Collaborative planning

Originally posted at collaboraivelearner.posterous.com by 

• Patrick OConnor
• Posted at 4:15 pm on Mon, Mar 26, 2012

Are you one of those professionals who tries to 'turn off' from work? You don't want to talk or think about work after hours? You have militant discipline and do not cross the line? Or are you the dedicated, drives-others-crazy with non-stop shop talk? Before during and after work, you just keep thinking about work?

Of course we're likely to be neither but somewhere on the middle of a spectrum between these two points. However, professional dialogue is vital to improving our practice. Most of us would not have this built into a work-day and so it can be hard to find the time or motivation. On a recent weekend escape, I was with colleagues. Imagine the dilemma? What a great opportunity for professional dialogue. But we didn't want to talk about work! It was a weekend to relax and escape. However, I still managed to come away with a brilliant idea that I'm excited to put into practice. That happened because in talking about work with a colleague, we were also talking about subjects we are passionate about. It didn't seem like shop talk. I also finished the chat and filed it away for thinking about further during work hours.
What was the idea?
My friend is participating in a social networking photo-a-day activity. Done for personal reasons and enjoying it. After talking about this for a while I made the connection to my own subject and we started discussing ways that I could do a similar thing for my students. What would need to be changed? What would be the best platform for feedback and sharing? It was a quick, enjoyable conversation, that did not interfere with our personal escape from work, but was also a mix of personal and professional interests.
It's a fine line, knowing when to talk shop and when not to. I'm glad i did, and I don't think it changed the tone of our weekend. Or maybe I'm being selfish because I have been on the receiving end of conversations that I thought were not in the right time or place.
The bottom line is, there needs to be more opportunity for colleagues to get together, during work hours, to inspire and share together. or at least to get on line and share and learn more because it is valuable, but  difficult to find the right time and place.
When I was younger, professional retreats were popular. Businesses do them. We arrange them for our students, but we don't do them ourselves.  Food for thought.
   
Patrick O'Connor
Visual Arts Teacher KIS International School
Artist
THAILAND
www.itsapatoconnor.blogspot.com