ERIC Number: EJ1248307
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Feb
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0276-928X
EISSN: N/A
Learning Conversations: Turn Reflection into a Public Dialogue on Practice
Zimmerman, Diane P.; Sommers, William A.
Learning Professional, v41 n1 p44-47, 51 Feb 2020
To put it simply, public reflective practice is a check-in: How are we doing, what are we learning from practice, what changes are making a difference, and so on. Teachers have these kinds of conversations privately but rarely have a chance to think out loud with others about what they are coming to understand about teaching and learning. That is a missed opportunity. One reason that reflective practices are not made public is that this type of conversation requires a specialized skill set that educators do not always possess. Unlike discussions, which comprise the discourse of most meetings, reflective conversations are a form of dialogue. Dialogue requires that the conversation slow down and that participants take turns reflecting on what they are coming to understand. When participants take time to think, summarize, and inquire of each other, they learn how others are thinking and acting. When teachers can collectively describe how they make a difference for learning, they demonstrate collective teacher efficacy and pass on learning legacies to their students and the next generation of teachers. To help guide professional learning communities (PLCs) in this work, the authors have reviewed existing conversation frameworks and outlined how some of them can help educators collaborate and build knowledge.
Descriptors: Reflective Teaching, Reflection, Teacher Characteristics, Communities of Practice, Teacher Collaboration, Coaching (Performance), Interpersonal Communication
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A