October 7, 2019

FOCUS: Collaboration and Collective Efficacy

Dear Colleagues,

This week I participated in the first of three virtual meetings that will take place this year as follow up to "The Academy," a Mind, Brain, Education (MBE) conference at the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, MD. (Talk to Sara, Lena, or me if you're interested in attending next summer!) Despite the awkwardness of watching others attend this Zoom meeting from the comfort of their beds, I appreciated this opportunity for retrieval practice. Reflecting on what I learned, I continue to come back to the principle of collective teacher efficacy, which is a fancy term to describe something simple and intuitive: if members of a faculty believe they can positively influence student learning, they are more likely to do so. Conversely, when teachers feel pessimistic about their ability to improve student outcomes, a number of negative outcomes may arise, including the likelihood that teachers will perceive student failure as an inability to succeed. It seems especially important to cultivate our collective efficacy now given our focus on belonging and accessibility this year.

The article on collaboration linked below sparked my interest for similar reasons. Convocation speaker Emily Esfahani Smith implored us to seek connections in order to enhance our own wellbeing, as well as that of those with whom we interact. Jo Boaler's Limitless Mind, excerpted in this article, outlines the benefits related to equity (think: stereotype threat), student achievement, neuroscience, and resiliency that working collaboratively promotes.

Happy reading!

Rachel, on behalf of the Kravis Center, @kravisteaching

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Collaboration and Collective Efficacy

How Collaboration Unlocks Learning and Lessons Student Isolation, KQED

"[Results suggest] that diverse communities of learners help students become better collaborators."

The Power of Collective Efficacy (Doanhue, Hattie, Eels), ASCD.org

"When teams of educators believe they have the ability to make a difference, exciting things can happen in a school."

For your viewing pleasure, check out these two videos from Edutopia:

Building Student Collaboration and Agency and Cooperative Learning Roles

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Spotlight on…BLTs!

The Kravis Center is running three BLTs this year! Find someone who's participating in the discussions and ask them about their experience so far:

Grading for Equity (Delphine, Naomi, Dave S., Jen S., Martha),
Is Everyone Really Equal (Lori, Michael C, Courtney, Ewen)
Small Teaching (Nick, Sara M., Meg, Gillian)

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External PD Options:

Reminder! The link to the external PD opportunities is always available. Once in the document, click on the bookmark to find conferences that may interest you. Don't forget to add a comment/feedback next to a conference that you attended. Please excuse the "expired" dates. Most conferences do not update dates until January.

Tuesday, October 15 at 7:00 PM at the Renbrook School

"Empower: What Happens When Students Own Their Own Learning"

"PBL is growing because it engages and empowers students to learn experientially and share that learning in new and unique ways that go well beyond the classroom." --presenter A.J. Juliani

This event is free and open to the public. Please use this link to register.

researchED national conference

November 16, Philadelphia

researchED is an organization designed to promote the research literacy of teachers.

Learning How to Learn - Learn & the Brain

November 22-24, Boston

Interested in learning more about advising or serving on a NEASC visiting committee? Take advantage of the CAIS professional development opportunities happening in October.

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Resources to bookmark

Vanderbilt's Center for Teaching is a resource that I consult frequently. Here is their link to the first day of classes. You will find a number of helpful links on their site.

Deans for Impact and the pdf of The Science of Learning - a must read on teh neuroscience of learning.

Academic Tenacity by Dweck, Walter, and Cohen The New Faculty Cohort (NFC) read excerpts for orientation. A must read on creating a sense of belonging and classroom motivation.

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The Power of In-House PD: Books on Learning and Teaching (BLT)

Thank you to those who have signed up for a BLT. It's not too late! Please fill out this form if you are interested.

All are welcome! You do not have to be in a PD cycle to join.

Small Teaching: James Lang's Small Teaching encourages educators to make small, research-informed changes to their teaching in order to enhance student learning. Small Teaching is engaging, easily digestible, and immediately applicable. In advance of each meeting, participants will read one chapter and experiment with a new teaching technique. If you are interested, here is an interview with Pooja K. Agarwal (including short video clips) from The Learning Agency.

Grading for Equity: Joe Feldman's Grading for Equity tackles head on the issues surrounding grading today, from the foundations of grading (how we arrived where we are today), to why grading is so difficult to talk about, and how traditional grading often stifles "risk-taking". He pushes us to look at mathematically accurate grading practices and those that value knowledge, support a growth mindset, and that build core competencies. If you are interested, here are a couple of resources: Building More Inclusive Communities with Grading for Equity by Joe Feldman NAIS Independent School Magazine Summer 2019; Interview with Feldman from Ed's (Not) Dead Podcast-The All Things Education Podcast (22 minutes)

Is Everyone Really Equal?: Is Everyone Really Equal leads us through a thorough exploration of social justice education, key concepts, and practical application. Through reading, discussing, and applying its concepts, participants will be able to expand their DEI tool kit.