My role at Hobsonville Point Secondary School is called Specialised Learning Leader. Acknowledging that to most others outside our school, this title means nothing: the crux of the role is around curriculum and learning design. One of the tasks I have had in this role this year is to provoke staff thoughts around learning design each week. I have done this through sharing a weekly provocation: a reading, article, video that could prompt thoughts around designing better learning experiences for our students at HPSS.

Image courtesy of Brian Talbot

Any of you that regularly read this blog or follow me on twitter will know that I read voraciously. This is a big part of my growth as an educator and this weekly provocation is aimed at encouraging all staff to grow by regularly reading and considering the implications on our practices.

The readings are shared via email each week and paper copies are placed on tables in the staff room. This means that we are providing for those happy to read on their laptops and for those who prefer hard copy to read or who may pick it up to read while having lunch or a coffee.

Initially starting with any article that linked towards our school’s vision for teaching and learning, we soon adjusted it to fit with our current SLL team focus:

• Term 1 our team was focusing on empowering learners through visible thinking and learning
• Term 2 the focus was on Coteaching and integration
• This term we have focused on deep challenge, inquiry and authenticity

The readings and videos are all archived on Google Docs and physically in a folder in the staffroom:

I’m sure there are some staff that decide the provocation isn’t for them but I have had great discussions with many of my colleagues about parts of the reading/video that prompted thoughts for them – negatively or positively. I would highly recommend this as something to start in your school. It gets people reading more, discussing pedagogy more and reflecting more. What’s not to like about that?

In the interests of sharing more widely I also tweet these out each week so others can also see what we are reading. If you want to see what we have been reading this year then click on each term below to view the google doc archive:

Term 1 empowering learners through visible thinking and learning

Term 2 coteaching and integration

Term 3 deep challenge, inquiry and authenticity