Transformative Learning is a Solution Worthy of Portland Promise
As a candidate for school board I have heard cries for change: improve student scores, ensure safety, increase equity, more/less discipline, more staff, less taxes.
The Portland Schools have tried tackling these issues for many years. Back in March of 2017 they created the Portland Promise with the stated goals of Improvement in Achievement, Equity, Whole Student, and People. Yet, here we are again crying for improvement.
My experience as a teacher tells me real change requires Transformative Learning. We need to go beyond simply acquiring knowledge, and understand how learners find meaning in their lives. I have seen it work.
You might ask, “Doesn’t the Portland School System already support an environment that fosters Transformative Learning? The results suggest they don’t.
Otherwise we’d have different results in the recent math and reading scores from NEAP. Learn more. And we’d have fewer Teachers and Ed-techs quitting their positions.
Transformative Learning requires a mutual understanding and trust among all the individuals involved in learning. Research shows that students in positive trusting relationships:
Attend school
Behave well
Engage in learning
Have improved outcomes
We all want these things to happen, right? For this to happen teachers need:
Time to reflect alone and with others
Time to explore, evaluate and determine their next steps
Time to gain new knowledge and skills and to practice them
Time to become competent and confident in their new found abilities.
Unfortunately, time and space for reflective practices, collaborative experiences and a supportive environment are neglected. Which leads teachers, students and the community to become frustrated and disillusioned.
There are anecdotal examples of how this works already within the Portland Schools:
The staff member who recognizes a person who has experienced trauma and reacts appropriately
The administrator who eats lunch with students every day
The teacher who spends their preparation period tutoring a student and then the next day calls on the student knowing they will be able to respond sucessfully
All of these take time away from other employment expectations. Yet, these are the types of actions encouraged by Transformative Learning and surely will best deliver the goals of the Portland Promise. Let’s make this the norm, not the exception.
The Portland School Board itself would surely benefit from the new insights and critical reflection of Transformative Learning. Examining things from new perspectives in order to make room for new insights and information is what is needed now.
My goal is to be the voice of Transformative Learning on the Portland School Board. If you like my message please vote for me on Tuesday, November 8th and encourage your friends and family to let me represent you as your District 3 School Board representative.
