When we listen to learners, we find that social connectedness is a fundamental human need and a critical element of meaningful learning experiences. When we use the term learner-centered, we reference the reality that all of us are learners, including the professional staff that serves our students. And while there has been growing consensus around the importance of promoting collaboration for students through cooperative learning strategies, recognition of the value of social capital, and emerging structures such as mentoring and advisory models, we see less support for changes to promote connectedness for teachers and staff.
Shifting away from “self-contained,” isolated teaching and into teams is one of the critical moves to embrace a more humanistic and effective model of learning for all. This is particularly important when we embrace authentic, personalized, inclusive and equitable, and competency-based learning which requires strong relationships and adaptability to adjust to dynamic needs and changing contexts.
The systems we create and implement influence the relationships that we need. The ways in which we organize ourselves as adults set a model for what we want to see in our young people. Learner-centered leadership begins and ends with relational trust and connectedness.
Explore resources, opportunities, and models for building a culture where trust and connectedness are foundational.
Yours in learner-centered collaboration, Devin
Now booking 2023-24 partnerships! Connect with our team to design a plan tailored to your goals.
Many of our partners are embracing the need to support professional collaboration and teams. For example, Design39 teachers (called “Learning Experience Designers,” or LEDs) meet every morning before students arrive for 1 hour in their dedicated collaboration space, called Design Studios, to design learning experiences, look at student work, discuss challenges, and create solutions together. Students frequently work with pairs of teachers at a time in flexible groups.
Design39 Learning Experience Designers collaborating in their Design Studio
Read more about collaboration, trust, and human-centered design at Design39 inthis piececo-authored by Sabba Quidwai and myself.
RESOURCES
BLOG POST
How might learner-centered systems promote relationships and teamwork?
Relationships—with learners, colleagues, teams, and the community—are at the heart of leadership and learning and our systems often dictate whether they are nurtured or constrained. Explore more in this blog post.
VIDEO
Leading the way to trust and connectedness
Earlier this spring Marlon Styles and I shared 8 “superpowers” of learner-centered leadership and it’s no surprise that all of them had trust and connectedness as underlying themes. Check them out here and let me know which ones you plan to flex next school year.
LEARNER-CENTERED CATALYZER
Each month in Catalyst we’ll celebrate a learner-centered catalyzer—an individual or team putting learners at the center getting us closer to our vision for education ecosystems that empower all learners to know who they are, thrive in community, and can actively engage in the world as their best selves. Have someone to nominate? Tell us about them here.
Contessa Orr
Superintendent
Muhlenberg County, KY
June’s Learner-Centered Catalyzer
Contessa has embraced the power of collaborative leadership throughout her career. When she was in Logan County Schools she organized the “LC Innovators” (aptly named to reflect their district initials and learner-centered orientation) to implement their profile of success. Now, as Superintendent in Muhlenberg County Public Schools, she has empowered teams of educators to visit innovative models and to work together to create a Framework for the Future.
Thank you Contessa for connecting intensively with community and business leaders to create opportunities for relevant, connected learning. Your focus on relationships and the development of teams who can bring aspirations to life has been instrumental to inspire students who know themselves, thrive in community, and actively engage in the world as their best selves. To learn more, check our theLogan County Impact Storyand follow her on social at @ContessaOrr4.
