Inspired Teaching Institute Day 9: The roil we

An Inspired Teaching Institute Vocabulary List

Review:

preternatural

incendiary

Introducing:

roil we

noun: The first-person plural pronoun used by educators to reinforce the notion that they are part of a community of individuals who continuously hone their craft, exhibit and share a preternatural excitement about education, and stir up students’ innate desire to learn.

[Usage note: This term refers to any educator who embodies the qualities of an Inspired Teacher. It can include participants of the Inspired Teaching Institute as well as others who do not have a formal connection to Center for Inspired Teaching.]

An original poem by Inspired Teaching Institute participants led to an impromptu vocabulary lesson today. I learned preternatural, and a teacher inquired about incendiary. This new one, roil we, is my attempt to capture the community I sense among other Institute participants, despite the fact that I’m not a teacher or facilitator in any formal sense at the moment. As we discussed today, this community and all of the epiphanies that have germinated during the course of the Institute are the result of at least two things: absolute engagement on the part of participants, and dynamic, highly intentional facilitation.

I have had the privilege of better understanding that these two elements are dependent on each other, much like the members of any learning community. And I look forward to hearing about the new Inspired Teachers’ experiences and the students they inspire.