Happy 40th to me! Every blog post needs a photo, right?
As many of you know, I’m working on a document describing my dream school – a school that puts children before curriculum, involves students in leadership and creativity, improves student and teacher satisfaction and performance, is green (of course), and ready to prepare kids for their rapidly changing future. If you want to read other posts on this topic, click on the “Education Reform” topic below this post, or at the sidebar.
Today I’d like to share the first draft of this document for your review and comments. This is only a first draft, and I intend to spend many more hours organizing and tweaking, adding and deleting. I hope to do this with your help. Before you launch in, I’d like to thank the dozens of people who have talked with me about these issues and ideas, blogged about them, provided fabulous resources and models. No reason to reinvent the wheel, as the old adage goes. I hope to continue working with these folks, and with many others (including you!) as we identify potential problems, brainstorm solutions, and in general, make this vision better.
If you’re ready, click here: Pilot Elementary School Proposal It’s a seven page document. I’d love to hear your thoughts. And many thanks!
You may also like:
Taming the Tedium of Testing, Part 1 of 3: Resources to Explore Progressive Educational Options
Taming the Tedium of Testing, Part 3 of 3: Ideas for a New Educational System
Two Days and 12 Public Speaking Engagements (and I Wasn’t the Speaker). Day 1.
Practice Doesn’t Always Make Perfect
Creating the Ideal School, Sir Ken Robinson Style
Taming the Tedium of Testing, Part 2 of 3: Leaving No Child Left Behind… Behind
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Your Dream School is so inspiring! I love the ideas. What a happy place it would be for those who learn and teach.
Happy Birthday Gwyn!
Thanks! We’ll see what happens… 🙂
Education reform is about ignoring perception and beliefs. I love working in city schools. I am passionate about the work I do and the choices I’ve made. But when I meet new people, many assume I’m in city schools because I must not be able to get a job in a better school system. I work in a district where the local newspaper thinks we’re terrible, the school committee says the principals and district leadership are all awful, and the surrounding communities think we are a haven for illegal immigrants. On the days that I get to school ninety minutes before school starts, I feel like I’m one of the last people to arrive. Education reform is about putting in the time to make the changes we expect to see in our schools. Our teachers and administrators are at school before the sun comes up, and they leave long after dark. We know positive change and reform starts with showing up.
Thanks for the comments! I’m sorry I’m just now seeing this – my blog spammer function decided to weed it out. I found and validated it this evening. It sounds as if you’re doing the best you can in very difficult circumstances. Thanks for your commitment to those kids-