Walking and learning

Temple Church

Walking and learning is an educational technique and tool for discovery and reflection that we have been keen to explore.  This month we took a day out to walk and learn in central London with these three main objectives:

• Build resilience as change managers and leaders
• Explore walking and learning as an educational practice
• Discover and reflect on our approach to change management and leadership

We each chose a location in central London within a general area to walk through.  The location was chosen as a space that gave us strength and enabled us to express something about our experience of change management and leadership.  We each prepared an envelope of questions or information or activities to consider at the location.  We agreed a timetable and objectives and did not know where each of us would take the other until we arrived there.

Annemarie started the day with a wander through the Inns of Court and breathtakingly beautiful Temple Church. She contextualised this with a discussion of Medieval times.  Susannah

A Bloomsbury Park

lead us through a series of Autumnal Bloomsbury squares, Russell Square, Gordon Square and Tavistock Square, enabling us to walk and talk.  She shared history, connected people and personal meaning for each square.  Anise explored medical history through visits to St Bartholomew’s Hospital Museum, Museum of the Order of St John and the Priory Church and Crypt.

As hoped, the day proved to be an energising event giving us an opportunity to reflect, discover, explore, discuss, learn, build resilience and exercise. This follow up post explores what Anise learnt during the day in relation to her approach to leadership and change management.  Susannah reflects here on this practice as an educational tool.  We also used walking and learning as a tool to develop leadership skills at the British Museum.