Photo by Isabella Fischer on Unsplash

By LeeAnne Lavender, PeerSphere Storyteller

As PeerSphere hosts and community members get ready for this year’s first virtual gatherings, it’s a perfect time to pause and reflect on strategies that will result in maximum impact for personal and professional growth this year. 

Research shows that mindset and intention are the biggest factors in making the most of a peer learning experience or any professional learning experience. Dr. Shannon Doak, a PeerSphere host and Director of Technology at Nanjing International School, conducted doctoral research about virtual peer learning, and says that engagement is the thing that matters most. Basically, you reap what you sow, or harvest what you plant (to draw on a few common idioms). 

If you begin your PeerSphere year by setting learning goals and being purposeful about your role, contributions, and outcomes, you can create intentions that maximize your professional growth. 

“Be explicit about what you want from the community,” says PeerSphere co-founder Michael Iannini. “When introducing yourself to your community in the Feed before the first meeting, make sure to share your learning goals this year. You might be surprised how many people may be interested in the same topic or dilemma but are afraid to assert themselves. Be assertive and giving and, most importantly, come with an open mind.”

Ewen Bailey, the other co-founder of PeerSphere, draws attention to curiosity and says that maintaining a curious, engaged stance in all peer learning sessions will mazimize your experience. He says: “At PeerSphere, our community of international school educators and administrators is built on the foundation of asking questions, sharing experiences, and collaboratively solving problems. By being curious, we open ourselves up to new perspectives and innovative solutions that can be tailored to our unique situations.” 

Sarah Plews, a professional learning specialist working on the PeerSphere team, heartily agrees with Ewen’s comments about curiosity. 

“When we approach communities for learning with openness, curiosity and a commitment to growth, we contribute to a positive learning environment that encourages others to do the same,” says Sarah. “Showing up with an ‘open to learning’ mindset helps us build trust and relationships, which are essential for meaningful professional learning and rich conversations for sharing perspectives and practices.”

In addition to your peer learning community sessions and online engagement through community platforms, PeerSphere members can also participate in: 

• Peer coaching with a partner or small group
• In-person learning events throughout the region

When you put all of this together, there are so many ways members can maximize their professional growth through 2024/25 with PeerSphere professional learning! 

Check out this blog post about 10 strategies for maximizing your peer learning community experience, as well as this post about the top 10 reasons why peer learning transforms our practice. These posts may help slide your own goals into focus for 2024/25, and provide additional framing for you to think about how to get the most from your PeerSphere experience this year. 

And don’t forget to communicate with your hosts! If you have specific goals, challenges, and ideas you want to explore, reach out to your hosts and see if there’s a way you can ideate with them, or connect with other members of your peer learning community. Your hosts are an amazing resource in maximizing your peer learning experience this year, too. 

PS: remember the powerful role of reflection in relation to your professional growth this year (and each year). Taking time to regularly and purposefully reflect on your learning goals and what you’re feeling and thinking in relation to what you’re learning, will reveal growth patterns and continued areas of learning. 

PS: have fun in your communities this year. As you meet new people, network, and create new relationships, enjoy your peer learning space(s). You never know which new colleague will spark your next big idea or growth moment as an educator.