Educating with Passion and Purpose

Chapter 5Being the Lead Learner

“Teachers who are learners create a safe space for students to express themselves and do not shut down students who have a different perspective or a different way of tackling things. Instead, they ask questions to understand the different method/perspective.”

—Martha, Class of 2010

We believe a teacher's most important job is to be the lead learner in their classroom. Often, when educators talk about learning, they're talking about professional development (PD). But because we know PD looks different in different places, and some teachers don't even have formal opportunities for PD, we're focusing here on learning more broadly. In this chapter, we explain how we have fueled our purposes through learning ...