Earlier this year I started a course on edX titled “Leading Ambitious Teaching and Learning”. The title intrigued me. I want to be considered an ambitious teacher. So I started the course.
Module 1A looked at Ambitious Instruction in Elementary Literacy…
It covered ideas like higher order discussion and project based Literacy Learning. My takeaways included that I needed to include Popcorn questioning into my teaching and that I already have included project based learning so perhaps I am an ambitious teacher.
Module 1B looked at Ambitious Instruction in Mathematics…
It covered the idea that students needed to have opportunities to investigate errors and have time and space to talk through their solutions. My takeaways included that I needed to integrate error fixing into my teaching and that I already use visual thinking strategies so perhaps I am an ambitious teacher.
Module 2 looked at Ambitious Learning with Digital Technology Tools…
It covered a road map for learning with technology from the selection of the technology through to how it can be used for differentiating learning to how school leaders can support technology in learning. My takeaway was the Triple E framework as a tool to aid the selection of technology tools for the classroom and that I already ensure that my use of technology is with purpose so perhaps I am an ambitious teacher.
Module 3 was about Systems Thinking and Improving at Scale…
It was an introduction to systems thinking as a way of thinking about how all the components of a school can work together to achieve a common goal. My takeaway was that it requires leaders to develop new ways to seeing the components of a school and supporting staff to see these new ways of thinking, kind of like a well-oiled machine. Each of the cogs have a role to play if they are not working together than the organisation isn’t working. Each of us has to attend to our own cog and we might even have to assist other cogs in order to work well together. I already work with staff within my role to improve their teaching so perhaps I am an ambitious teacher.
Module 4 was about Leading Transformative Change…
It was an introduction to leading others and empowering teachers to want to be ambitious teachers and giving them the tools to make it a reality, one of the tools was an Organisational Culture Assessment Instrument for Classrooms. My takeaway was that the gap between where I am now on the OCAI-C and where I want to be is not that far so perhaps I am an ambitious teacher.
So for now I am going to be that ambitious teacher and hope to change the world one student at a time.
If you want to check out the course it is archived however you can review the course content.
