Creating the Schools We Need

Raymond J. McNulty, President

@ray_mcnulty

“The future is not some place

we are going to, but one we are creating.

The paths are not found, but made, and the activity of

making them changes both the maker and the

destination.”--John Schaar

Making a better “20th Century School”

is not the answer.

Unless we unlearn some of our

traditional practices, we will never get

beyond an improvement

mindset.

We are getting better at things that do not matter

as much anymore.

I believe the future is not about the latest gadgets,

it is about something more than gadgets, it’s

about …LEARNING

The Adult Learning Year!

2011

In an environment driven by results, the best

strategy is to “DEVELOP YOUR PEOPLE.”

Broaden the definition of learning in your system to include adults.

The focus must be also on the way we work.

• Cooperation is what was valued in the past. It is about efficiency: “You do this and I will do that.”

• Collaboration is where we should focus. It is about shared creation, in which the focus is not on the process but on the specific results.

First practice must change, then results,

then policy.

WE need to become the AGENTS of change.

Many people -- both inside and outside of education – seem to be afraid (generally) of three things:

• The Future• Technology• Social Skills

Themes1. Best and Next Practices2. Three key trends impacting us3. Technologies to watch4. Non-techie stuff / Relationships5. Closing morning remarks

Theme

• Best and Next Practices

Best practices allow you to do what you are

currently doing a little better.

Next practices increase your organization’s capability

to do things it has never done before.

Expertise (“the way we do things around here”) can be a road block to problem solving

and to the development of Next Practices.

System Innovation

Sustaining Innovation

Next Practice

Disruptive Innovation

Established organizations often

embrace “sustaining

innovations” but struggle with “disruptive

innovations.”

ExampleResearch in an established organization is aligned to someone studying aircraft built in the 1940’s…. All statistics and engineering data are based on what has been accomplished in the past, not what the organization might deliver in the future.

“Travel faster than the speed of sound!”

Theme

• Three key trends impacting us

First Key Trend• Our roles as educators is

challenged by easy access to an abundance of resources

• Sense Making• Coaching• Credentialing

Second Key TrendPeople expect to be able to learn,

study and work whenever and wherever they want.

The world outside of school is increasingly collaborative.

We must reflect upon the way student projects are structured and graded and how teachers work.

Third Key TrendThird Key Trend

Theme• Technologies to Watch

The Horizon Report 2011

Near Term: 1-2 YearsElectronic Books and Mobile Devices

Amazon: For every traditional 100 books sold, 105 electronic books were sold. - May 19, 2011

Mid Term: 2-3 yearsAugmented Reality and Game Based

Learning

Far Term: 3-5 Years

Gesture-based computing

Pattie Maes, MIT Media LabPranav Mistry, inventor of “Sixth

Sense”

Current System

Something Different

The Horse

The Automobile

Henry Ford quote…

“If I had asked the public what they wanted,

they would have said a faster horse.”

Some making bold moves….

• Barren Academy of Virtual and Expanded Learning

Some suggesting bold moves….

Conrad Wolfram… Start teaching math and stop teaching calculating.

Theme

Non-techie stuff

Intentionally Non-Compliant Student

The Fundamental Attribution Error

When looking at our own behavior, we tend to view the situation in the environment that surrounds our action.

When looking at the behavior of others, we make assumptions about their personal qualities.

The Effects of Praise

Fixed or Growth

Can’t hand confidence to learners on a silver platter.

Social Skills1. We are very good at content skills,

rules, regulations, strategies. We are terrible at discussing and coaching on social skills.

2. David Brooks, “The Social Animal”3. Policy makers are good at

understanding social skills, but are void in recognizing their value when making policy.

•Motivation

Motivation is a key ingredient for success in

learning.

What Works Best?• REQUIRE

• MANDATE

• FORCE

• EXCITE

• CREATE PASSION

• MOTIVATE

Talking with kids…

It’s not us against them!

CULTURE DRIVES STRATEGY

• To Do Our Work Well

• Quantitative Data

• Qualitative Data

• Ask Great Questions

You can’t teach kids you don’t know….

Teacher – Student Comparisons

T – I make learning exciting for my students.

86%

S – My teachers make learning fun.

41%

25th Percentile

75th Percentile

1. CARE: My teacher in this class makes me feel that s/he really cares about me

40 73

2. CONTROL: Our class stays busy and doesn’t waste time.

36 69

3. CLARIFY: My teacher explains difficult things clearly. 50 79

4. CHALLENGE: My teacher wants me to explain my answers – why I think what I think.

59 83

5. CAPTIVATE: My teacher makes learning enjoyable. 33 72

6. CONFER: My teacher wants us to share our thoughts. 47 79

7. CONSOLIDATE: My teacher takes the time to summarize what we learn each day.

38 67

•Rigor

•Relevance

•Relationships

•Relationships

•Relevance

•Rigor

•Participation Gap

Hotels

Airlines

Businesses

HospitalsCustomer satisfaction surveys

Participation Gap• Self-Worth: Self-Worth occurs when

students know they are valued members of the community; have a person they can trust; believe they can achieve.

• Active Engagement: Active Engagement happens when students are deeply involved in the learning process.

• Purpose: Purpose exists when students take responsibility for who and what they want to become.

STUDENT ASPIRATIONS / PARTICIPATION GAP

SELF WORTH

ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT

PURPOSE

BelongingHeroesSense of Accomplishment

Fun & ExcitementCuriosity & CreativitySpirit of Adventure

Leadership & ResponsibilityConfidence to Take Action

Relationships

Relevance

Rigor

Teacher – Student Comparisons

T – I am aware of my students’ interests outside of school.

84%

S – My teachers know my interests outside of school.

28%

• Technical Challenges

• Culture Challenges

• Leading and Lagging Indicators

They expect more than just a score!

A test score is not a synonym for what a student has learned or a school has

accomplished.

Focused measures for detecting improvement

Changes in student performance lag behind changes in the quality of instructional practices.

Changes in the classrooms are visible before you see them in external measures.

Use the lenses of the Learning Criteria.

Learning Criteria to Support 21st Century Learners

• Every school has its own DNA.

• School success is measurable beyond the tests.

• Data must drive school improvement initiatives.

International Center for Leadership in Education, Inc.

Success Beyond the Test

• Foundation Learning

• Stretch Learning

• Learner Engagement

• Personal Skill Development

The Learning Criteria to Support 21st Century Learners ©

Dimensions

• Foundation Learning (Achievement in the core subjects of English language arts, math and science and others identified by the school)

• Foundation Learning (Achievement in the core subjects of English language arts, math and science and others identified by the school)

• Stretch Learning (Demonstration of rigorous and relevant learning beyond the minimum requirements)

Dimensions

Criteria• Foundation Learning (Achievement in the core

subjects of English language arts, math and science and others identified by the school)

• Stretch Learning (Demonstration of rigorous and relevant learning beyond the minimum requirements)

• Learner Engagement (The extent to which students are motivated and committed to learning; have a sense of belonging and accomplishment; and have relationships with adults, peers, and parents that support learning)

Criteria• Foundation Learning (Achievement in the core

subjects of English language arts, math and science and others identified by the school)

• Stretch Learning (Demonstration of rigorous and relevant learning beyond the minimum requirements)

• Learner Engagement (The extent to which students are motivated and committed to learning; have a sense of belonging and accomplishment; and have relationships with adults, peers, and parents that support learning)

• Personal Skill Development (Measures of personal, social, service, and leadership skills; and demonstrations of positive behaviors and attitudes)

Foundation Stretch LearnerEngagement

Personal Skill Development

Foundation

StretchLearner EngagementPersonal Skill Development

Dimensions of the Learning Criteria

Dimensions

• Foundation Learning (Achievement in the core subjects of English language arts, math and science and others identified by the school)

• Foundation Learning (Achievement in the core subjects of English language arts, math and science and others identified by the school)

• Stretch Learning (Demonstration of rigorous and relevant learning beyond the minimum requirements)

Dimensions

Criteria• Foundation Learning (Achievement in the core

subjects of English language arts, math and science and others identified by the school)

• Stretch Learning (Demonstration of rigorous and relevant learning beyond the minimum requirements)

• Learner Engagement (The extent to which students are motivated and committed to learning; have a sense of belonging and accomplishment; and have relationships with adults, peers, and parents that support learning)

Criteria• Foundation Learning (Achievement in the core

subjects of English language arts, math and science and others identified by the school)

• Stretch Learning (Demonstration of rigorous and relevant learning beyond the minimum requirements)

• Learner Engagement (The extent to which students are motivated and committed to learning; have a sense of belonging and accomplishment; and have relationships with adults, peers, and parents that support learning)

• Personal Skill Development (Measures of personal, social, service, and leadership skills; and demonstrations of positive behaviors and attitudes)

Creating the Whole Child

• What is it in your particular role in FPS that you can do specifically to help in each of the four learning criteria dimensions to ensure success for all students?

• On the back of the paper give 2 or 3 learning's, ideas or questions about what you heard today.

Learning CriteriaStudent Evaluations

Student-centered … not School-centered

Quick Review…1. The idea of the future2. Best Practices and Next Practices3. Key trends shaping (now and in

the future) education (hardware section)

4. Relationship / social skills (software section)

5. Learning Criteria6. Tie it all together (reboot section)

Now “CTRL, ALT, DELETE”

IF WE WANT… Children to be learners who

think, read, reason and express themselves effectively in multiple ways…

Then we must show them thoughtful people eager

to take in and use new information.

IF WE WANT..

Children to be brave and resourceful when confronted with the unknown…

Then they must see us taking risks and finding new ways to move ahead.

IF WE WANT..

Children to be loyal, patriotic and responsible….

Then let us show them that we can be true to our deepest principles.

IF WE WANT..

A new and better educational system that educates all our children

for success in the 21st Century….

We will have to be new and better leaders and learners so that we can be

“FUTURE READY TODAY”

Creating the Schools We Need

Raymond J. McNulty, President

@ray_mcnulty