1. Professional learning conversations among teachers are most effective when they have clarity, safety, and equity. Setting group agreements at the start helps establish these qualities. 2. Informal learning through collaboration with colleagues, such as discussions in the staff room, has a strong influence on improving teacher practice. 3. Isolating in the classroom can cause teachers to rely only on how they were taught as students; networks of support from other teachers are more effective than top-down hierarchies for ongoing professional learning.

1. Professional Learning
Cameron Paterson

2. 3 Rules of High-Grade Compliments:
1. Be in close proximity.
2. Make eye contact.
3. Pause to collect your thoughts.

3. The extent of trust among adults in schools strongly predicts positive student learning
outcomes (Bryk, 2002).

4. The Question(s):
Think of the professional conversation in which
you learned the most.
 What made it powerful?
Think of the least productive professional
conversation you’ve ever had.
 What made it so difficult?

5. Microlab Protocol
Purpose: To address a specific sequence of
questions in a structured format with small
groups, using active listening skills

6. Three Essential Qualities of a
Professional Learning
Conversation
CLARITY
SAFETY
EQUITY

7. Protocol
A structure for guiding a conversation

9. Teachers get better by working in teams on teaching issues

10. Setting Agreements Activity
To avoid the troubles that arise when unspoken norms
interfere with true collaboration and trust
• Share air time equitably
• Accept non-closure
• Be specific
• Protect confidentiality
• Be honest and open
• Offer gentle reminders
• Participate
• Value differences
• If you wonder, ask
• Expect discomfort
• Be willing to be disturbed
• Respect one another
• Enjoy creative friction
• Focus on content
• Have fun
• Listen for understanding
• Assume good intentions
• Take responsibility for your
own learning
• Support each other’s
learning
• Share responsibility for the
group
• Speak only for yourself
• Be open to reflective
silences
• Begin and end on time
• Practice being fully present
• Discuss the
“undiscussable”
• Speak to the group agenda
rather than pressing your
own
• Question assumptions

11. Critical Friends:
https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2015/01/14/building-a-
culture-of-collaboration/

13. Undergraduate Professional Graduate Advice from
Courses Reading Courses Colleague
What Influences Teacher
Professional Practice?
1=“Notinfluential”4=“Veryinfluential”
1.8
2.3
2.6
3.6
0
1
2
3
4
Dr Douglas Reeves, The Leadership and Learning Center

14. “Workers learn more in the coffee room than in the classroom.
They discover how to do their jobs through informal learning:
talking, observing others, trial-and-error, and simply working with
people in the know.” (Jay Cross)

15. ‘Spray and
pray’

16. A video that shows why teachers are going out of their minds:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/28/a-video-that-shows-why-teachers-are-going-out-of-their-minds/?tid=sm_fb
Ongoing Professional Learning – Self-Directed Professional Learning
Cameron Paterson

17. Classroom isolation
leads teachers to fall
back on the
‘apprenticeship of
observation’ that they
undertook as school
students.

18. Networks
rather than
hierarchies

19. Best Job in the World Winner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnosVJfDrpY

20. I BLEW IT!I tried something new and
innovative
and it didn’t work as well as I
wanted
This coupon entitles me to be
free of
criticism for my efforts
I’ll continue to pursue ways to
help
my students be successful