This was a discussion that came up at BEtreat Canada: What are the similarities between a social learning leader and a teacher? We had a quick brainstorm and the results were captured by Bonnie Johnston here:

If it’s hard to see the visual, this is what it says…

Social learning leader (pink circle):

• invites others to engage in thinking through challenges and opportunities
• elicits stories of practice rather than advice in the abstract
• the practice is the curriculum
• doesn’t hold back what she knows
• an agenda is created with insiders of the community or network
• the community is responsible for the outcomes

Teachers (yellow circle):

• teacher comes from a place of knowing
• the curriculum defines the content and the practice
• teacher may hold back what she knows in the service of pedagogy
• teacher is responsible for the agenda
• teacher is responsible for the outcomes

Overlapping space (orange circle)

• preparation work
• listens to needs of community/students
• reflective practitioners
• good sense of design for learning
• different degrees of bossiness and directiveness
• accountable to stakeholders