Full Description
Improve teaching practice through powerful professional conversations!
Move beyond isolated teaching, passive observations, and ineffective workshops to be the leader who engages staff and affirms the value of reflective and informal professional discussions. Launch meaningful conversations and a powerful team of teachers who understand how students learn, what motivates them, and how to implement that research in the classroom.
Good leaders know that sharing, discussing, and examining teaching practices and student work improves student learning through professional examination, inquiry, and growth. Educators who harness the power of informal professional conversation invite teachers to do the intellectual work needed to connect with students and boost achievement. The second edition of this powerful book includes:
A new chapter guiding conversations to align with new state standards
Outlines for specific conversation skills needed to initiate and succeed
Mental maps, sample topics, and conversation activities
Read Talk About Teaching! and build a culture of understanding, respect, and empathy that encourages your team to reach for new possibilities.
"This is a great resource for leaders who regularly facilitate conversations with teachers. I use it in my graduate class in supervision and strongly recommend that students keep this book as a resource for the future."
Diane Canino Rispoli, Clinical Professor of Educational Leadership and former school leader
Syracuse University, Syracuse NY
"The book's major strength is that it combines a discussion of what constitutes good teaching and how to conduct productive professional conversations. This book would be an excellent resource for supervisors and principals."
M. Susan Bolte, Principal
Providence Elementary, Aubrey, TX
Contents
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Preface
1. Why Professional Conversation?
The Imperative for Improvement in Teaching
The Nature of Teacher Learning
Promoting Professional Learning Through Conversation
Assumptions Underlying Professional Conversations
Summary
2. Power and Leadership in Schools
Overview
The Reality of Power
Reconciling Power and Leadership
Summary
3. The Big Ideas that Shape Professional Conversations
What Constitutes Important Learning?
What Causes Learning?
How Are Students Motivated?
The Merging of All These Ideas
Summary
4. The Topics for Conversations
Power, Leadership, and the "Big Ideas"
Summary
5. Conversation Skills
Setting the tone for conversation
Linguistic Skills
Paraphrasing
Summary
6. Informal Professional Conversations
Purpose
Settings for Professional Conversations
Procedure
Summary
7. Implementation Issues
Finding Time for Conversation
Communicating the Purpose
Establishing Trust
Forging Understanding and Consensus on the "Big Ideas"
Elaborating the "Topics for Conversation"
Summary
8. Conversation Activities for Implementation
Establishing the Foundation
Communicating the Purpose
Establishing Trust
The Big Ideas: Considering High-Level Learning
How do People Learn?
Worthwhile learning experiences
Human Motivation
Topics for Conversation
Summary
References
Index
