After discussing the “Thought Cloud Activity” in class I have become more and more aware of the interconnectedness of Trust, the Awareness Wheel (communicating a clear message), the power of Possibility, and the effect they all have on the culture of a group of people.  I see the connection of these four things through the lens of someone who yearns for constant change.  Change is, in my opinion, one of the most important ingredients for reaching greatness.  Not simply wanting to change, or being able to change, but to recognize the need for change.  

If a group of people is capable in having trust, or even confidence, in one another’s ability to do what is correct for themselves and those around them there would be much less pain and fear in our organizations.  Trust is, as cliché as it may sound, the most important part of a successful organization.  It is tightly bound with the ability to communicate an entire message clearly to those you work with.  Working in education I am aware of the varied opinions and theories we have at our disposal in this industry.  Many theories and practices have come, gone, been re-worked and come back again in new shiny packaging and re-implemented with a newfound vigor, only to fall flat again.  This constant swinging of the educational pendulum is exhausting, especially for those who have been in the business for a few decades.  The message given to staffs about new procedures, or ways of practice is key to the success of those ideas and integral in the creation of trust between workers.  

Successfully sharing an idea to your co-workers in a way that respects their concerns and your supports your wants for yourself, for them and their professional practice and for your students is not only a challenge but a must if you hope to encourage change and uncover the possibility that awaits all interest holders when the work comes to fruition.

I imagine that once all those involved in the work see that change has worked out in the favor of the needs of their practice, and their students a culture of trust will become prevalent within the organization.  This culture will be able to identify the need for change and how to work through the change.  It may even go looking for change.

I will say though, when I read in the 3rd paragraph,

“Public satisfaction is also evident in the fact that 59% of Americans believe that reforming the existing system of public schools, rather than seeking an alternative system, is the best way to bring about school improvement.”

I tensed up a bit and found myself asking:

Reform rather than a new alternative?
Have we not been reforming already?
What areas are in the need of the most in radical reformation?
Is it whole sale reformation? A “one size fits all” situation, where everyone changes the same things regardless of the school and communities needs?
Are will yet willing to answer the question we often ask ourselves “How can we truly educate and develop the WHOLE child?

I love it…I get so excited to know that the American public still has faith in its educational institutions! I become even more excited when the thought crosses my mind that there is a true opportunity to make changes that will harness the institutional mission of public education and couple it with the countless personal hopes and dreams of our nations children.

I have been a fan of Dave Eggers since his first book came out. He has written two of my favorite books and edits/publishes a magazine I read quarterly. He also runs a Pirate Supply Store – seriously, if you have a Pirate Supply store you have a ton of street cred.

What struck me about his presentation at TED was, aside from how nervous he seemed, much like Clay Burell (If you have not begun you need to start reading this guys blog), how excited he about this project he is.

The writing workshop/tutoring is a wonderful example of how students can and do get excited about doing their work and learning when the environment is comfortable and welcoming.

The equation is simple (I am not a math guy and this is a rough draft):
Focused attention + Unconditional love/understanding from adults/mentors + Rigorous class work + fun + time to complete work = Student centered learning environment

To break it down:
Focused attention: We need to look at the content of a course and focus all of our attention on deconstructing, and then playing with each of its parts, then reconstruction it to be used by the students in real life scenario.
Unconditional love/understanding: Student will do anything if they feel that they are able to make mistakes and not be judged. This is based trust. The students at my school are predisposed to not trusting adults but once trust has been developed and tested (which took a long time) they are willing to try almost anything – public dance offs – acting – singing – screaming etc.
Rigorous class work: Students know what they are capable of and if you short change they know it and they will never perform to their true abilities. They know themselves much better than we do.
Fun: Students (by students I mean all human beings) are genetically encoded with a need to fool around and have fun. Why fight it – embrace it. Fun does not mean that learning cannot happen.
Time to complete work: This one is the easiest to understand but the hardest to fulfill. Teachers are expected to cover too much information with to little time. The time needed to cover material is not as important as the time needed to for students to become curious and then quench their curiousity Some students simply need the time to become curious about the material. We cannot expect students to learn if they are not ready. Time is limited but the opportunity to witness the magic of learning should not be passed up because “We need to finish this unit!”

Eggers example of the students publishing books is a testament to this learning equation. I know we all have had these moments here and there but we need to turn the moments into the “always.” It is, and will continue to be, a challenge.

Good luck and keep fighting the good fight.