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Listen Curiously, the answer might be more mutually beneficial, collaboratively driven and cost effective

Today has been one of those really unusual days. I know that it is a school day but being unwell meant that I needed to sit back and listen to the world pass by. Covid will do this! Outside of the ready known symptoms it forces us to put life into pause.

One of the things I love to do when life is on pause for example on a holiday or on the weekend is to gain inspiration by reading, listening to podcasts or joining in a virtual conversation. Today, was not anything like a holiday but I was blessed to tune into a session presented by Kimberly Mitchell at the ToddleTIES virtual conference. She is an author and lecturer at the University of Washington College of Education and founder of Inquiry Partners. Her presentation was on leading inquiry learning school-wide. 

It was refreshing to hear some things that I have forgotten and some new ideas from an educator on the other side of the planet based in Seattle but desiring to see student learning impacted as much as me. Ideas such as:
  • Writing personal letters to your staff, while not new show how much you care and the words you write leave a powerful impact. 
  • Tooting others horns by intentionally encouraging and coming alongside them, again not new but the reminder was powerful.
  • Showcasing parent inquiries, this idea was new and opened up pandoras box, Kimberly indicated that it was something she was yet to try but I could see the potential of it. I imagine it like a session at the traditional science fair but instead of students sharing it would be parents sharing their interests and passions and allowing students to learn directly from them.
  • Another nudge she gave was showing up for others. She stated we can only do this if we get curious about our colleagues as people and learn about their third spaces. 
Kimberly stated, "great leaders are those who don't hide the vulnerability, it is that weakness that highlights the strength they have".

The biggest takeaway for me out of this session would have to be my new found love of appreciative inquiry. This line of inquiry is not designed to manipulate or lead, instead illuminate the issue so that a solution can be developed. As it comes from a posture of vulnerability and collaborative buy-in where people are more willing to collectively work together towards a strong mutually beneficial solution. Asking the right set of liberating questions and listening curiously to the answer is an example of how appreciative inquiry can be applied. 

As school leaders apply this, we naturally find answers that are more mutually beneficial, collaboratively driven and cost effective. I am keen to try to listen more curiously as I bring my team on this journey of inquiry.
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