Learning to Learn - Reflection on Thea's Presentation

As part of our Learning to Learn co-construction project, the Year 9 students wanted to invite a guest speaker in.The idea had been generated during our co-construction period where we talked about the types of texts we could use to find information about learning to learn. They had looked at the curriculum, they had seen that 'listening' was part of what they were expected to do, and they decided the way they wanted to meet that criteria was to have someone come and speak to us about learning. We carefully chose the person who we'd invite, based on expertise and what we wanted to learn, and then the organisation began between DP and student - with the student consulting me every step of the way.

Thea came and gave an amazing presentation. It was really good for the students to be able to engage with information targeted specifically at them. All week we've been looking at different texts and identifying who the audience is, what the purpose it was written for was, what the ideas are that are being communicated. We've found huge amounts of content that is aimed at mass-market educators and learners. All valuable stuff that gives the students insight into why learning is important, and what learning is. Today, they received information that was created with them in mind - personalised, targeted.

One of the challenges Thea left us is to reflect on the presentation. We are to ask ourselves whether we were engaged. If we were, why? If we weren't - why not? Removing the titles and the age differences in the room for a moment, I will answer that question. In this lesson, I too was a learner. And by far the oldest student in the room!

The simple answer to the first part of the question is: Yes, I was very engaged in what I was learning.

Why?

• Thea is a friend so I know how busy she is and I value her time.
• Thea is an educator whom I have enormous respect for.
• Thea was speaking on a topic that I’m hugely interested in.

What I find interesting to note is that two of the reasons why I was engaged have to do with interpersonal relationships. Only one has to do with the content itself. Funnily enough – I know that to be true of my students. My kids tell me they like my lessons because they like me. When it comes to content, if I don’t structure it according to what my students are interested in, or don't make a topic broad enough for them to choose their point of focus, I lose them.

I digress. Just as well this is a reflection, not an essay!

1. Thea is a friend so I know how busy she is and I value her time.

To me, when people do something for me; when they take time out of their own busyness to plan a presentation, and then share that presentation with my class, that deserves honour. Maybe it’s just because when people do things for me, I want to show them that I truly value them. Maybe it's because in my experience, speakers are "honoured everywhere except in their own hometown" and I want to make sure that I pay attention to any guest who comes to my room to show them I honour them. Maybe it's because I've been taught how to recognise calling and to esteem those who carry it. In sum - I was engaged with the lesson because it was important to me to honour the person who was presenting the message.

2. Thea is an educator whom I have enormous respect for.

My second reason ties in with my first, really. I've been taught how to recognise people who are going in the same direction as I am or as I want to go. While I've only known Thea for a short time, I have seen what she's made of and the direction she's going in. I've seen how hard she works to get where she wants to go, and I've seen how she teaches in a way that people - students and teachers alike - will follow her anywhere. She knows what her purpose is and she does it. And I have huge respect for that. She has an authoritative presence; a quiet confidence. Quite simply, as an educator, she carries mana.

3. Thea was speaking on a topic that I'm hugely interested in.

And content. Learning to Learn has been something that I've been interested in and curious about since I first started learning about children and teaching when I was a teenager. All the way back then, my wonderful friend, employer, and leader took me under her wing and started to teach me all kinds of different things about the way children learn. Over the 17 years that I have known her, she has taught me how giftedness, personality types, learning styles, skills, abilities, backgrounds, beliefs, intelligences... how they all impact on learning. My exposure to these ideas has waned - or perhaps morphed - over the last decade or so. I still see Linda, and she still teaches me about learning, but my busyness of being a mum four times over, I haven't the same level of involvement. However, having young children, and one with special needs, has opened a whole new world of teaching people how to learn. Hearing Thea speak on these concepts from her perspective brings fresh life to the learning-to-learn that has been lying dormant. In the presentation she introduced me to Guy Claxton's work on Building Learning Power. I now have a whole new list of blogs to read and videos to watch - so that'll keep me busy going over the holidays.

As a learner in that presentation, I was engaged. The challenge for me is to ensure that next time I attend a presentation that I'm still engaged because there is no question that it will be different.