The work educators are doing in response to COVID-19 is heavy and so important. I’m on the front lines in my regional service agency. Supporting over 2500 teachers transition to teaching online in a matter of days is hard work! My tears started at 4:30 on Thursday, and didn’t stop until I woke up Friday […]
COVID-19: Three Phases of Response Read More »
The “Let’s Change School” conversation came to the forefront again this week after a video collaboration between Ted Dintersmith and the rapper Prince Ea went viral. As we write this, the video has been up for a little over 4 days, and between YouTube and Facebook, it has almost 10 million views and over
A response to Prince Ea’s viral video “What is School For?” Read More »
In our last Shifting Conversation post, the 250th in the series, Bruce shared the evolution of Modern Learners over the last five years, a few of the tools we use to thrive (and survive) as a team, and the pivots we made along the way. Since Bruce and Will have spent the past week traveling
Connections and Community in a Modern Learning World Read More »
In episode 49 of the Modern Learners podcast, Missy and Lyn talk with Superintendent Dr. Joe Sanfileppo of the Fall Creek School District in Wisconsin. Joe is known in educational leadership circles as “the relationships guy,” a dynamic school leader who speaks often about the role of relationships in learning and who celebrates loudly the
#49: Dr. Joe Sanfileppo discusses Relationships, Leadership and Learning Read More »
As I wrote about in last week’s column, this new book titled Timeless Learning by Ira Socol, Pam Moran, and Chad Ratliff may just be the best book I’ve read about how to change schools and bring all the things we know are important about progressive learning to traditional public and private schools. In this
#48: Timeless Learning With Pam Moran and Ira Socol Read More »
While it’s hard to count the number of profound thoughts and insights that frequent Timeless Learning, the absolutely powerful new book from Ira Socol, Pam Moran, and Chad Ratliff that’s coming out next week, this one particular passage had my inner and outer edu-activist pumping his fist: Adults may argue about this – they do
Choosing Progressive Education for Modern Learning Read More »
I’m pretty sure I’ve written this before in this space, but one of my favorite essays relevant to the whole conversation around school change is Margaret Wheatley’s “Willing to be Disturbed.” It was first published 16 years ago as a commentary on how confusing the world seemed to be post 9/11, and I’ve always found
Willing to be Affirmed Read More »
Could it be that one of the biggest barriers to change is that we rarely have any real shared understanding of the language we use around learning? That’s one of the many interesting conclusions that Dr. Beth Holland arrived at while doing her recently published dissertation from Johns Hopkins University. And it’s one of the
#47: Dr. Beth Holland discusses Learning, Language, and Leading Read More »
Have you noticed the “new” trend in thinking about schools? I put “new” in quotes because, of course, it really isn’t new at all. In fact, you might call it a renaissance of the thinking that we’ve always known to be true about bringing kids together to learn with adults in shared spaces. Maria Montessori
Why Start With Why Not? Read More »
Before COVID-19, Surveillance Software was the focus of EdTech. The question is will it remain that way or have we learned a few things? This post from sometime in 2017 is still relevant. There’s a growing sense that we’ve reached a breaking point with technologies in the classroom. France is banning all mobile devices from
Surveillance Software: the focus of EdTech Read More »
Do you know the difference between technical change and adaptive change? Most change in schools involves technical change, like “dressing up” the current situation, but not really addressing the underlying issues. Adaptive change, as defined by Harvard’s Ron Heifetz, is changing culture, worldview, and self-worth. These are the changes that are the hardest to make
#39: Using Adaptive Change Methods to Revolutionize Education Read More »
There’s change, and then there’s change. We all know what I mean by that, right? I mean, in some schools, the changes are easy to see. Everyone has a device. Teachers meet in their PLCs. “Competency-based” is the approach du jour. Or “personalized learning.” Or “flipped.” It occurs to me that most change that really
Our Moral Imperative Read More »
I’m reading another one of those books that’s profoundly changing my thinking about change in schools. And yes, as always, it’s like 20 years old. It may seem weird that I keep going back in time to find the most powerful ideas for this moment. I mean, not a week (day?) goes by any more
If we’re talking about kids and schools, and I say “success,” what do you think of? How about “achievement”? Or “high expectations”? I’ve written many times about my surprise at how little consistency I find among groups of teachers and leaders from the same school have around the word most basic to our work: “learning.”
The Importance of Common Language Read More »
It’s conference time, and you’re off to the opening keynote. What are you expecting? Do you want to be entertained, informed, inspired or provoked, or maybe all of the above? Are you looking for your current thinking to be affirmed, challenged, or dismissed? So, which of those emotions will impact on you the most? Which
The Value of a Cold Shower Read More »
