Dr. Brad Ermeling is an education author and researcher who spent seven years working as an educator in Japan. He received a message from Jennifer Crosson, a teacher and university student participating in a masters program, asking about his work on collaboration and creating safe spaces for students, particularly English language learners, to have collaborative conversations that promote critical thinking. Crosson is interested in whether the structure for supporting students would be similar to what Ermeling outlined for teachers, and if creating safe spaces in a specific department could help spread this approach or if it requires full school involvement.
Dr. Brad Ermeling is an education author and researcher who spent seven years working as an educator in Japan. He received a message from Jennifer Crosson, a teacher and university student participating in a masters program, asking about his work on collaboration and creating safe spaces for students, particularly English language learners, to have collaborative conversations that promote critical thinking. Crosson is interested in whether the structure for supporting students would be similar to what Ermeling outlined for teachers, and if creating safe spaces in a specific department could help spread this approach or if it requires full school involvement.
Dr. Brad Ermeling is an education author and researcher who spent seven years working as an educator in Japan. He received a message from Jennifer Crosson, a teacher and university student participating in a masters program, asking about his work on collaboration and creating safe spaces for students, particularly English language learners, to have collaborative conversations that promote critical thinking. Crosson is interested in whether the structure for supporting students would be similar to what Ermeling outlined for teachers, and if creating safe spaces in a specific department could help spread this approach or if it requires full school involvement.
Dr. Brad Ermeling is an education author and researcher who spent seven years working as an educator in Japan. He received a message from Jennifer Crosson, a teacher and university student participating in a masters program, asking about his work on collaboration and creating safe spaces for students, particularly English language learners, to have collaborative conversations that promote critical thinking. Crosson is interested in whether the structure for supporting students would be similar to what Ermeling outlined for teachers, and if creating safe spaces in a specific department could help spread this approach or if it requires full school involvement.
Research +8 Dr. Brad Ermeling is an education author and member of a research team from UCLA and Stanford. He spent seven years working as an educator in Japan, developing firsthand knowledge and expertise with Japanese lesson stu… more 174 Followers | 10 Following | 6 Co-authors | 8,404Total Views | top 5% FOLLOWING MESSAGE 1
Hello Dr. Ermeling,
I am a teacher and university student who is participating in Collaborative Inquiry, a masters program at Queens University. I am working to understand the complexities of collaboration and how it can benefit teaching practises and ultimately student learning. I am especially interested in the aspect of creating safe spaces, in which English Language Learners can feel comfortable having the collaborative conversations that illicit critical thinking. I found your article Moving the Learning of Teaching Closer to Practice:Teacher Education Implications of School-based Inquiry Teams quite insightful. I wondered if the example you used regarding the district expert could be likened to providing “safe spaces” in the sense that students need both conventional training in lets say tolerance but also need a stable inquiry and learning setting in which to convert that knowledge into practices. So first, I am wondering if you feel the structure for creating cultural and social/emotional supports for students to engage in inquiry would be the same as those you have outlined for teachers? Do you feel that in order for this to be successful that the whole school needs to be involved or do you think that a specific department might be able to “plant the seeds” so to speak? For example, what if we establish safe spaces in our schools for complex discussions to occur and the students don't adhere to the structure of keeping dialogue within these safe spaces and it spills into the larger school culture or communities? Do you think that these spaces can happen without the support of administration and the larger education systems? I am aware this is an encompassing topic that will require some thought. However, I am reaching out to those like yourself in hopes to start conversations that will contribute to my understanding in hopes to deepen my education practises. Thank you so much for considering my questions and contributing any thoughts and wisdom you might have in regard to my professional inquiry.
Sincere Regards, Jennifer Crosson Department Head of Learning Support Frank Hurt Secondary School
Student in Professional Masters Education Queens University
