Category Archives: Next

Growth Mindset, Next, ProfessionalLearning, reflection

ISBLbD reflection

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The Saturday panel at Learn by Design,  brought together panelists Colleen Broderic,  Simon Jack,  Gary Stager and Ewan McIntosh who tackled two key questions which face all education jurisdictions:

  1.  What are 3 things schools should stop doing now?

2.  What are three things schools should start doing now to disrupt schooling?

With a talented panel such as this, you would anticipate insightful answers and comments.   Conference participants were not disappointed.   Some of the perspectives that resonated with me are summarized below.

Part 1:  What are 3 things schools should stop doing now?

  • stop developing long term plans as it kills agility and iteration
  • stop expecting disruption if you are not going to cultivate the conditions to do so
  • always think about what to do next
  • stop teaching old style curriculum
  • school teaches about 1/billionth of the world knowledge, stop arguing about which 1/billionth
  • stop assuming we know how other people think
  • stop thinking you need to understand everything you are working on all the time, the price of not trying is greater
  • stop having too many meetings

Part 2: What are three things schools should start doing now to disrupt schooling?

  • ,think about partnerships differently – engage students and parents as research partners – solve/change something collectively
  • list everything you are doing, then  publicly remove things from the list
  • begin every decision with a child
  • don’t redesign schools by looking at schools,  start looking elsewhere
  • storytelling,  it is human, value who we are
  • embrace the joy of learning, happiness, laughter
  • plan a next

In my view,  the comments, counters and exchange were insightful, thoughtful and respectful.  Any one of these insights is a prompt to generate in depth probing and discussion.

Upon reflection, I would add self directed learning for staff and students into the mix.

My wondering is:   What would you add to the this list?  Anything missing?  What is on your educational mind these days? 

Please comment here or add to the  #ISBLBD twitter stream.

~Mark

Bring It Together, Next

Make It More Than Personal

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Bring IT Together has been a great professional  opportunity with great energy, sharing, networking and learning.

BIT15

I want draw on a key word for my closing remarks:  NEXT.

As a next, Sylvia Martinez challenged us to look beyond, engage with technology and not just use it, experience agency by design and contribute to a global web of ideas.

Steve Dotto suggested we not worry about missing the release date of a new app, but rather embrace a stance of curiosity to explore new possibilities.

This afternoon, Heidi Siwak challenged us to consider how to produce a different kind of student thinkers through an integrative thinking approach. Can you find the magic?

Simon Breakspear recently told Ontario Leaders that the entire world was waiting to find out what Ontario would do next to grow as professionals and to ensure that every Ontario student learns.

In his address to Microsoft employees on the 40th anniversary of  the company,  Bill Gates restated his views on the importance of making  “the power of technology accessible to everyone, connect people to each other and make personal computing available everywhere.” 

And then, there it was – a very powerful quote:  “What matters most is what we do next”  he wrote. Let that sink in:  What matters most is what we do next.

Every moment has a next and I  challenge you to make your  #BIT15  experience more than personal.  Put your learning into action. Influence thinking.  Share your learning. Ignite the spark others.

How will you make a difference between now and BIT16?  What is your next?

~Mark

K12 Online Conference, Leadership Perspective, Next, OSSEMOOC

Being Intentional About NEXT

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As summer winds down and the sunset times are getting notably earlier,  the start of a fresh school year is almost upon us.  Generally, I sense a focus on  anticipation for what will unfold,  but within this notion,  I find myself zeroing in on what will be different, what opportunities will come into play and how to bring change into effect.

I look forward to my continued work with  Donna Fry  on the OSSEMOOC  project where we focus efforts on  connected leadership  and the importance of  Now and NEXT.  I have set a personal and group ‘NEXT’ for 2015/16 and thought I would share them in different formats to illustrate that there are many approaches to creating your online voice.

Personal:

.

— prepared with  Tellagami  which I learned about at #CATC15 —

Group: 

20time_book_cover

Listen to the podcast:

What will your NEXT be?  Join the conversation by sharing your plans via blog post, podcast, animation or video clip with OSSEMOOC by contributing to the  collaborative  project.

~Mark

 

 

 

Just pondering, Leadership Perspective, Next

A Touch of Patch

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David Truss writes on  his blog “Pair-of-Dimes”:  “It seems odd to speak of lone wolves to you, a person that is so intricately… connected.  And yet, as you read on, you will relate to the loneliness that I describe, that I too have shared.  Sometimes it is surprisingly …” [ read more here ]

This summer I had the opportunity to watch the movie Patch Adams (1998) again.  It has been years since I originally watch the movie. I remembered the general story line, but this time I was stuck by the parallels between Patch’s journey and courageous journey that many educators are currently undertaking as David describes in his blog post.

Patch Adams

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patch_Adams#/media/File:080515patch.jpg

Themes that resonated with me include having the courage to experiment, innovate, being brave enough to step out of your comfort zone,  and a focus on making connections – the human connection to build relationships and influence perspectives.

Without risking spoiling the plot in case you have not viewed the movie, the closing 15 minutes contains such a powerful message about following your passion(s), making a difference and being willing to challenge the status quo in positive ways. I wonder if these phases will capture your interest:  the power of transference, win/lose vs win/win,  share your compassion,  the passion to serve others, and carry the flame like a brush fire.   This movie is well worth the watch (or re-watch) in my opinion.   Perhaps viewing this movie will influence your  next!

Related Material:

Wikipedia:  Patch Adams

The  Gesundheit Institute

Patch Adams, M.D. – Transform 2010 – Mayo Clinic
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdCrPBqQALc]

~Mark