My good friend Trevor once shared a quote that truly resonated with me: ‘If you don’t have time to read then you don’t have time to lead.’ Much can be learned and understood through reading others' ideas in books, journals, magazines, blogs, etc. When reading for learning you might ask: Are some written works better than others? When reading for learning, writing quality should be based upon the evidence the author provides to support his/her ideas. The reader should be prepared to understand the message conveyed within the author’s words. The quality or value of the message may also change from the reader’s perspective as he or she connects what was written to his/her own unique context.
The selection of any reading generally stems from a curiosity or query the reader may have. It is what’s in the title that generally lures the reader to the written selection. In recent years I have come to appreciate and learn from many authors. Titles like, ‘Transforming School Culture’, ‘Professional Learning Communities At Work’, ‘Blink’, ‘Think Like A Freak’, ‘Freakonomics’ and ‘The Element’ initially enticed me and then the authors were able to hold my attention with their ideas. It was through the authors’ words that I formed new ideas and extended my thinking about educational leadership.
It has been a highly unique September for students in the province of British Columbia. Many students have called or dropped by the school to inquire about learning opportunities. It is from these inquiries that I challenge students to engage in the process of reading for learning while they wait for school to start. How might a student begin reading for learning? I would suggest reading for learning starts with a question. A great place to start the process of coming up with a question would be through reviewing the curriculum outlines for courses offered at the DCSS. The curriculum for all courses offered in British Columbia (with the exception of locally developed courses) can be found at www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/welcome.php. The curriculum documents provide extensive outlines for individual courses. Specific Outcomes and Achievement Indicators are defined within the curriculum documents as well. I challenge students to read the achievement indicators to find a topic that stimulates a question or curiosity for them…. After the question or curiosity is created; go find the answer! Use the Internet, go to the public library to find a relevant book, purchase a magazine, make reading a part of your process to find your answers.
The challenge has a secondary component…. Don’t simply revel in your new-found knowledge; share it with a friend!
- Paul Chisholm -
The selection of any reading generally stems from a curiosity or query the reader may have. It is what’s in the title that generally lures the reader to the written selection. In recent years I have come to appreciate and learn from many authors. Titles like, ‘Transforming School Culture’, ‘Professional Learning Communities At Work’, ‘Blink’, ‘Think Like A Freak’, ‘Freakonomics’ and ‘The Element’ initially enticed me and then the authors were able to hold my attention with their ideas. It was through the authors’ words that I formed new ideas and extended my thinking about educational leadership.
It has been a highly unique September for students in the province of British Columbia. Many students have called or dropped by the school to inquire about learning opportunities. It is from these inquiries that I challenge students to engage in the process of reading for learning while they wait for school to start. How might a student begin reading for learning? I would suggest reading for learning starts with a question. A great place to start the process of coming up with a question would be through reviewing the curriculum outlines for courses offered at the DCSS. The curriculum for all courses offered in British Columbia (with the exception of locally developed courses) can be found at www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/welcome.php. The curriculum documents provide extensive outlines for individual courses. Specific Outcomes and Achievement Indicators are defined within the curriculum documents as well. I challenge students to read the achievement indicators to find a topic that stimulates a question or curiosity for them…. After the question or curiosity is created; go find the answer! Use the Internet, go to the public library to find a relevant book, purchase a magazine, make reading a part of your process to find your answers.
The challenge has a secondary component…. Don’t simply revel in your new-found knowledge; share it with a friend!
- Paul Chisholm -