A few things have cropped up since we returned from the Harvard course in July that I haven’t had a chance to share some thoughts about the trip and so being on summer holidays is the perfect opportunity to do just that. I’m hoping that this might bring back some memories some our new colleagues from the States and other places.
I’ve broken the trip down to several different posts each with a theme this one being learning from the social experience.
The first photo shows Penny, my assistant principal, and I at the Harvard lectern at the completion of the course which is a little misleading as we are still completing the online sessions which continue until late March 2012. Its one of the prerequisites of the course that you attend in a team and having started the work back at school in Melbourne I think its essential. I have been a little caught up in the management side of the organisation (as has Penny to a degree) with employment and budgets but having Penny as an online data-wise coach for a few teachers at the school we are building up the assessment literacy as well as the knowledge of a few core people so that this team can lead the work in 2012.
The next few photos show our morning routine of catching the bus each morning to Harvard from the hotel with the same bus driver and stopping at Starbucks for the usual heart starter – the coffee isn’t bad. I must add that Penny had many different pronunciations of her name on the cup (Panny, Peggy being two). Shows how hard our Australian twine is to understand at times.
Five of the next 6 shots show us in some of the groups we were placed in during the course. Harvard was very particular in the way they grouped people working together. One of the groups I was placed in was with a group of fellow principals ( Lemelle and Yashika were two principals in that group). Each day we were set tasks to resolve and share as part of the data wise process. It was interesting for me to hear their different journeys as educators particularly Yashika who had come from the armed services before being appointed as a principal. The other group was with the 6 internationals in the group as we planned each day to continue the work back in our own schools.
Our international tutorial group had Liz as a leader (pictured with Penny) who provided a special treat by organising dinner at her home for us. It was great to eat in a home rather than a restaurant for one night while we travelled. Liz a published author in her own right was tremendous in supporting and challenging our thinking.
We have taken some of Harvard’s deliberate grouping strategies to our staff meetings and used names placement cards to group teachers. We think this has helped hear a few different voices on the topics we investigate or inquire into.
The last few photos reminded me of the importance of celebrations and social interactions in organisations. Harvard have their traditional Clam Bake on the last night of the course which was a hoot. We wore the bids to cover the squirts of juice as we cracked open the lobsters. Our colleagues from Texas took us to a bar and introduced us to some interesting cocktails and I had long chats to Lenny a principal who talked about the need for safe and secure learning environments (employing an additional 2 security guards rather than teachers). His school catered for students from troubled backgrounds (lots having witnessed killings).
We had a few celebrations for staff at the end of the school year which was important for 2011 was a tough year (not in Lenny’s league) but they helped heal the wounds and acknowledge the work.
So in summary the social experience of learning in another context or setting was invaluable to us for it both added to the cultural dimensions, challenges and opportunities we took away with us. I’m now trying to get other committed teachers on staff to experience something similar.
