Much of what we know and continue to learn about education has not really changed.  “For the past 100 years America’s high schools have remained virtually unchanged, yet the world around us has transformed dramatically,”  Now is the time for a transformation, we must do better!  In the article “What has changed and what has not,” by Caroline Hoxby.  Much of what we know has already been proclaimed many times before;

1.       Our public-school curriculum has not really changed and does not include how the brain has been rewired for digital natives

2.       Our expectations for K12 Students were set too low and must be modified

3.       Students spent to-little time on activities that relate to their current context

4.       Teachers struggle and lack the resources and preparation to carry out these tasks

Many of our systems are out of date and much of our innovative processes are not included in K12 educational systems. 

The 360° Summit works to Ignite Change!

Through this summit, I hope to spark the next generation of Instructional leaders, teachers, and learners.  I have assembled a team that pushes the envelope to do more! Our speakers have blurred the lines of access and continue to re-defined what it means to teach students based on their individual needs.  The summit includes Instructional leaders who support their team through Voxer; teacher leaders who allow their students to use YouTube to give tutorials to other students, and students who have taken on leadership roles within the school to train other students in struggling content areas.  This is what it means to have shared leadership, and I would like all schools to think outside of the box when it comes to our student’s future.

Transform Systems Today!

Here are some basic ways we can create little changes that can start today.

·         Transform the way we view spaces- We now have access to any space (place) in the world why not hold a class in Paris (let’s recreate the space and place together) (Do you have friends, connections, I do!)

  ·         Chunk Content and transform Pedagogy – We have automated systems that support students’ gaps and learning.  We can create mini-modules that support individual student growth also how can we work with teachers to scaffold content from its initial stages all the ways towards critical thinking.

·         Empower our Students to own their educational journey- what are their interests? Do you know?  How can we create electives or mini-courses on student interest and display individual work so other students can start developing their interest paths?

·         Work with teachers to facilitate innovation- We must connect with colleges that are creating innovation centers and include K12 students.  Why not partner, Higher Education can truly benefit from the experience as well.  

·         Eradicate barriers that hinder educational progress- In every system we need to identify barriers in policy and systems.  Together we can create new systems that are updated and relevant.    

·         Reform, revision, and rethink extracurricular activities- We must do the research to identify the needs of the future while creating systems that will support future job opportunities while creating pipelines for K12.   

·         Design systems of “Do” – Creating programs of practice continues to be a challenge so let’s incorporate more doing in K12.  Create, practice, and apply to a real-world context.

We must do better!  Our students are counting on us to get it right.  This 360 Summit with Premier Teaching and Learning is the spark that hopefully will encourage instructional leaders to become change agents and teachers to wear the hat of leaders for an innovative future.  Sign up for the summit today!

References:

Hoxby, Caroline. “What Has Changed and What Has Not. https://www.hoover.org/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/0817939210_73.pdf

Chalkbeat.org XQ is Taking over: https://www.chalkbeat.org/2017/9/6/21100966/xq-is-taking-over-tv-to-make-the-case-that-high-school-hasn-t-changed-in-100-years-but-is-that-true