We don’t own the words of course, but it was fun to come across these words from the PDS mission statement: Poughkeepsie Day School graduates students who: Possess a rich academic knowledge base and know how to think as creative, flexible, independent, resourceful learners for life Are intellectually curious, active seekers, users and creators of … Read more
It was standing room only at Radio City for Sir Ken Robinson’s keynote speech at the NAIS annual conference last week. I’ve written before (here) about his TEDTalks address on Creativity and Education that went viral in 2006. His book Out of our Minds: Learning to be Creative is a great read. What a treat, … Read more
“Social Networking: does it bring positive change to education?” This is one of the questions posed by The Economist magazine. Here is a link if you have a view, or if you want to understand more about the issues, or participate in the debate. Their first debate focused on technology and education, the second on … Read more
“We used to fool ourselves…We used to think our content was perfect just exactly as it was. We expected our business would remain blissfully unaffected even as the world of interactivity, constant connection and file sharing was exploding. And of course we were wrong. How were we wrong? By standing still or moving at a … Read more
NAIS is working on a PGP (Principles of Good Practice) for Global Citizenship. Here is a draft. They are seeking feedback, questions and responses as they work toward a final version to be added to their other PGPs. Twenty-first century independent schools shape student experiences in ways that encourage global awareness and instill a compassionate, … Read more
“It’s the teachers….” I refrain from adding the usual last word to that phrase because it seems unnecessarily rude but, surprise, surprise: Top quality teachers are the key factor in making a difference to quality education and top performing schools worldwide. This is according to this recent and extensive report (pdf) on education systems worldwide … Read more
Ten Trends: educating children for tomorrow’s world An article in the Journal of School Improvement a while back examined ten major trends and looked at the challenges they present for schools. The author, Gary Marx, begins with this ringing statement: The status quo is a ticket to obsolescence. Why? Because the world around us is … Read more
There’s a good article in the latest Educational Leadership: “The Perils and Promise of Praise”. It’s by Carol Dweck. The wrong kind of praise creates self-defeating behavior. The right kind motivates students to learn. We often hear these days that we’ve produced a generation of young people who can’t get through the day without an … Read more
“The incentives I took as an insult. I didn’t think motivation was needed. It was not the right thing for me, not the right thing for my players.” – Joe Torre, turning down an offer to continue as manager of the NY Yankees. I am not much of a fan of professional sports* but I … Read more
Disintermediation – one of those wonderful baggy words that only yields up any meaning after being dismembered into constituent parts, if at all. Or perhaps a word like a string of railway carriages shuttling along clanking and rattling over the rail bed. The word is most usually applied in the field of marketing and economics … Read more
Colleges that Change Lives is the title of Loren Pope’s very useful book for those planning for college. It’s also a website. If you are off to college soon, or know someone who is, then take a look. It is particularly useful in dispelling some of the myths of excellence. As with many things, it … Read more
Imagine a cleared space in the forest and a circle drawn with a rope; “This is your comfort zone – the space where you are confident and at ease. This you can already do. We all have our comfort zone. It takes many shapes and it is different for all of us.” Then another rope … Read more
The world is moving at a tremendous rate. Going no one knows where. We must prepare our children, not for the world of the past. Not for our world. But for their world. The world of the future. – John Dewey (seen saying just that in the film below) Progressive education in the 1940s: I … Read more
“Modern studies indicate that creativity is not a rare, magic gift visited upon the isolated genius; it is the natural birthright of every human child and is a series of cognitive skills that can be taught, harnessed and applied to unleash what we are now discovering is the infinite creative capacity in every child. Learning … Read more
There was a great article in last week’s Boston Globe. The authors – Ellen Winner and Lois Hetland – dismiss the idea that arts education produces higher test scores. While it’s true, they say, that students who are involved in the arts do better in school and on the SAT, it’s not about the test … Read more