Life experience continuously scripts lessons that can be carried forward into classroom use. It emerges when teachers are given the time and resources to explore instruction independently, and when teachers have opportunities to learn from the experiences of their peers. Self-reliance becomes customary for teachers who investigate questions of individual relevance and for those who share the results of their explorations and investigations with other teachers. Informal but regular teacher talk sessions inform and encourage teachers to become reflective about their practice. When teachers sense a feeling of community with other teachers, self-reliance grows.
Teachers also benefit from studying of self-selected topics.
Sharing their newfound expertise with interested colleagues expands the benefits of study. When teachers specialize in topics of personal interest, they boost their own classroom performance, promote personal strengths, and build a foundation for helping other teachers. Teacher book clubs that focus on professional reading also foster self-reliance. As teachers read writers of their own choice and discuss topics of interest with one another, new insights for classroom possibilities emerge. Reflection Teachers beginning the quest for self-reliance must make time for regular reflection at the end of the day, early every morning, or during a set time each week.