Signals of Capacity and Comfort For Change
April 12, 2014Painting a picture of future success is always a critical step in creating an innovation pathway. In working with one of my client schools I suggested we outline some “signals of success” for August, 2015. In re-reading them, I find that they likely apply to almost any school that is developing a more nimble, connected,…
Are “Vision” and “Division” Opposing Forces at Your School?
April 9, 2014How long have I used the terms “vision” and “division” in schools and not seen both the linguistic and practical dissonance between the two? Schools craft vision statements that are often short, full of pithy words, and meant to coalesce a unique sense of the community’s priorities and direction. In my experience with many schools,…
Two Leads for Great Learning Beyond Our Borders
April 4, 2014From my International Desk, which this afternoon is my window seat at home: I know, the time difference makes it really hard…but our kids are learning 24/7 anyway, so why not do this? Here are some girls at a school in Kandahar, Afghanistan, learning English via Skype to the U.S. It is not an exaggeration that…
Reflections From Deeper Learning
March 31, 2014I was honored to attend the Deeper Learning conference last week at High Tech High in San Diego as sort of a visiting reporter. If you did not lurk via Twitter, you can go back and call up #deeperlearning to gather connections, links, and perspectives from a number of people who share a foundational journey…
Spend Five Minutes With a Picture of School Innovation
March 24, 2014As I mentioned over the weekend, there is something important brewing in Atlanta. If you have never scrolled through a Twitter stream, now would be a good time to try. If you have, now would be a good time to scroll through #AK12DC from the Atlanta-based 11 school K-12 Design Challenge last Friday and Saturday. Bo…
Follow Ground-Breaking Team of 11 Atlanta Schools Re-Designing How We “Do” School
March 22, 2014For those who don’t follow me on Twitter or are not on Twitter yet, I want to share a link to some powerful education transformation that took place yesterday and today in Atlanta. A group of 11 public and private schools in Atlanta are gathering for a long-term design challenge on how they will meet…
What 9th Graders Can Teach Us About Learning and School
March 20, 2014Last fall I visited All Saint’s Episcopal School in Ft. Worth, hosted by director of the Tad Bird Honors College, Dave Ostroff (see full report from that remarkable day).He just shared with me this short snippet of the day. I asked this group of 9th graders to spend 15 minutes walking around their school observing…
In Learning, are Process and Product Indivisible?
March 20, 2014Last night on the always provocative Twitter #DTK12Chat, thought leader/teacher/design thinker Mary Cantwell asked “In design thinking, does either process or product trump the other?”. Most responses favored process; a few championed product, for without a product are we not just spinning our wheels? I offered two thoughts and have been stewing over them. “In…
Interview on BlogTalk Radio: Our Multi-School Collaboration on Future of Schools
March 20, 2014Got up early this morning to join Jeff Shields, President of the National Business Officer Association as we were interviewed by Larry Jacobs for BlogTalk Radio on the future of independent schools and the 28-school collaboration we are piloting this year. Larry was also kind enough to invite me back to talk about my upcoming…
We Lost Crimea to a Flattened World
March 16, 2014I have neither the time or depth of knowledge to make this a scholarly post. We celebrate the opportunities and economic challenges of a flattened world. Some win and some lose as commerce, investment, and jobs flow more freely since the end of the Cold War, that “last” gasp of centuries of imperial expansion and…
“What Can I Leave Behind?”, and More via Design 39 Campus
March 14, 2014If your faculty meetings feel a bit stale, repetitive, or formulaic, read on! The faculty team for the new public Design 39 Campus in Poway Unified is starting to grow, and I got to sit in yesterday on one of their weekly meetings as they build towards the August opening. I wanted to share what…
Link to My Article in Independent School Magazine
March 13, 2014For those who do not follow me on Twitter or who may not have access to Independent School Magazine, I was tremendously honored to have my article included in the latest edition of this leading education publication. I started writing this article in my mind about an hour after my remarkable visit with Shoshana Zuboff of…
Search Blog
Connect with us
