I spent yesterday at AITSL in Melbourne representing TeachMeet Sydney along with Matt Esterman and Jeannette James. It was a conflicting experience for me in many respects.
As my recent article “School reform and resistance to change” in Leadership in Focus indicates, I have some fairly major issues with bureaucracy (sorry it’s only in hard copy, contact me if you want me to send you a pdf). I argued that schools are constrained by the historical weight of bureaucracy and I wrote, “Today’s unprecedented centralisation is perpetuated because those who have the most to gain from the bureaucratic structures are the people who are in the best position to challenge its inefficiencies…This results in faceless bureaucrats physically removed from schools dictating policy that changes the interactions that occur in schools.”
I was impressed with the AITSL staff. They are hard working, intelligent and passionate people. They seem to get the issues, which is more than I can say for almost every other acronymed body bouncing around the ed corridors. AITSL seems to understand that building internal capacity in schools is the best alternative to external control.
My key takeaway was that “teaching is a private profession that is becoming public.” Hooray, bring it on!
The AITSL staff kept trying to impress on us that they were teachers, not bureaucrats. I didn’t have the heart to break it to them that they aren’t teachers. Teachers teach. As Richard Elmore says, you learn to do the work by doing the work, and you get better at doing the work by doing the work.
The day did reinforce that the organic nature of TeachMeet is worth fighting for and spending time with Matt and Jeanette was fantastic. I love hearing them talk about ed. They are both “just” teachers, with the leadership abilities to do much more. I have so much respect for both of them.
It was interesting to be asked why ACEL and ACE’s support base is shrinking. I argued that peak educational bodies that do not understand how people learn are pushing a barrow up a hill. Attend an ACEL conference or look at how they have treated the emerging leaders programme and you’ll get some comprehension of how out of touch they are. Institutionalisation, cronyism, management, control, command…
Following the tweetstream of Harvard’s Future of Learning Institute this morning brought into stark relief how the ed bodies in Australia that I used to have so much respect for are struggling to retain my faith.
Pushback welcome.
Right back at you, Cameron! Thanks for your kind words. It’s not often one has the opportunity to sit in a room with passionate people intent on improving the quality of teaching and learning in our schools. That time is truly precious. Having our voices heard, a step in the right direction. AITSL strove to understand. I used think tank in my Year 7 class last year. It is surprising to discover what wonderful ideas can be born out of this dedicated time. Like any good ideas, they need building to enrich the initial concept/s. I enjoyed this process on Friday. Another great key idea that was reinforced by Cameron’s brother (when we meet for drinks at the end of the day) is that Tech tools come and go, so we must encourage others to focus on mastering the functionality to support 21st century learning goals. Those being the 4cs -> Critical thinking and problem solving, Communication,
Collaboration, Creativity and innovation. Innovative practices was a topic of focus on Friday. Collaboration was our goal, communication was open and encouraged and hence creativity was allowed to enter the room. How I wish I had this time in my classes to support learning, instead of a rushed “period” allocated in a day, 3-6 times a fortnight (depending on Subject).
Teachmeets are precious in that they embrace what teachers want in a casual, open and encouraging environment. A teachmeet attracts educators who want to be there. Their minds are open. They are keen to learn more and improve. The functionality fits. Spending time with passionate educators challenges your thoughts, invigorates your call to action, sparks a sense of curiosity about what could be or what is and allows you a place to find out.
[…] put faces to the blank images we often associate with bureaucrats. Cam has offered his view on this here. Happily, some of them knew generally what TeachMeets were – having stalked a bit as one does […]
Wonderful, inspiring, vital words Cameron! You are speaking my languaging, airing my (and so many other classroom teacher’s) frustrations.
Bureaucratic posturing is the bane of learning. Those who research learning, rather than sharing the experience day in, day out with their students, miss so much. Thankfully we have TeachMeet. It is a breath of fresh air, invigorating and stimulating.
Looking forward to our voices really being heard. I believe the era of learning (as opposed to education) is comming.
Btw, I would love a copy of your article. I have posted a few blogs on similar topics, http://nicfel.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/a-teaching-analogy-for-the-bureaucratically-minded/
Perhaps we can catch up at a TeachMeet some time.
As someone who is currently interested in responding to Vic Gov proposals on School Leadership and the Teaching Profession I would be very interested in reading your paper on school reform and resistance to change. I believe that reform is hampered by long standing practices that don’t necessarily have a place in the future and am working with others to find ways that ‘teachers’ can be part of that change.