This year, Emmy Barnes and Rhea D’lima partnered to co-host a PeerSphere peer learning community (PLC) focused on diversity and inclusion. And what began as an opportunity to facilitate learning for others evolved into an important growth experience for the hosts themselves.

Stepping Outside The Comfort Zone

From the outset, hosting this community represented a significant step beyond both Rhea and Emmy’s comfort zones. 

“We felt quite nervous at the beginning,” reflects Emmy. “While preparing for our first session, we had so many questions about how to structure the session and what it might look like.” 

Rhea notes how each session deepened their knowledge: “There’s been a lot of learning throughout our sessions, and we’ve come to appreciate the importance of giving participants time to think and process ideas. We don’t want to just ‘cover’ content and then move on.” 

This commitment to depth rather than breadth has allowed both hosts and participants in the Inclusive Schools PLC to engage more meaningfully with complex topics.

The Power of Personal Stories

As the community has developed, Emmy and Rhea have discovered that their personal experiences resonate strongly with participants. In a recent session about neurodiversity, they each shared candid insights about their collaborative working relationship.

“As colleagues, we have very different ways of processing information, and with our community we were able to share specific examples,” says Rhea. “I think that was something everyone could connect with.”

Emmy adds, “They like knowing us, our stories, how we actually work together and what it looks like to work with somebody who thinks completely differently from you.”

This vulnerability and authenticity created a safe space for community members to reflect on their own practices and challenges.

Building a Co-Constructed Community

Rather than positioning themselves as experts delivering content, Emmy and Rhea have approached their community as a “joint journey of learning.” Emmy emphasizes: “In this community space, we are practicing and discovering and learning and growing.”

This collaborative approach has fostered a genuine sense of belonging among participants. Despite a representation of diverse roles and backgrounds (from teaching assistants in China to school counselors and classroom teachers), the community has developed a shared commitment to exploring inclusive practices together.

Professional Growth and Confidence

Over the course of the sessions this year, both hosts experienced significant professional growth. 

Their confidence as facilitators evolved progressively. As LeeAnne Lavender, the PeerSphere facilitation coach for Rhea and Emmy, observes: “If I think about our very first conversation until now, and their comfort level in co-facilitating, planning the sessions, and knowing what their strengths are and what resonates with their community… the learning arc has been exceptional.”

This newfound confidence has extended beyond the PeerSphere community. Emmy and Rhea were recently invited to be interviewed for a podcast in India, an opportunity they might not have pursued before this experience of hosting a PeerSphere PLC.

How Members Experienced the Sessions

Their growth as facilitators was mirrored in the experiences of their community. Here’s what members shared after participating in the sessions:

• “I found the session to be inclusive and lighthearted, making it easy for me to contribute to and learn from peers.” Anthony – Satisfaction score: 5/5
• “The engagement was very positive and inclusive. The presenters have experience and were well versed with the topic.” Punam Pihlblad – Satisfaction score: 5/5

Developing a Heightened Awareness

Perhaps the most profound impact has been the development of a heightened awareness that extends into all aspects of their professional lives. Emmy shared how this work has deepened her ability to notice and respond to moments of bias or exclusion in everyday interactions:

“There are times now when I can sense something subtle happening in a conversation, something that might previously have gone unnoticed. I feel a responsibility to pause and reflect on it, and when needed, to gently open up dialogue,” she says.

For Emmy, this awareness comes with responsibility, especially in light of her own neurodivergence journey: “That’s part of my neurodivergence, that huge sense of responsibility and justice,” she reflects.

Rhea similarly speaks about bringing awareness of inclusion to her collaborative meetings at school, sharing knowledge with colleagues and helping to raise awareness in the broader school community.

Looking Forward

As Rhea and Emmy prepare for their final PeerSphere session, they both express enthusiasm about continuing their work in this space. They hope to lead another peer learning community in the future, building on the foundation they’ve established.

The experience has given them tools to approach diversity and inclusion not just as topics, but as ongoing practices to embody. Their journey demonstrates how leading a PLC can transform not only the participants but the hosts, too, creating ripple effects that extend far beyond the scheduled sessions.

Conclusion

Emmy and Rhea’s experience as PeerSphere community hosts illustrates the reciprocal nature of authentic community building. By creating a space where vulnerability, authenticity, and collective learning are valued, they fostered not only their own growth but also meaningful connections among diverse educators united by a commitment to inclusion.

Their story reminds us that sometimes the most powerful learning happens not when we position ourselves as experts with all the answers, but when we embrace the journey alongside others: sharing our stories, acknowledging our challenges, and growing together.

Below: a screenshot from a recent call where Rhea (top) and Emmy (bottom) met with LeeAnne Lavender, a PeerSphere facilitation coach for 2024/25.