A Little About a Lot

Over the years, I’ve collected tidbits of information related to learning. There really isn’t a connection between any of what I share today – only short vignettes about learning and related subjects that seemed interesting to me at the time. Here’s another edition of “A Little About a Lot.” For reference, I’ve included the year when I made the notation.

Student voice (2011) – In order to develop and promote “student voice,” or the ability of young learners to define, plan, execute, and evaluate their own learning, one must be ready to follow the following progression with most young learners: Apathy, Sympathy, Compassion, and finally Solidarity. In other words, don’t expect a young learner to find solidarity with other young learners when it comes to using their voices for changing their learning experience without moving form apathy to sympathy, sympathy to compassion, and compassion to solidarity first.

The Purpose of Schooling (2011) – According to Thomas Jefferson, the purpose of schooling revolved around three goals: 1) building memory, 2) practicing reason, and 3) using your imagination.

Robert Ballard’s approach to learning (2012) – Explorer Robert Ballard found the Titanic in 1985. After that, in addition to continuing his world-wide explorations, Ballard became interested in building a new system of learning. And the following were going to serve that system as its foundational pieces: inspiration, engagement, education, employment, collaboration, and innovation.

Moving from an Old System to a New One (2013) – If competition, standardization, test-based accountability, school choice, and professionalism describe our current system of K-12 education, then a new system of learning might be described with these words and phrases – collaboration, personalization, trust-based responsibility, equity, and leadership in learning.

Why do all the kids have to learn the same stuff? (2015) – Doesn’t it make more sense for all kids to learn basic skills like reading, writing, problem-solving, and communicating, to be able to learn how to apply those skills in different contexts, and then be able to choose what contexts and content they want to focus on as learners? We must move from standardized learning to personalized learning with standards!

Structural innovation is not enough. (2015)

“Work saves us from three great evils – boredom, vice, and need.” – Voltaire (Although Voltaire wrote this in 1880, I made a note of it in 2015)

Sir Ken Robinson (2016) – We must move our educational systems from conformity, compliance, and competition to diversity, creativity, and collaboration. The system is creating the problem.

Enrollment (2016) – Enrollment is not: an argument, trying to sell something to someone, or getting someone to do something. Enrollment is more than that.

The design cycle (2016) – The design cycle follows a loop – design, prototype, test, feedback, and then back to design.

Ideas on Assessment and Accountability (2016) –

Beginning with the 2^nd grade, all public education students, grades 2 through 12, will sit for two days of exams (The Texas 212 Assessments). These two exam days will occur during the final week of the regular academic term. The first day will be split into two parts – reading and writing. The second day will be focused on problem-solving. Students and teachers will receive assessment questions during the first week of school. Assessment questions will be based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills appropriate for that grade level and content. Tests will be graded based on rubrics shared with teachers and students the first week of school. Test results and student growth will be based on these rubrics.

School accountability and district accountability will be determined by student performance and student growth measures on the Texas 212 Assessments. Additional accountability measures will include attendance rate (either virtual or in-person), completion rate (as measured by a technical certificate or a 2-year or 4-year degree), and parent survey results (as measured by survey participation and school performance rating). School and district data will disaggregate into the following groups: Economic Disadvantaged/Non-Economic Disadvantaged, English Language Learners, Special Education, and Gifted and Talented.

The Texas Commission on Assessment and Accountability never implemented any of the above.

The Butler Way (2016) – The Butler men’s basketball team posted the following in their locker room before they took the court to play:

Humility – know who we are, know our strengths and weaknesses

Passion – do not be lukewarm, commit to excellence

Unity – do not divide our house, team first

Servanthood – make teammates better, lead by giving

Thankfulness – learn from every circumstance

We are all the same (2017)

Good Hands (2017)

You Can’t Build on Broken (2017)

No One Is Coming (2017)

People Like to Talk (2017)

Education Reimagined Project Work (2018) – If society “did away” with schools, how could student-centered learning be implemented while maintaining a sense of order and advancing equity, learning, and employment in communities? How are we going to engage a broader audience in considering the possibility of a society without schools as we know them?  What are the current realities of the present system? What are the current demands/shifts in society? How can we articulate the inspirational approaches that inform our thinking? What is the vision for what could be possible?

Design Thinking (2018) – Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test

Network Vermont (2019) – Learning academies could be built around these Vermont industries: Breweries, Chocolatiers, Distilleries, Pottery, Woodworking, Cheesemaking, Breadmaking

Hostility, disdain, provocation, and confrontation v. civility, appreciation, conciliation, and harmony (2020)

Drink in the democracy, it makes you powerful (2020)

Active collaboration depends on…identity, skills, intellectualism, and criticality – Gholdy Muhammad, “Cultivating Genius” (2020)

Finally, this week I watched a Texas Tribune-selected panel discussing the state of public education in Texas. I came away with this thought – These 60 minutes of panel talk could have happened 40 years ago. “Let’s celebrate teachers.” “Let’s create a better curriculum.” “Let’s work harder on lesson planning.” “Let’s focus on building professional learning communities.” “Great things are happening in our public schools.” All of these comments were shared by the panelists.

And then this was shared –

Today, 43% of Texas students are on grade level for math.

Pre-pandemic, 51% of Texas students were on grade level for math.

So we want to pretend that somehow learning was in a better place four years ago, when only half of Texas’s public school children were on grade level when it came to learning math? And somehow the pandemic ruined all the “success” we were enjoying pre-2020?

I’m not buying it.

And that is a little about a lot.

Friday News Roundup tomorrow. Til then. SVB