Elena Aguilar: Elevating Your Professional Development

-The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development by Elena Aguilar and Lori Cohen  The PD Book

-This book grew organically out of leading PD and reflecting on leading PD. It felt like the next thing to work on and bring to the front.

-Imagining PD like a party - wanting PD to not be draining, but instead enlivening, exciting, and nourishing. What if PD could feel more like a party or a gathering or experience when you connect with people? Where are you energized? 

-There is so much in this book and her work that is research based. When we look at conditions that are essential for people to learn, it is psychological safety. A place where you can ask questions, or discuss, elaborate, and acknowledge things. 

-7 Habits that transform Professional Development

-Cultivate psychological safety. - How do people interact?

-Accept it or fight it. 

-Use the strategies and systems from within the classroom and that honor learners as students or adults.

-Storytelling: An endless resource for connection and bringing people together. I often guide others in identifying their experiences in their lives to be able to relate to and tell.

-A story to share with listeners: Facilitating a beginning of year retreat with conversations around equity. Elena felt, “I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't do this!” I was literally on the floor and at my low as a facilitator. In some ways it helps me to see my own growth and learning. To recognize the low points and to mine them for lessons, and wisdom is huge. We share these moments so others can hear I have been there. Your growth or learning  is powerful.

-High points: when facilitating PD.

-Responsible cultivators of adult learning - 1. DeterminePurpose - why? 2. Engage Emotions 3. Navigate power 4. Anchor in adult learning  5. Design intentionally. 6. Attend for details 7. Facilitate adaptively

-Conditions necessary for people to learn and understand and strategize to facilitate the learning.

-Tell me more about what you are actually concerned about?

-#1 question: How do you deal with resistance? Only resistance if there is force in two ways. -Resistance is a mask for fear at times. 

-We can make every conversation count towards a more just and equitable world!

-Disposition is authenticity and transparency: Sometimes people are most moved by me saying, “I want to stop and I am feeling nervous. Can we hit pause for a second? And figure out how we move forwards? If I can be brief and honest, people appreciate this.” 

 

Connect with Elena:

Twitter: @brightmorningtm

Podcast: BrightMorningPodcast

Website: https://brightmorningteam.com/

Next Book Coming Soon - 2023

Art of Coaching 2.0 Book - 2023

Arise, How to Thrive as a BIPOC Educator