Recently, we were able to sit down and talk with some members of the Learning Leadership Academy. We asked them, "What silver linings can you take forward with you from this time?"
The Fast Five
The common themes that emerged from the conversation were:
We were able to collaborate with our colleagues so much more. Next year, we want to continue to collaborate with each other. We saw the power of coming together to design learning for students.
Our students had a lot of flexibility during the pandemic. Next year, we want to let our students design their own learning schedules.
Our students were able to go deeper with their learning. Next year, we want to integrate learning from different subject areas so our students can dig deeper into learning that matters to them.
During COVID-19 we had to find new and unconventional ways to support learning. Now we know that we can be really creative with our students. We want to keep finding interesting ways to engage and empower them.
We have been able to develop really strong relationships with parents and families over the past few months. We saw how important that is. Next year, we want to find ways to continue to build and strengthen these relationships.
Wise Words
Melanie Charest (KLO)
"I have witnessed great moments of character, strength, courage, risk, and perseverance from both students and colleagues during this challenging time."
Karin Dumont (KLO)
"One of the silver linings during this time has been leaning on each other more in a time of crisis rather than folding into one's own silo."
Janine Chabot (DRK)
"The silver lining of this experience is that we get to slow down and consider what really matters. The heart of education is just that…heart."
Haley Dean (CMS)
"More than ever students are learning to be resilient and resourceful. They are developing a personal awareness of how they learn best, what their strengths are and areas where they need to grow. I feel as though for many students, their personal awareness of themselves as learners, of their passions, of their values, and so on have become much more apparent."
"One of things that I want to bring forward with me is to provide more time for students to discover more about themselves, to improve their personal awareness, and to explore their passions in a meaningful way. I also want to incorporate some of the online learning activities that enabled an entry point for all learners, but allowed those students who wanted to dig deeper, an opportunity to do so."
Pam Thibert (CMS)
“We have finally had time to hit the pause button so we can ask our colleagues, ‘we are all in a place of vulnerability, where are we going to go and how are we going to figure it out together? We have been collaborating with our colleagues so much more.”
Jenni Rubuliak (CMS)
“We tried to create meaningful things for our students to do and we wanted them to learn some skills that they can bring forward with them when they return to school. What our students shared in their written reflections with us was mostly about how they feel about being in nature. Our students have been taking the learning outside and have been exploring their own passions with their parents. We’ve really embraced our parents a lot through this time. Having parents involved in learning was really cool.”