If we treat teachers as learners, then professional development activities should display the same characteristics as those described for effective learning in classrooms: active, collaborative, learner-driven, learning-focused. When these processes are in place, teachers start to make positive changes in their classrooms. The power and responsibility shifts, the view of learning enriches, and teachers begin to experience important changes.
Learning Focused Schools
In a learning-focused school pupils are composed and engaged – with each other, with their teachers and with their learning. Teachers are thoughtful learners too. So, how is such an organisation created?
In a learning-focused school we talk about learning – our own learning, no matter what our role is in the organisation. Leaders talk about their own learning journeys – in appropriate ways to colleagues, pupils and the community. They also initiate conversations about how everyone else’s learning is going. Leadership is seen as an aspect of many people’s roles in different contexts.
Learning-focused schools have moved away from the dominant stereotype. The emerging evidence is that such schools are getting better results (academic and other). Context matters. This relates to the local situation as well as the political. ‘Teach less, learn more’ is a mantra which is increasingly being heard in different countries.
When classrooms become more learning-centred, a range of positive changes follow. In some large scale studies, learner-centred teaching has above-average associations with positive pupil outcomes and are above average compared with other educational innovations for cognitive and behavioural outcomes. Classroom teachers are reporting that their pupils are far more motivated to learn, so no longer ‘managing’ behaviour.
The change in motivation is central. Pupils are keen to acquire new skills and master new situations. Learning is strongly developed by increasing learning talk in the classroom. Teachers report that pupils are more able to talk reflectively about their learning; when they learn best and what helps them to achieve this.
Studies also explore how such a focus leads to improved academic performance. Some learning-centred schools have reported their best ever performance in national tests, including those schools whose attainment was well below national average.
Further, classroom teachers report previously underachieving children are amongst those progressing at twice the national average. Schools in very disadvantaged areas have doubled the proportion of pupils who achieve nationally prescribed levels in tests so that these schools now “perform” above the national average.
Perhaps the only intervention which achieves both equity and excellence is one that is learning-focused.
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