Inspired to Learn Video Series: Kansas Stories
Overview
The Learning Forward Kansas video series, Inspired to Learn: Kansas Stories, is designed to be a set of tools that support schools on their professional learning journey to excellent teaching and learning every day. Each video targets a specific topic around effective professional learning and includes Kansas educators sharing their expertise. Each video is accompanied by a Facilitation Guide to provide educators, leaders, teams, and schools with strategies and protocols that will allow them to explore the topic more extensively and make connections to their local journey.
The first two videos provide the foundation for effective professional learning, beginning with WHY professional learning is the key to improvement in instruction and student success. Once the purpose has been established, the second video focuses on WHAT effective professional learning looks like. The last three videos focus on HOW we transform educator practices and systems that lead to student success. Individually these videos focus on the work of learning communities, the importance of learning designs (better together), and the role of learning leaders as they create a culture of learning that builds collective efficacy on this journey of continuous improvement. More specific descriptions can be found below for each video.
Within each video Kansas educators have shared their beliefs, expertise, experiences, examples, and strategies. They are united in their purpose and believe effective professional learning supports their work to achieve local goals, but because of their diversity of size, location, and roles, they provide a varied look at how this can be accomplished. Each video provides ideas to use locally, including a variety of protocols and resources that can be adapted to your needs and situation. We know that one size doesn’t fit all and you will see this belief reflected in every video as you move from knowing to doing.
VIDEO ONE · VIDEO TWO · VIDEO THREE · VIDEO FOUR · VIDEO FIVE
Video ONE
The first video, Why Professional Learning Matters: At Our School It’s Everyone’s Job to Learn, lays the groundwork for the purpose or “why” behind the importance of effective professional learning to implement initiatives and changes that transform educator practices AND leads to student success. Kansas educators share their experiences that support the research that Professional Learning Matters.
Video 1 Resource Guide (PDF)
Continuous Improvement Cycle Resource (PDF)
Video TWO
The second video, What Is Professional Learning?, expands our understanding of effective professional learning by focusing on defining effective professional learning and examining what goes into the planning and delivery of professional learning within a school improvement framework such as KESA/Redesign. Educators share their ideas and what has worked for them in their schools that viewers can apply to their own work.
Video 2 Resource Guide (PDF)
Continuous Improvement Cycle Resource (PDF)
Video THREE - HOW Video 1
The third video (and HOW video 1), Learning and Leading Together, examines why learning communities are important, what it takes and what it looks like to create a culture of success for all through collaboration. Educators share their experiences on what learning communities look like and act like in their buildings, emphasizing the importance of collaboration on their journey to success.
Video 3 Resource Guide (PDF)
Continuous Improvement Cycle Resource (PDF)
Video FOUR - HOW Video 2
The fourth video (and HOW video 2), Better Together, highlights a variety of learning designs and how, in a collaborative culture, learning designs facilitate collaboration, change practice, and transform systems to achieve success for all. Educators model a variety of protocols as they provide insight on their use and impact.
Video 4 Resource Guide (PDF)
Continuous Improvement Cycle Resource (PDF)
Video FIVE - HOW Video 3
The fifth and final video (and HOW video 3), Learning Leaders: On the Road to Collective Efficacy and Student Success, concludes the series by pulling everything together, stressing the importance of ALL leaders in creating cultures of learning. Educators discuss how they plan, deliver and support effective professional learning within a continuous improvement cycle to develop collective efficacy that changes practice and leads to student success.
Video 5 Resource Guide (PDF)
Continuous Improvement Cycle Resource (PDF)
If you have questions, please contact Learning Forward Kansas (LFKS) for support.