This marks my first blog post since returning “back to the classroom” (a term I have grown to resent by the way, since it feels as though my growing pains have pushed me in no direction that reflects “backwards”). I spent the past three years as a Coach dreaming up the perfect PBL teacher-reading, writing, discussing, observing, analyzing. And now here I am standing alongside 19 5th graders every day, challenged with leading them through deeper learning as I have strived to define it in these past three years. While I envisioned all the glamor that would come with my new calling, there is no easy part about that.

8 weeks in and this is my first chance to climb out of the trenches for a moment to reflect. Deeper Learning is many things: exciting, engaging, impressive, worthwhile…but it’s also intense and exhausting! There I said it-the ugly truth that we often don’t consider when we charge teachers with this incredible task of leading children through deeper learning. Just one look at this project calendar says it all-3 trips for field work, 7 experts providing feedback and workshops, 4 project phases, 1 public exhibition, 3 teachers collaborating, 4 integrated content areas…now that’s deep.

When we talk about deeper learning our conversations are often focused on student outcomes; sometimes on how we go about getting our students there, but rarely do we talk about what it requires of individual teachers. Pulling off the magic of deeper learning demands an incredible amount of planning, adult agency, collaboration, a vast network of community connections, and an incredible support system (both professionally and personally). If the deeper learning movement is going to continue to gain momentum, we must expand our conversations and start talking about the hard stuff-How are our teachers experiencing digging deep?  How can we continue to inspire and support teachers in this meaningful work?

I’m lucky in that I work in an incredible place where I have the necessary supports to do this work; however I fully acknowledge that most teachers aren’t fortunate enough to be in schools that have thought through how to build capacity to support the type of work they are expecting of teachers. As we continue to dream big of deeper learning for all students, let’s be sure that we are thinking through how to support our troops (emotionally, personally, professionally, etc.).

Just my 2 cents from the trenches…

*To learn more about our current deeper learning journey, “Food Truck Frenzy”, check out my Digital Portfolio.