Sightlines Initiative

Open-eyed listening, thinking and dialogue

– are you getting the most out of your understandings? And are your children being seen and supported in the rich ways they deserve?

Two cpd sessions for Network member staff groups and other staff groups keen to enrich their discussions and collaborative analyses
1. The languages we think in and see the worlds of children’s learning
2. The enjoyment of participation & exchange
How we talk about the learning of the children we support directly affects how we support them. Even before we talk about it there is a ‘language of understanding’ which filters how we see.
We have been encultured to recognise and describe instrumental processes and engagements (she was able to build a tall tower etc); we are less ready to see and build on altogether richer areas of learning and engagement (she was sorry for the spider who had got stuck in the corner of the window.)
When we meet and discuss we may be shy to say what we feel, or to ‘look silly’ if we have an idea about what’s going on that is ‘unusual’ or ‘not what the leader thinks’. That doesn’t make for a strong learning group.
These sessions are intended for those groups of colleagues who want to leap energetically with fresh eyes and minds into becoming pedagogical research teams, not simply trotting out mundane mantras from official documents about learning goals.

These would be 1 ½ or 2 hour sessions, probably after the Christmas break. We will begin with the session on ‘languages of seeing’ and follow with ‘the enjoyment of exchange.’ They will be playful as well as participative and delightfully challenging.