A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I found ourselves wandering around a real bookstore, the kind with actual books in it, reminding ourselves what print on paper actually looks like. It’s not that neither of us no longer read paper books, we still do. (The local library is about 50 steps from our …
It’s interesting, to me at least, that whenever I have conversations about the role of power in school cultures, it seems everyone feels powerless. Students, who sit at the bottom of the “power org chart,” feel they have little or no ability to influence the ways in which they experience school. School isn’t a choice …
“Existing power relationships in schools are part of the problem and can never be part of the solution.” ~Seymour Sarason, Revisiting The Culture of The School and The Problem of Change A few years ago in a Q&A session with a group of about 40 teachers at a school outside of Detroit, one teacher raised …
Here’s a question you may want to ask a representative sampling of your students: On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being “not at all” and 10 being “very,” how predictable is your school experience? As in how much of your school day (or school year) pretty much sticks to the script? Whenever I get …
Schools are “Totally Predictable.” We Good With That? Read More »
One of our favorite phrases to use in education when we’re reflecting on the decisions we make in schools is “in the best interests of students.” As in we need to consistently put our kids ahead of anything else when we think about our practice and our systems. And no one disagrees with that sentiment, …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
How do we make the world better than we found it? This is a question that has been raised in a number of our community conversations. Gary Stager mentioned it just last night in a chat with Will and Bruce. It’s posted on classroom and school walls to inspire and promote a reason for …
How do we make the world better than we found it? 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 …
Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because this yearning is so primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and by seeking approval, which are not only hollow substitutes for belonging, but often barriers to it. Because true belonging only happens when we present our …
Gamechangers are few and far between. The only place they frequent is of course on our sporting fields, but metaphorically they also well describe those creative, courageous people who see a better way to do something and then they set about making it happen. Schools fit the metaphor perfectly with their protocols, rituals, rules, and …
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. …
Despite the concern educators frequently express about the challenges of time in the scheduled life of school, most do still find time for conversations with colleagues. It might be over a morning or lunch break, or at either end of the school day, nonetheless they all value being able to connect with colleagues and share …
Feedback, Affirmation, and the Delusion of Good Work Read More »
