Exploring Innovations in Education - The Teachers Guild

Exploring Innovations in Education - The Teachers Guild
Date 14/Nov/18 Wednesday

This blog post is inspired by my dive into hundrED Innovations in Education. Though it was not possible to share all of them here, I have picked up the ones that inspired me the most and are worth trying in schools. The first one is the Teachers Guild Approach in education. My upcoming blogs will explore their impact and possible applications in schools.

To begin with "The Teachers Guild" its a learner centered approach aimed at equipping teachers with the mindsets and methods from design thinking so that they can plan and design learning experiences keeping in mind the growing and evolving needs of the students. This  approach focuses on collaborations among teachers based on design thinking methods and mindsets.  It encourages teachers to share ideas, starting with a challenge that you intend to solve with collaboration with peers. It equips you with skills that help aid teachers in finding ways that work for students. This approach is build on adult learning theory and student learning science. 

It takes into account some important factors which include Inquiry driven, collective efficacy, learner centered, meta cognition, actively engaged and self efficacy. Lets look at these one by one and why these are important. It begins by developing teachers skills to ask questions, and not provide answers which in turn helps in developing classrooms where students solve problems through questioning. This is true because the moment teachers provide direct answers it literally kills students curiosity, creativity and problem solving ability. They become dependent on the teachers who act as sole owners of the knowledge ad students simply act as passive recipients, a pure mug and jug approach which no longer works in the ever growing technology world.

Second it focuses on developing teachers ability to use evidence and collaboration to problem solve, find ways that work and exclude ways that don't work, resulting in classrooms where students grow both emotionally and socially. Completely agreed because collaboration results in improved teaching, more focused on the learner, ease of access to more resources, more ideas, consistency in lesson plans, and an opportunity to develop core competencies for students. So, the whole school grows as a result of this kind of mutual collaboration. It teaches the importance of evidences in teaching, resulting in more sound and informed decisions.

Third, it focuses on developing teachers ability to use empathy to design instruction making links to their real lives. Equally important because without links to real lives whatever content is taught at schools is of little or no effect. Simple learning Algebra without links to real life is useless.  The world needs people who can understand , are compassionate and able to design solutions to meet the needs of their fellow beings in whatever capacity they are serving.

Fourth, it focuses on developing teachers ability to reflect and never stop learning resulting in classroom where students monitor and adjust their own learning. Its important that teachers never stop exploring , look for resources, new strategies , widen their knowledge base and continuously evaluate their practices in the  light of the new learning. They must keep themselves updated about advancements in education.

Fifth it focuses on developing teachers ability to embrace, act on and share ideas resulting in classrooms where students engage in active learning experiences. Its important that teachers regularly meet, discuss and share ideas resulting in creating more interactive and engaged learning experiences.

Lastly , it focuses on developing teachers belief that they can create change resulting in classrooms where students feel agency. A Harvard study sponsored by Raikes Foundation suggests that students agency may be an important outcome of schooling and basic skills. Albert Bandura says, "through agentic action, people devise ways of adapting flexibly to remarkably diverse geographic,  climatic and social environments, they find out ways to circumvent physical and environmental constraints, reconstruct and design environments to their liking. By these inventive means people improve their odds in the fitness survival game". Its a must that teachers inculcate this skills in their students too, using either blended learning approaches in classroom where students have some liberty  to choose a course of study , engage students in project based learning experiences where outcomes change as per student learning, use competency based approaches where students mastery of the concept drives the learning process etc. 

So, how does all this happen? simple it begins with  inspirations turned into actual projects in the end, projects that are intended to solve hardest challenges in education. Groups of educators work together, share ideas and help develop each others  ideas using a design thinking process. In the end of the process they get to vote for their favorite idea and get to try in their classroom too.

First is the Discover phase which involves sharing inspirations, gathering data through research to clarify and build further. Followed by interpreting and making meaning of all the ideas, sharing mission and short listing ones for design, here you can work in teams, see every ones ideas, at the end prototype and try it out in your classrooms (Experiment - find out what works and what does not work - reflect and evolve). Take feedback and  improve - make changes where needed. Finally close by choosing your favorite ideas, solutions that work. You can also try the Design Qourtroom to assess your progress in projects. 

This approach can be very easily used in schools where teachers in different schools come together and collaborate on ideas that inspire them. They follow the design process and share the best workable solutions to the toughest challenges at hand. Encourage both teachers and students to identify challenges and collaborate ton them to find solutions. Usually students in schools are restricted to knowledge in text books, projects highlighted in text books and rarely tend to go outside classroom walls. Such short projects targeted at solving real life challenges with collaborations with other teachers (from other schools) will help prepare them for the 21st century and equip them with skills  like critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity needed to  survive in the next century.

lets quickly look at one such project, Project Wise Initiative is one such project by the Qatar Foundation established in 1995 which aims to bring world class education , work experience and career opportunities to young generation in Qatar. WISE has established itself as a global reference for innovations in education. WISE podcasts is an initiative by WISE which brings educators from all over the globe together on one platform and lets them share their expertise, discoveries, innovation in education in the form of podcasts. In one of the podcasts Regina Honu a social entrepreneur, founder of a software development company discusses and share the challenges, and the opening of a coding school in West Africa, aimed at encouraging girls to learn coding. Similar projects can be initiated in schools empowering teachers and students. 

So your turn to try out Teachers Guild at your schools, follow links and explore :) Till next blog post which will explore another of the hundrED innovations the Dragon School Approach - comprehensive learning solution that engage students through physical activities, games and technology. 

Happy Reading :)

Thanks and Regards

Sheeba Ajmal

References
1. The Teachers Guild  https://hundred.org/en/innovations/the-teachers-guild
Accessed Online 14 November 2018

2. 6 benefits of Teacher Collaboration http://blog.brookespublishing.com/6-benefits-of-teacher-collaboration/ Accessed Online 14 Nov 2018

3. 10 Tips for developing students agency https://www.gettingsmart.com/2015/12/201512tips-for-developing-student-agency/ Accessed online 14 Nov 2018

4. Daring to design - the teachers guild https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=177&v=J2GdvoYOtjM Accessed Online 15 Nov 2018

5. Wise Initiative https://www.wise-qatar.org/wise-words Access Online 15 Nov 2018