Thread by @SaysMiss

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I’ve spent the last few months increasingly interested in how we communicate in schools: to develop professional relationships, instigate change, make judgements or decisions, or aid improvement over time. As a great deal of our work in schools is intangible, the discourse..

We choose to engage in is in some part the vehicle through which we identify and drive change. As Annie Dillard states, ‘how we spend our time is how we live our lives,’ as in #StopTalkingAboutWellbeing, I highlighted what a difference conversations can make to..

Having a sense of purpose at work. It’s the reason I am not a fan of an email:

saysmiss.wordpress.com/2019/11/01/con…

Because to propose that:
💭 relational trust
💭 psychological safety
💭 radical candour
💭 respectful honesty
💭 healthy debate

Are all helpful to cultivate workplace, then the best way to manufacture such principles is through the art of conversation saysmiss.wordpress.com/2020/08/24/can…

One of the most challenging aspects of lockdown was communicating ideas, because even a screen lacked the possibility of what Susan Scott’ refers to as ‘letting silence do the heavy lifting,’ and conversations took different forms. Instead of being able to be inquisitive..

And undertake evaluative processes by ‘moving down the ladder of inference,’ there were obscurities which prevented us to discuss with the same level of shared understanding or empathy, so avoiding assumption was much more of a concerted effort.

And those all important conversations around conflict of ideas, or the healthy debate felt the ‘curse of the lag’ that David Crystal refers to (and experiences!) here:

But those conversations were more essential than ever: I know many colleagues navigated and modified their usual and familiar approach to ensure these conversations took place.Because to truly understand another party, professional discourse moves not just perspectives forward..

but again, Susan Scott: ‘the conversation is the relationship.’

saysmiss.wordpress.com/2021/03/21/dif…

To consider this through a PD lens, it is why this is such an exciting time for education. We have funded training that will bring together diversity of thought and enable us to perspective take and sense make with support and challenge from peers. This will move us further ..

From *getting things done* to really interrogating our realities and thinking harder on the problem itself. The perfect place for professional discourse to play a central part (alongside expert knowledge) to aid improvement. saysmiss.wordpress.com/2021/06/13/cpd…

Having a national PD offer that encompasses coaching and conversation to view differing perspectives is pretty monumental stuff and I cannot wait to see it evolve, because to me, investment in conversation is always going to be good value.🧵