at any given moment. If the people that matter are lining the path with you; the ones who don't matter will be pushed aside and forced to consider you in a different light. You have lined my path up till now; I hope I can return the favor when the time is right for you.