Today, the conversation in education reform is all about disrupting and challenging, but it’s not clear that this approach is always recognized — let alone welcomed — as a facilitator of innovation. In some cases, disruption as a strategy may trigger an altogether different response, even among the most forward-thinking educators, and some teachers may instead view it as a threat to their effectiveness.

In addition to the expectation that they try to discern instances of successful, effective teaching — the best ways to teach a particular subject, creative interactions with different kinds of learners, sensitivity to cultural differences and so on — these classroom observers were also encouraged by one of their mentors to keep their eyes open for what was perhaps not being showcased, and to speak with others in the school who were not necessarily on their formal agenda.

For anyone inclined to reform or disrupt education, here are three constructive ways to ask about practices that might, to an observer, seem unanticipated:

  1. Try starting a conversation with statements, not questions or judgments
  2. Ask open-ended, curious questions: “How did you choose that approach?
  3. Ask directly about pain points

Good teaching is constant innovation. Disruption is not the enemy, and an atmosphere of assessment is the norm in most classrooms.

Read the full article by Stephanie Hill about education reform from The Hechinger Report