Committed Listening
Learning Focused Conversations
October, 2012
This material was developed for use by participants in the
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics (CCLM^2)
project through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Use by school district personnel to support learning of its
teachers and staff is permitted provided appropriate
acknowledgement of its source. Use by others is
prohibited except by prior written permission.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Reviewing Ideas
Share ideas from your journal regarding
characteristics of Consulting, Collaborating,
and Coaching.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Consult
• Offer advice about processes, protocols,
choices, and actions.
• Gap analysis that emerges regarding goals
and outcomes or teacher actions and
student behaviors.
• Provide a menu of options.
• Elaborate on the “what”, “why”, and “how”
of proposed ways of thinking about issues
and solutions.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Collaborate
• Shared analysis, problem –solving, decisionmaking, and reflection.
• Share idea development or gap analysis.
• Supports mutual learning, mutual growth, and
mutual respect.
• Co-develop information, ideas, and
approaches to problems.
• Brainstorm ideas and options.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Coach
• Support the colleague’s idea production,
instructional decision making, and ability to
reflect on practice.
• Maintain a nonjudgmental stance with full
attention to emotional and mental processes
of colleague.
• Employ coaching tools of listening,
paraphrasing, and probing to support the
colleague’s planning and reflecting on
practice.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Learning Goals and Success Criteria
• Identify your personal listening habits
• Explore the components of committed
listening
• Realize how unproductive patterns of
listening negatively affect interactions with
others
Success Criteria: Become aware of these
patterns of listening when you are engaged in
collegial conversations.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Listening Assessment
• Assess your current listening skills (pg.
26 and 27).
• Develop your profile of listening habits
(pgs. 28).
• Set a listening quality you want to
develop (pg. 29).
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Reflection
Table discussion:
• Share surprises from the listening
assessment.
• Share your listening quality goal.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Unproductive Patterns of Listening
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Judgment and Criticism
Autobiographical (personal referencing)
Inquisitive (personal curiosity)
Solution (personal certainty)
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Judgment and Criticism
• Occurs when our listening focuses on what we see as
flaws or greatness in another person’s comments or
ideas.
• Positive judgment: can be perceived as if you believe
you know best or you are an authority
• Negative judgment: is a sure way to limit or reduce
thinking, inspiration, and creativity.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Autobiographical Listening
• Occurs when our brain exercises its associative
powers and the speaker’s story stimulates us to
think of our personal experiences connected to
those being addressed by the speaker.
• Personal comments can be beneficial to show
empathy and understanding. The brain makes
natural connections to show caring.
• The committed listener is always monitoring the
amount of personal sharing.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Inquisitive Listening
• Occurs when we become curious about something
the speaker says that is not relevant to the issue at
hand.
• Inquisitive thoughts cause you to stop listening to
the speaker. They might even go from thinking to
speaking.
• A committed listener sets aside distracting thoughts
to stay focused on the words of the speaker.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Solution Listening
• Occur when we view ourselves as great
problem solvers, ready and eager to help and
give suggestions to others.
• Interferes with understanding the situation
from the colleagues perspective.
• Effective listeners monitor and manage their
own listening skills by focusing their mental
energies to committed listening.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
10 and 8
Take a few minutes to share with a table partner
what you are understanding about unproductive
patterns of listening.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013
Learning Goals and Success Criteria
• Identify your personal listening habits
• Explore the components of committed
listening
• Realize how unproductive patterns of
listening negatively affect interactions with
others
Success Criteria: Become aware of these
patterns of listening when you are engaged in
collegial conversations.
Common Core Leadership in Mathematics Project, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2012-2013