Getting Unstuck: Improving Education by Doing Better Things Instead of Doing Things Better
“A couple of observations: One, the world is becoming increasingly shaped by innovation. I found that academic superstars – by and large – were not are the type of people to really thrive in that very uncertain, dynamic, risk prone world. And two, when anything routine will be done by machines, you start to see the tsunami headed our way that sort of begs for Code Red responses in terms of what we do to prepare, particularly young adults or children and young adults for a world that none of us can predict.”
Today on Getting Unstuck
Welcome back to our summer professional development series “Tomorrow – How Might We Reimagine Our Schools.”
Today we are joined by Ted Dintersmith. Ted is one of the most interesting people we could speak to about change in education. His LinkedIn profile reads “change agent” – and the changes he’s focused on are at the intersection of “education, innovation, and democracy.” He is the author of What Schools Could Be, which details the trip he took across the U.S. in 2016, visiting some 200 schools in all 50 states.
The Essential Point
Today, educational leaders and schools are barraged with suggestions and directives to do “this” and “that” to improve student performance and outcomes. But the problem is that we don’t really have agreement on what we mean by “student performance and outcomes.”
There is a critical need to define the kind of school and educational experiences kids really need given the world we live in today – and not for the world that existed more than 100 years ago. This special series seeks to turn up the volume on that much needed discussion.
Let’s listen in to hear how Ted answers his own question: “Is thinking about what's going on in schools nice or imperative?”
“We know if kids get good at defining their own goals, manage their own efforts, learning how to learn, developing skills that matter, retaining the same character dispositions we see in every toddler, which is exactly what you want an adult, right? Inquisitive, creative, insatiable, interested in learning, willing to stare down failure a million times. If we could preserve that passion, give them proficiencies that matter, had them understand that they can actually get good at things that make their world better. And couple that with the way to support themselves financially, while they retain intellectual curiosity, it's off to the races. But it won't happen with conversations. There has to be change.” — Ted Dintersmith
Ted’s school transformation ideas
“Allow students to have more voice in what they’re learning; where the learning is more aligned with the real world and where the community is more connected and caring.”
“Have kids working collaboratively on big ambitious projects that they think are really interesting.”
“Our classroom teachers know what to do.”
“To change education, take confidence-building small steps that lead to big change, and celebrate the small steps.”
“Create an environment within a school that celebrates and encourages innovation and says ‘This would be OK if you do it, not that everybody has to do it.’”
“Think about what you want your kids to be good at coming through this process of school, and then evaluate whether the learning experiences are aligned with that.”
“Let a school community, in their own words, say ‘This is what we hope our kids will be good at coming through the school process.’ They own it. They embrace it. And then they start to make some small steps that are innovative.”
“Engage local businesses in internship programs.”
“Reinforce the career path, the gap-year path in addition to the traditional four-year college degree path.”
“Emphasize teaching and learning what students will need to know as adults, not simply what’s always been taught.”
“Most educational change efforts reinforce doing the obsolete things better, as opposed to doing better things.”
Could a book on how to effectively lead change in schools be more timely?
We’re pleased to announce …
…that our book Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change is now available from Corwin Press or Amazon. Please consider leaving us a rating and review. Thank you!
From our publisher:
In Shifting, educators and leadership experts Kirsten Richert, Jeff Ikler and Margaret Zacchei empower educational change leaders to proactively and coherently navigate complex change in schools to achieve the desired outcomes.
Using a three-part framework—Assess, Ready, Change—this book leads educators to examine a school’s imperatives and readiness for change, identity the tools and abilities required to manifest change, and take action by defining the roles and processes necessary to effectively implement both sweeping change and smaller day-to-day adjustments.