Learning New Ways to Learn
June 22, 2012What does a future of flipped classrooms and blended learning look like? I don’t know, but that is the point: we have to adapt to a world of more continuous evolution where success is not guaranteed. This struck home two days ago following a Twitter conversation; thanks to Josie Holford, Head of School at Poughkeepsie…
Why We Teach; Why They Learn
June 21, 2012We work at schools to make a difference in the lives of young people, not to teach them what we know, but to help them find their passion to learn what will be meaningful to them, and to apply it to their future lives. As an administrator, I don’t get the chance to engage students…
The “Forever Young” Strategic Plan
June 20, 2012On the plane ride across country yesterday I closed my eyes and let the song list play. Bob Dylan is, of course, the iconic songwriter of our generation, and Joan Baez’ angelic voice is one I imagine listening to on the way into a peaceful afterlife. I guess I was in the spirit to listen…
Learner-Leaders in Schools
June 18, 2012Two blogs caught my attention in the past couple of days as they make critical comments on the role of leaders in evolving knowledge-based organizations. Both created in my mind the image of learner-leader as perfect for the future of educational leadership. NAIS President Pat Bassett asks the question: Do Leaders Matter? citing studies and…
The Courage to Make Change
June 16, 2012Yesterday I reflected on the wisdom of four panelists at The Martin Institute, summer conference: John Hunter, Sandy Dawes, Bo Adams, and Clif Mims, as they described their vision of our learning future. Toward the end of their discussion they spoke of overcoming the need to assess in traditional ways, to “bend the knee” to…
Learning is Where We Live, Not What We Drink
June 15, 2012Through the miracles of technology and the great work of The Martin Institute, we were all able to share in both the content and video of some of their wildly successful Summer Conference over the last two days. As I watched the video of the panel of four outstanding educators, John Hunter, Sandy Dawes, Bo…
World Peace, Art of War: Let’s Teach Strategy!
June 14, 2012Yesterday, through the miracle of technology, I was able to share in some of the joy and wonder of 500 educators watching John Hunter and his World Peace Game from the Martin Institute summer conference in Memphis. Much of the rapid and full Twitter stream as John gave the keynote had to do with the…
Martin Institute To Support My Work!
June 13, 2012I am honored and proud to announce that The Martin Institute for Teaching Excellence in Memphis has agreed to act as partner and major sponsor for a unique research project that I have created for the fall of 2012. I will be writing about this in more detail in the weeks ahead, but the project…
Blended Learning: Inevitable Path But Not a Destination
June 13, 2012Yesterday Melissa Smith, a Tech Coach for K-8 in Memphis, TN, asked if I would comment on the use of blended learning in the K-8 environment. Sure! I have the exact same feeling about blended learning as I do with unblended learning: good learning takes place when an inspired teacher helps a student to discover…
Deeply Embedded Innovation: Must Read by Rowan Gibson via Braden Kelley
June 12, 2012I have been tracking book and blog authors who write about organizational innovation with the goal of helping translate their knowledge into language that resonates with educators. I strongly recommend reading an interview with Rowan Gibson, author of Innovation to the Core, offered in a three part series by Braden Kelley on the Innovation Excellence…
Busted Definition of Failure: Some Bright Educators Weigh In
June 11, 2012Late last week I was able to join a Twitter conversation with three great educators, Bo Adams, Laura Deisley, and Jill Gough about the nature and role of failure in schools. We all expressed our discomfort with how schools define, describe, and deal with failure, what an aberration it is from how success and failure…
Four Good Reads for a Summer Sunday
June 10, 2012Catching up on great blogs and reads over the weekend. Here are links about innovation, revolution, creational thinking, and customer service that all pertain to how we need to upgrade what we do tomorrow from what we are doing today: Catherine Constaninides describes a “customer-centric” environment that increases how we interact with our clients to…
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