Without a consistent theory, the experience of participants will vary based on who facilitates their dialogue group. It matters for adult learners at the institute and it matters for children in schools. Very few schools and districts in the United States can claim to hold a common theory. Without a common theory of teaching and learning, children experience inconsistent expectations and practices as they move through the grades, and their learning suffers. In contrast, the theory espoused by all of the professional staff of Literacy Learning in the Classroom is the foundation for building consistency into the school community.
Some adults are hesitant to ask questions for fear of appearing ignorant in front of their peers.
By bringing a group of professionals skilled in working with both children and adults to your area, you remove this obstacle. Our facilitators continually develop their own understandings of teaching and learning throughout the year with the support of the professional staff of The Learning Network, a national organization that nurtures the professional growth of teachers and administrators. The materials that we provide are produced by this group and are evidence of this intense reflection and their own classroom practice. By working with a group from across the U.S., your area s teachers are exposed to a richer picture than if they are limited to those already in their schools or to a single visiting expert. The three days of the Literacy Learning in the Classroom institute are presented as a mixture of general sessions, in which guiding principles of teaching and learning are introduced, and dialogue groups, where participants explore these concepts and understandings in depth.