Problem finding and problem solving

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Great Linkage on Common Core, Daring to Innovate, and the Architecture of Creativity

Three deeply intertwined strands of thought blew in through the blogosphere and Twitter feed in rapid succession yesterday.  Any or all of these would make rich fodder for a faculty workshop or administration team reading.  I received the links because earlier in the week I wrote a blog post “Join the Flamethrowers”, arguing that incipient [...]

Systems, Rain Forests, Soda, Sugar, and Falconing

On Saturday I return to the Philippines for an annual trip with high school students.   Fresh out of grad school I taught there for year in 1981-82, an experience where I formed some of my first ideas about transformational education. Two stories from that time are embedded in my book, The Falconer, and I [...]

Math, Student Questioning: Link to Two Presidential Award Teachers

I just got back from a dinner with Jeff McCalla, high school math teacher at St. Mary’s Episcopal in Memphis.  Jeff is a past winner of the prestigious Presidential Award of Excellence for Science & Mathematics Teaching. He also does instruction for Texas Instruments and was introduced to me by both Jill Gough from Trinity [...]

Active Learning For Adults Models What We Know About Learning, Problem Solving

I was pleased to lead a two-hour workshop yesterday for about 50 business officers from the Southwest region of independent schools.  Rather than the normal “sit and get” that conferences usually provide, I asked for this extended block of time to create an active learning session.  Many walked into the room more than a bit [...]

Time and Place Lead Passion for Innovation at Hawken School

The only resources that schools have are money, time, people, space, and knowledge.  Schools are constructed around the units of time, subject, age, and achievement.  It is critical to understand that the one common element of what we need to function and how we are organized is time.  This post is about a lot of [...]

The Tao of Innovation in Education? Reflections From St. Anne’s Episcopal, Denver

Warning: synthesis ahead. I am going to give the punch line both here at the beginning and then at the end: as we all try to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world, we must remember to give equal priority to that which does not change in our world. The garden at St. [...]

The Nature of Learning via Holly Chesser

What is the nature of learning, as opposed to the nature of education?  Holly Chesser, with SAIS, posted a story yesterday about a high school math student who, two weeks into the semester had already pretty much given up any future in math. She just was not grasping some foundational construct, and in math, you [...]

Try This Approach For Your Next Class Project

A year ago I trialed a method of project-based learning that incorporates a number of skills that we associate with critical collaboration, networking, and group communication skills. It strengthens student ownership of the process and the product and ensures that the students are working on problems that are meaningful to them, not just to the [...]