This I Believe…

…our public school system is fantastic AND it is critical that it undergo a complete and comprehensive transformation.

…the transformation of public education should empower students to be responsible for their own learning and much more active and engaged participants in the process. We will need time for this transition because students have been so disempowered that their natural curiosity and love of learning has been lost. They are like wild animals that have been domesticated. Releasing them back to the wild with no transition would be cruel. (See “The Wolves of Learning”; “Trust Our Children”)

…the transformation should further result in the elimination of the “hidden curriculum” that we teach our children: They are learning that the voice of authority is to be trusted and valued more than independent judgment. The hierarchical nature of school puts knowledge in the teacher’s domain. Their job is to “play school”, accept the status quo; even if it isn’t relevant, or makes no sense to them. “Command and Control” schooling is a leftover from the assembly line manufacturing era. It does not represent the way business nor the world operates today…“The World Is Flat”; Thomas Friedman (See “Education’s Hidden Messages”)

…the transformation should result in students recognizing their unique gifts and having the courage to bring these gifts into their learning and their lives. Teachers can play a “life-changing” role in helping students discover their gifts and building their confidence in them. (See “Seeing What Is There” )

…the transformation should embrace an expanded definition of learning and knowledge. Learning needs to be redefined from its present focus on how much information one can accumulate and recall; to being able to DO something new with the information. Being able to do new things, take new actions that we were not able to take before; is at the core of what learning is about. (See “The Learning Dojo“)

…we are the living curriculum. We teach who we are. (See “You Are The Living Curriculum”and “The Power of the Spider”)
…transforming our schools will take effective and committed leadership at every level and from every individual. Transformation always begins with ME! Whether I am a student, teacher, principal, superintendent or director of technology; it is up to me to change. Teachers wait for the principal to make the changes, the principal waits for the superintendent, the superintendent waits for the state education department, and the state ed department waits for the feds. No one wants to commit to going first. Everyone sees the problem somewhere else. If only the (teachers, administration, parents, community, state ed, or feds) “Got it!” things would surely change. (See: “Accountability 1″; “A Simple Practice to Change Education and the World”)

…in order to develop effective and committed leaders at all levels we will need to abandon our present method of training and supporting leaders. Our present methods utilize all the elements of teaching that we are trying to change: i.e. The leadership teacher knows everything and our job as students of leadership is to collect as much information from the teacher as possible. We cannot become effective leaders by reading books about leadership, listening to lectures, blogging about it, nor collecting tips and techniques. We can be very smart, have lots of leadership insights, and be able to talk about it like an expert; but that does not mean that we have become effective leaders. We need leadership development programs that emphasize “leadership practices and leadership presence” and support educators as they engage in the personal challenges they will face as they engage in this process. (See “Leadership Ethos” “A New Definition of Leadership === this is a Word.doc attachment)

…although technology can serve a role in this transformation; it is secondary. (See “The Starting Point” ; “Logic Does Not Apply”)

…this transformation is possible and each of us must make a commitment to be active in bringing it about. If we have beliefs that are not consistent with this commitment we must re-examine them. (See “When You Believe It, You Will See It” )

…there are teachers in classrooms every day that are changing the world. We must honor their work. Gratitude and appreciation are at the core of transformed schools. (See: “A Teacher’s Story – Conclusion”)

I believe these things…

pete

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