In 2016, I attended SXSWedu, and wrote this post about some speakers who gave us the key ingredients that contribute to the success of the Finnish education program. I mentioned that, as a celebration of its 100th year of independence, Finland was endeavoring to collect case studies of 100 of the most innovative educational projects … Read more
I have been looking at alternate report cards lately – some that use standards based grading, some that assess 21st century skills, etc… As I did my research, I ran across an article from 2011 that appeared in Good magazine, challenging readers to “Redesign the Report Card.” I was intrigued by the idea of not … Read more
Yesterday’s post, “The Trailblazer,” reminded me of an article I wrote awhile ago called, “Tell Your Students to Get Lost.” Both essays carry the message that it is important to give our students opportunities to find their own ways. Every time I see an innovation, I think to myself, “Now that person understood that we … Read more
One of my good friends, the incredible @lackeyangie, sent an e-mail about a recent vacation experience, and I asked her permission to share it here. The implications for education are apparent, especially if you have heard George Couros speak – or read his book, The Innovator’s Mindset. “Hi! So yesterday I had an amazing day! … Read more
Dr. Pauline Dow (@PaulineDow), an Associate Superintendent in our district, shared this recent TED Talk by Steven Johnson, “How Play Leads to Great Inventions,” in a tweet this week. Steven Johnson, you may remember, is an author I’ve mentioned on this blog because I was fascinated by his book, How We Got to Now. Johnson is adept at … Read more
You’ve seen schools compared to factory assembly lines, systems designed to produce a uniform product that can safely pass inspection before being released to the market. It turns out that some people (many, actually) don’t feel that is a great way to educate. We’ve realized that expecting everyone to conform to one set of standards … Read more