Readings for the Next Two Days

Please be prepared by Wednesday to present one of the chapters to which you have been assigned, and the other chapter on Thursday. Exception: Stephanie on Thursday.
Chapter 5 presented by Dave
Chapter 6 presented by Jeff
Chapter 7 presented by Sandi
Chapter 8 presented by Jeff
Chapter 9 presented by Andi
Chapter 10 presented by Cam
Chapter 11 presented by Sandi
Chapter 12 presented by Dave
Chapter 13 presented by Stephanie
Chapter 14 presented by Andy
Chapter 15 presented by Cam
Bruce will summarize the graphs of each type of school.

Chapter 4 Digital Generation

Issues that were raised at the Tuesday July 13 Book Club:

There needs to be flexibility in time, scheduling and facilities. E.g. a single teacher being scheduled on alternate days has completely upended the timetable of one school. E.g. bus schedules dictate how one school operates.

The criteria used in chapter 4 are somewhat prejudicial, e.g. Classroom theory vs Real-World Relevance whereas Academic Knowledge vs Applied Knowledge might be a fairer way of stating the issue.

Bottom up revolution is more difficult to execute well than gradual evolution. Perhaps it is misguided to think that education will change by first starting with facilities, school year and time tables.

As an example of evolution, School District 46 began to develop various non-traditional school settings because the superintendent believed that if a student doesn't fit the program, you create a new program.

Our union can block flexibility. If we are not careful, we will lose out to private schools and home schools.

.....

,,,,,,

Chapter 3 Internalizations

Oops ... missed the deadline. Router problems! Sorry!

As I continue down this path of discovery with the Digital Generation, the big QUESTION looms forth, HOW? As discussed in our lit circles, the barriers seem insurmountable. However, by chapter three bigger questions and even bigger ideas are beginning to penetrate this old brain. The fog is lifting. I'm shifting from How to When do I start? The key is with me. I am the beginning of how. I ask myself just how efficient I am with technology and have to answer truthfully ... not as efficient as I could be. This leads to my big idea of creating a tech circle with like minded teachers who want to learn more and we will find a mentor to lead us once every other week. We can meet at my school and I will begin to organize this during our pro-d in Aug. A pebble in a pond. I cannot lead reluctant peers to the well when I'm not entirely sure how to get there myself. I just know the journey needs to happen.
The second big question nagging at me now is: What does the workforce look like today and how do I prepare my students for it? Truthfully, I have been so busy teaching and raising a child, I have no idea how the workplace has changed.
The million dollar question posed on p. 57 asks," how can we meet the diverse needs of our clientele in one school or one district?" It begins with me in one classroom. I hold the key. I will learn more about technology and hopefully bring a few peers along with me. As a class, we will research today's workforce, network with the community, have future bosses in to visit. I will model creative problem solving when I hit the many barriers found in today's schools. Since our new school is in the design process now, I will try to voice consideration for creative interior design, built for change!

Designing Schools of the Future

It is interesting that mass customisation is becoming more common in the products and services we use in our day to day lives and yet we rarely hear the term, or anything like it, used to refer to education. I agree wholeheartedly with the authors that schools of the future must conform to local requirements. Just as I want to act locally when it comes to delivering curriculum, so schools in general must respond to local requirements while retaining flexibility to allow for response to change going forward. Otherwise we will continue to practice the "one size fits all" approach albeit with schools that look different! What we must be certain to do is involve all stakeholders in visioning processes. I have experienced situations where architects have tried imposing ideas without any consultation with those that would use a classroom/school. Just because they have designed schools before doesn't mean they get it right! Just as we have compartmentalised instruction in our industrial aged schools, so we have also divided roles and responsibilities within schools and districts to such an extent that getting people to talk to each other and see each others point of view is a challenge. Inevitably there will always be an element of compromise, but we will be going nowhere unless we can get all the parties 'around the table' to network. We have to avoid the common situation in todays schools where somebody has a great idea and someone else gives a truckload of reasons why it cannot happen! My big question is how can we get people to effectively network about all aspects of the future of schools, teaching, curriculum, assessment and then put aside their comfort zones/TTWWADI attitudes to realise change? As I mentioned last week, I believe the parents will be some of the easiest to convince because they recognise that things are not what they used to be when they were at school. It's the other stakeholders that will require more work!

I often use the phrase "there are a thousand reasons not to do the something, but only one reason to do it....because it's the right thing to do". In other words there is many ways to come up with reasons why something won't work because you can attack it from any angle. This way you can build a huge case against something with meaningless reasons. There are usually far fewer, but very good reasons, to undertake a huge task. I think that this is the underlying conundrum of change and what they are struggling with in this chapter.
I don't think any teacher would argue most of the points that are brought up about the need for diverse schools with diverse facilities that are capable of teaching students what they want, how they want, when they want, and where they want. It's kind of a no-brainer. But suggest the changes inherent in these ideas and you will get an avalanche of reasons why it won't work.
On the other hand if everyone views the objections as hurdles that can be climbed using real world strategies then it becomes easier to see the way ahead as an adventure instead of as an impossibility.
The big question that comes up for me, that often comes up for me, is " how do we get people to buy in?

Chapter 3 thoughts

Overall I think the authors are bang on. We need to change the direction of the school cultural wind before our sailors start jumping ship. I am completely sold on the need for significant change and find myself in the SPIDER position with an opportunity to begin seeing some of the transformation take place.

That said, I do appreciate a rigorous argument. I am not keen on the blanket statements provided in the first 2 chapters (referred to as straw houses in debating circles) as a way of building a case for the author’s position: “Many educators, parents, and politicians have a great deal of difficulty understanding that the world is that different than the world they experienced when they grew up” (p. 17). I would argue that this is not true. Perhaps some might have a little difficulty....

The evidence used to support claims is also a little weak. Surely there must be more current brain research than 1994 (p. 24). I would like to see Canadian statistics cited; especially by Canadian authors. The data on page 66 is American-based. The CMEC must have current stats as would the TIMMS or other similar assessment protocol.

The authors do a good job at summing up what we know to be true…”the process of transferring the new ideas for instruction and learning into actual practice with students is the critical and most difficult part of shifting schools to new approaches to education” (p. 67).

My big question is how can we establish a network to support us in efforts to begin making changes? Perhaps we could find funding through NPBS or the district source that Bev Craig helps administer?