Shared vision is still in the creation stage
We have talked about the changing educational landscape – the digital natives, Starbucks generation parents, global economy, and the need for different outcomes from our 100-year-old system. We believe this work requires a strong foundation of relationships and values engagement, empowerment and accountability. From my perspective, there seems to be a wave of calmer consensus washing across our system as we find our center again. As educators are empowered to bring professionalism back to classrooms focused on each student, the warmth and the color seems to return to our world. It feels like the right time for us to start talking about our shared vision or our desired state for our district.
However, I am careful not to rush our work on shared vision because it is very important that we are developing both strong relationships throughout our system and a deep understanding of education for the 21st century before we begin this conversation. Should we start prior to this new understanding, our vision for our district would be ill informed. We would be very likely to revert to what we know best and do what educators have done for many years – tweak or make minor adjustments to the tired, cold assembly line system.
Therefore, it is important that we work to educate ourselves and others about the future of our country, how the education system must play a vital role in the future of our country, what new outcomes we need from our education system, the particulars of the digital natives, the future of textbook knowledge versus skills, and what 21st century learning looks and feels like.
For that, I would like to point you to a few resources.
- Gary Marx’s work http://staffdev.henrico.k12.va.us/la/files/16%20trends.pdf or http://portal.ers.org/search/item_preview.cfm?assetid=25327
- Marc Prensky’s work http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/default.asp
- Edutopia http://www.edutopia.org/
- Steven Wolk’s Article http://www.philipwaring.us/on_education/2007/10/why-go-to-schoo.html
- Bill Daggett or Ray McNulty http://www.iptv.org/video/detail.cfm/24/3rd_annual_IAHS_summit_daggett_2
- Ron Clark http://www.ronclarkacademy.com/videos.aspx
- Flip Flippen http://www.theflippengroup.org/education/index.html
- Alfie Kohn http://www.alfiekohn.org/articles.htm
One more source – http://www.skillscommission.org/executive.htm – provides an interesting look at the past and future of our country with regard to the role of education. I find that part of their work valuable information. However, before you look at it, I want you to know that I am not endorsing their recommendations. I am only encouraging you to become familiar with the role that education must play in the future of our country.
During this school year, we will begin the creation of our shared vision or desired state. This is not just a catchy phrase that we put on a banner in the hallway. No, if done correctly, it defines our work for the next five to 10 years – the central grounding that helps us make the right decisions, even when they are difficult. It is the tie that binds us together as we all work passionately toward the same ends. It is what speaks to our students, parents and communities about who we are and what we intend to be. If done well, and most are not, it is powerful. To be done well, we must be informed. The above list is just a beginning.