About the Book
Learn from Kids, Peers, and the World to Transform Professional Learning
What can kids teach us about educational practices? It turns out, plenty. PD is evolving into professional learning (PL), where personalized experiences focus on goals and outcomes, rather than seat time. In Evolving Learner, successful PL is framed through three critical sources: learning from kids, from peers, and from the world. Woven throughout the book are tangible connections to cycles of inquiry where a harmonious balance is the ultimate goal when students are engaged in inquiry for deeper learning and teachers are engaged in a parallel process to improve their practice.
The authors’ unique framework shifts away from factory model "PD" and transforms it into experiences tailored to kids’ and adult learners’ specific needs. Clear strategies for accomplishing PL are presented through
A framework where both students and teachers are active agents of learning
Cycles of inquiry to empower students to become the owners of learning
Techniques to make thinking visible for teachers and students
Cutting edge coverage of applying technology to professional learning including the use of social media, gamification, and digital badges
The time is right to reclaim ownership of your professional learning: Evolving Learner is an essential guide for embarking on this journey.
Table of Contents:
Foreword by Thomas C. Murray
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Introduction
CHAPTER 1. LEARNING FROM KIDS
Honor the Learner: Kids
Leveraging the Most Abundant Resource in Our Schools
What Are They Thinking? Making Thinking Transparent to Tailor Instruction and Promote Teacher Inquiry
Ownership of Learning for All: Shifting From Students Who Consume Content to Learners Who Create Content
Looking Ahead
Resources
CHAPTER 2. LEARNING FROM PEERS
Honor the Learner: Peers
Workshops That Work: Renovating the One-Size-Fits-All Model
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
Coaching Principles and Practices
Practices in Action: Feeling Connected, Seen, and Heard
Social-Emotional Learning
Parents/Families as Peers
Tips: Listen, Be Flexible, Care
Resources
CHAPTER 3. LEARNING FROM THE WORLD
Honor the Learner: World
Becoming an Edu-Explorer
Developing Your Tribe
Social Media
Tips: Filter, Edit, Focus, Balance
Lurk No More
Resources
In Closing
References and Further Reading
Index
About the Author :
Lainie Rowell is a bestselling author, award-winning educator, and TEDx speaker. An experienced teacher and district leader, she is dedicated to building learning communities, and her areas of focus include learner-driven design, social-emotional learning, online/blended learning, and professional learning. Lainie’s work has been highlighted in many publications, including Edutopia, ASCD K-12 Leadership SmartBrief, Getting Smart, and PBS NewsHour. As an international keynoter and a consultant, Lainie’s client list ranges from Fortune 100 companies like Apple and Google to school districts and independent schools. Since 2014, Lainie has been a consultant for the Orange County Department of Education′s Institute for Leadership Development. Learn more about Lainie at lainierowell.com. Dr. Kristy Andre is an educator who is always thinking of ways to evolve and grow and hopes to always provide a space for everyone to feel loved, cared for, and safe. She has a Masters in Education from Concordia University, Irvine and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California. Kristy has served as an elementary teacher, middle school teacher, and instructional coach. She has taught in a traditional classroom setting, a non-traditional classroom setting, and has taught in South Africa for two years. Kristy also serves as an adjunct professor where she teaches in the Masters in Educational Technology program. Learn more about Kristy at https://kristyandre.com.
Dr. Lauren Steinmann is an educator, administrator and lifelong learner who is passionate about helping students and teachers thrive in their school communities and in the world. She has taught multiple elementary grades and served as a Digital Learning Coach and Teacher on Special Assignment in STEM and currently works as an elementary principal in Southern California. Lauren holds a Masters in Educational Administration from Concordia University and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California. Lauren loves meeting and connecting with educators from around the world and sharing her love of learning as a presenter and speaker at conferences including CA STEAM Symposium, LEAD3, EdTalk, NGSS Rollout, Cotsen STEAM Ahead and CUE Conferences. Find Lauren on Twitter: @LaurenMStein
Review :
"Evolving Learner is a unique balance of incredible creativity, knowledge of innovative professional learning practices, with a deep appreciation for the emotional side of change. This trio of authors has done a remarkable job of making research based techniques of empowering the learner come alive. Filled with practical stories from classrooms around the world, this book will super charge educators to more deeply understand the needs of students to help them expand their own boundaries of learning. Of particular note, are the strategies to help students own their learning and educators to build collaborative classrooms. This book honors the role of the teacher as the head learner. The knowledge and wisdom within these pages is the reference and guide that we need to build healthy classrooms for students and teachers."
"As time moves on so does the reality that students of today are not the students of yesterday but the teachers haven’t moved on in the same speed as their students, technology and the world at large. The needs and expectations have jumped ahead 100+ years. Today’s teachers need to be as modern-thinking as the students they work with on a daily basis. Evolving Learner is a great step in moving in the right direction to meeting not only student needs to enter the world of discovery- learning but teacher needs through collaboration and project based learning as practices. I celebrate the authors and the work that has been done to get the process started. "
"Societal changes, through the use of technology, should impact how we educate students and the overall pedagogical viewpoint of education. Like meeting student needs, teachers need, and deserve, to have updated, professional learning that meets them where they are rather than a one size fits all situation. Empowering teachers to move forward and personalize their own learning will move professional learning years ahead of where we are now! Evolving Learner offers guidelines, examples, and strategies to move professional learning ahead at the same rate we offer our students progression in their own self-empowered learning."
Evolving Learner is a fast and easy read but is jammed pack with ideas that can be implemented tomorrow whether you are in the classroom, supporting teachers in the classroom, or supporting your organization as whole. As a school leader myself, it provides meaningful and relevant strategies to reframe professional development for your organization.
"Evolving Learner offers a compelling message of hope for educators across all disciplines in moving from an idea to implementation. It is an easy read and a great time saving topic for busy administrators offering a practical solution to facilitating the process of change from professional development to professional learning experiences. This is the one tool needed by all that is a research based process to enhance the growth and development model of one’s organization."
"Evolving Learner is a timely resource for administrators that are planning professional learning, but also for educators that are looking to take their own professional learning into their hands."
"Districts and schools need to look at personalizing the learning for the teacher. Evolving Learner is a well written book that conveys and gives great examples of how this can be done."
"Although teachers have often received training on differentiating instruction for students, most professional development for teachers continues to be ′one size fits all.′ Evolving Learner explains how to make the shift to professional learning that differentiates for teachers, providing meaningful experiences that will in turn promote positive change in the classroom."
"Evolving Learner sets learning up to be successful for everyone on the team, including the teacher and students. This book provides necessary tools to develop a wonderful learning in a community."
"Evolving Learner offers a fresh approach to professional learning that all educators will find useful."
"Evolving Learner meets the needs of three important groups, teachers, coaches, teacher leaders and down in the trenches classroom teachers. This book is timely and encompasses all facets of sharing, developing and letting teachers know there is not one single answer to questions about professional development."
