One story of school that we rarely acknowledge but that runs beneath almost everything we do is that school is a game to be “won.” At a minimum, students win it by doing what they need to do to graduate and attain whatever academic status is expected of them. Parents win it by doing what […]
http://media.blubrry.com/modernlearners/content.blubrry.com/modernlearners/Bryan_Alexander.mp3 All this month in the community we’re talking about the theme of story, how the story of school and education is changing, and what we need to do to help create a new story for teaching and learning moving forward. And so along those lines, in this week’s podcast I interview long time
#66 – Futurist Bryan Alexander: Stories of Change Read More »
Each month our Modern Learners Community (MLC) , we take on specific theme, and in August, our theme is “story.” As in what is the current story of learning we are telling in our schools, how is that story changing, and what might the new story be? And so to kick things off this month,
#65 – A New Story of School Based on Beliefs Read More »
Starting in August, we’re kicking off a new theme in our Modern Learners Community on “Story.” Through our podcasts, book studies, special events and more, we’re going to dive into the many https://modernlearners.communityways that stories define our work in terms of the paths we choose to follow, the ways we measure success, the way we
We Choose the Stories We Tell Read More »
1. A few months ago I plopped myself down in a front row auditorium seat next to a young man with frazzled hair and braces who was looking uncomfortable in a collared, button-down shirt with an overly wide and ornate tie often seen on middle school boys. “How’s it goin’?” I asked. He looked up
Why Wouldn’t We…Learn From the Kids Read More »
I’ve come to read predictions about the future of work with a healthy skepticism. So much click bait. So much preying on fears. So much focused on the technologies instead of the choices we make about the technologies. So much…period. Today more than ever we need to be careful consumers of what’s being written about
Inspecting for Signs of Decay Read More »
Unpleasant Truth about Education #47: Kids learn more deeply in school when participating in extracurriculars than they do when being taught in classrooms. That’s one of the many provocative conclusions drawn by authors Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine in their book In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School. It’s
#64 – In Search of Deeper Learning Read More »
If you’re looking for a pretty compelling read for the summer, Todd Rose’s newest book Dark Horse should probably be on your list, especially if you’re at all interested in education and the shifts that are currently underway in our thinking about schools. In short, it’s about the need (if not requirement) these days to
Fulfillment Beats “Success” Read More »
For over 30 years, Gary Stager has been at the forefront of those arguing for a more constructionist approach to learning. In this podcast, he discusses the power and importance of letting students experience learning by doing in every interaction with school. Gary has been greatly influenced by the work of Jean Piaget, Seymour Papert,
#63 – Gary Stager: “The Project Can Replace the Instruction” Read More »
A lot of schools tout a “global curriculum,” but not many can say that they have a truly global campus. But that’s what “Avenues: The World School” is building. With physical campuses in New York City and Sao Paulo, a Shenzen, China opening this fall, schools developing in Miami, Silicon Valley, London, and Mumbai, and
#62 – A Truly Global School Read More »
Is it possible to create a different school experience? Given the chance to do things really differently in your school, what would you do? That’s the opportunity that Peter Wieczorek has as the director of Northwest Passage High School in Coon Rapids, MN, a public charter school that is pushing the envelope when it comes
#61 – Creating a Different School Experience Read More »
When it comes to “student achievement,” I hardly know where to start. Literally. Should I begin with trying to define it? Or should I start with the fact that hardly anyone defines it? Or that whatever definitions do exist suggest a total lack of consensus and coherence? Maybe I could start with John Hattie and
Rethinking “Student Achievement” Read More »
What if diversity is NOT the goal? That’s the question that our two guests dive into in this our 60th episode. Bruce and I chat with with Homa Tavangar and Eric Dozier who are collaborators at the Oneness Lab where they “seek to discover, learn and live models of cohesion and unity, toward building a
#60 – Diversity is Not the Goal Read More »
Two things are becoming clearer by the day when it comes to our children and our schools. First, our kids are under duress. The latest survey by the Pew Research Center revealed that 70% of 13-17 year olds see anxiety and depression as a major problem among people their age in the community they live.
The Kids (and Schools) are Not Alright Read More »
In this episode, Bruce and I chat with with Stephanie Rogen, author of a great new book titled “Creating Schools That Thrive: A Blueprint for Strategy.” Like the title implies, it’s a roadmap for schools who are on a journey to create mission and vision driven change that’s relevant for modern times. Stephanie’s work with
#59 – Stephanie Rogen on Creating Schools That Thrive Read More »
