In the same way that George Couros asks us to imagine inquiry based learning for staff as well as students, I'm imagining substituting "schools" for "classrooms" in the center of Sylvia Duckworth's visual of 8 Things to Look for in Today's Classroom.
If today's schools were learner-focused and teachers were learners just as much as students, then we might see teacher voice and choice in terms of topics they are exploring and would like to share with colleagues for feedback. Also, we would see time for reflection and innovation built into faculty meetings and professional development days. We would see teachers being encouraged to ask questions, challenge ideas, and identify problems to be solved in school. Finally, we would see teachers welcomed as part of the evaluation process in assessing themselves based on goals they set. In addition, teachers would be connected to a professional learning network both in their local community and also globally.
This mindshift for teachers to see themselves as learners would require support, openness, and a risk-taking environment which can only be fostered and modeled by the school's leaders.
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