The last four months as an Instructional Coach have produced more "a-ha" moments than I can count. Whenever one occurs (as it did late last night), it is usually because of the simplistic brilliance of someone I work with.
In a meeting yesterday, our Director of Instructional Services made the statement, "the answer is in the room." This was the second time I heard it from her -- I believe the first was in a comment to an earlier blog post about common assessments. In any case, like many things, you have to hear it multiple times before the "a-ha" hits you. Even though she said it in late afternoon evening, it did not really strike me until hours later.
As educators, we struggle with many weighty issues because we care so deeply about kids. At times, we even feel like Sisyphus, rolling the rock to the top of the mountain over and over again, only to have it roll back down to its original starting point. Over time, it can make one feel helpless and even hopeless.
But here's the good news. The answer is in the room. When we sit down together and collaborate on issues, we need to remember that we are the experts. We're professionals. The answer is in the room. Sometimes one person in the room has the answer, but more often than not, each person in the room has a piece of the answer, and it just takes collaboration to pull it all together.
The answer is in the room.
I must give credit where credit is due! On May 8, 2012, I heard Carol Francois, Director of Learning at Learning Forward, say those words: "The answer is in the room." It, too, struck me in a profound way. It is such an open-minded and positive way for us to frame our thinking when we are facing challenges. It also recognizes the knowledge, experience, and talents of our staff!
ReplyDeleteAnd you are exactly right-- collaborative efforts are the key to finding the best answers!
Thanks, Margie!
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